Turn to the back of any business opportunity type magazine and you'll see page after page of small classified ads and small display classifieds offering free information by calling a 1-800 number... or punching in a doc-by-fax number... or pointing your internet browser to a URL.

Boy, how things change.

Back in the 70's and early 80's, the response requested in these types of ads were: Send a SASE envelope for free information... or send 2 postage stamps and a SASE... or, best of all, send for free information. And that was fine for the times, but it certainly made for a hassle if you wanted to response to any more than a couple of the ads.

Realizing that fact (because I've always been a direct mail, direct response, mail order junkie), I decided to run a small classified ad in the business opportunity section of The National Enquirer which read:

$1 Sends Your Name and Address to Every Business
Oopportunity Ad in This Issue. Save Time, Money, and Hassle.
Big Mail, PO 1000, Anywhere, USA 00000

The results? Over $1,700 in one dollar bills within a five week period of time. The ad only cost me $112. And postage to mail every name to every ad cost me an additional $100. Crunch the numbers... the ad was amazingly profitable.

Even more important, it taught me a very valuable lesson:

People are motivated to act for two reasons. To eliminate pain, or to gain a pleasure. Either motivation is powerful. Even more powerful... find a way to eliminate the pain while ensuring the pleasure and you've got an incredibly powerful combination which virtually cannot lose.

In the case of the above classified, a lot of people were willing to send me a $1 because I offered them an opportunity to receive what they wanted (more information) without having to endure the headache, hassle and expense of addressing and stamping a ton of envelopes.

You can write the same kind of ad to prospect for new business. Offer the prospect a chance to receive the information that they so desperately want without the headache and hassle of having to call two, three, four, even a half dozen real estate agents -- all of whom want nothing more than to suck their name, rank, and serial numbers in exchange.

Enjoy.... This style ad has proven profitable placed in Harmon Homes, or any other "listing" type publication (perhaps a web site?):

Guaranteed Hassle-Free
Information about any Home
Listed for Sale in this Publication

That's right! As you go through this publication, simply write down the page number and code printed next to the photo of every property that piques your interest. Then simply mail, fax, or phone this information to Roger Realtor and he will give all the details (including price!) about each and every property...

...No Headache
...No Hassle
...No Bull.

GUARANTEED!

Don't call 20 different salespeople to get the information you need. Make it easy on yourself. Call Roger Realtor now for all the hassle-free information you need about any property listed in this publication, or anywhere in the greater Smart Valley area. Call now.

555-1212
Roger Realtor
Roger's Realty

555-1212 (fax)
111 Easy Street
Helpful, USA 00707

Published: November 30, 1998

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