HOW TO CREATE DIRECT MAIL FLYERS
By Rozey Gean

The flyer is an advertisement or article placed on one sheet of paper.

1. Getting Started
The flyer is the most effective form of offline marketing and it happens to be the easiest to create. All you need is some paper, a printer, writing software and imagination.
To learn the basics of proper layout and form for either one, scan through any magazine for help on how to combine images with fonts. Pick an advertisement that captures your attention and use it as a guideline to create your individual piece.
There are many different software packages available to you that can help in creating the desired look you want. The package I currently use is PageMaker v6.5 by Adobe(tm) but, you can create great looking pieces with Microsoft Publisher 2000. It retails for about $99 and is a very easy program to learn; plus it comes with pre-designed templates to aid you with layout ideas.
If you still feel you're not the creative type, don't sweat it. As an option, you can hire a professional designer to create one for you. The going rate for such a service *offline* varies from state to state, but you should be able to have it done for you for a minimal charge that will not place a dent in your budget.
Online you may feel free to contact Karen Wilson-Dooley by sending her your e-mail to mailto:kwd@just-your-type.com or visit her website at http://www.just-your-type.com. Karen produces quality work at an affordable price -- and she is fast and easy to work with!
Once your flyers are created and ready to distribute . . .

2. Stuff It ~ Label It ~ Mail It
(a). Stuffing Envelopes -- Depending on the size of your flyer, you can either stuff it into an envelope for mailing, or just fold the flyer piece itself into three sections (with 2 folding points). If you decide to fold your marketing pieces, the US postal service requires that you "securely close" the paper item. There are circular disc labels that can be acquired at any office supply store for mere pennies or if you're on a limited budget; a regular piece of clear scotch tape will suffice.
(b). Labeling -- Now you're ready to label your marketing pieces and finalize the process. You certainly can do it by hand; however, a much easier approach is to use software that can do it for you. My first choice was "My Deluxe Mail List & Address Book" by MySoftware Company. I was relieved to find this software not only handled mailing lists with ease, but it also helped me to learn how to process first and third class mail as well as, bulk rate mailings. You can acquire this software online at http://stores.beyond.com/mysoftware/mailing.htm for the affordable price of $49.95.
If you use mailing software, always remember to copy your lists onto a floppy disk, ZIP drive or CD ROM unit to guarantee the safety of your database. Nothing is worse than suffering loss of important data as a result of hard disk failure beyond your control. Your mailing list is a golden treasure that will produce sales for you time and time again. It seems only fitting that you would protect it as you would your personal assets.
(c). Mail It -- If you are mailing to more than 200 recipients, you may want to consider purchasing a bulk mailing permit. You can acquire one at your local post office and it will benefit you by reducing the amount of postage you need on each mailed flyer. If you intend to have your flyer printed by a professional printing service, obtain your permit number first and have it printed directly onto your marketing materials. This saves time and money for your business! If you do not have any intentions to mail more than 200 flyers at one time, find the stamps and wet your whistle!

3. Repeat the Process
So what does all this have to do with my online business? Plenty! If you're a business owner who thinks the process is over just because you closed the deal and collected the money -- you're sadly mistaken. In fact, this is when the entire profit process begins!
The smart Marketers already know what it takes to rake in the profits and now you do too! You can earn DOUBLE the profits just by following the simple procedure of combining your offline "direct mail" marketing with your online promotions.
For every new affiliate program you join online -- you should be creating a flyer and mailing it offline to your existing database. There's gold in your mailing list! You are literally sitting on a treasure chest that will yield plenty more shiny new dollars. All you need to do is open the lid and toss in a few more offers.
There's no better time like the present to get started. Do it now!

Rozey Gean is the founder of the Marketing-Seek.com website where writers, e-zine publishers, and online entrepreneurs are brought together in an easy-to-use, friendly interface.
http://www.marketing-seek.com
Email::rozey@marketing-seek.com