Q: I produce products which I sell locally, but would like to sell higher volumes direct to my end customers through a catalogue or other means. What is the best step forward?
Aug 17 2005
Answered by: Jackie Jarvis Ask a question
Your first step should be to research the best way you can sell direct to the public, through direct marketing, door-to-door selling or mail order catalogues. The Royal Mail’s website has a section dedicated to direct mail (www.royalmail.com), explaining what it is, and how to implement a campaign. It also produces ‘The complete guide to direct mail’ which you can obtain from this address: Royal Mail Direct Mail, Freepost, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR9 7BR, or by calling 08457 950 950.
The Direct Marketing Association (www.dma.org.uk) also produces a series of factsheets. You can find out more from the website, or by calling 020-7291 3300.
However, my guess is that you probably don’t want to be involved in carrying out direct marketing yourself. In my publishing business we sell many of our products by this method and it is a complex and sophisticated topic. You have to devise the offer you are making to the public, keeping to all the rules about advertising, you have to mail your offer to a list of people (and finding the right list is an art in itself) and finally you have to fulfill the offer. It’s pretty tricky to put it altogether and make it profitable.
I would suggest that you might be better to find a firm who will undertake the selling for you. The Direct Selling Association represents companies which sell direct (door-to-door) and it includes companies like Avon, Betterware and The Body Shop at Home. Some of their members will take products from other suppliers and include them in their catalogues. The DSA publishes Direct Selling (cost £17.99), a paperback which helps businesses to set up in direct selling. It seems like a good starting point for you to find a company who would sell your product for you. Of course, don’t forget that if someone sells the product on your behalf, they will need their cut of the profits. Write to the DSA at 29 Floral Street, London WC2E 9DP, or you can contact the DSA on 020-7497 1234 or visit www.dsa.org.uk.
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