2005 - 10-27-05

So, what is the best way to alleviate someone's fears about buying your product or service? Well, the very strongest way to do this is to offer to let them have what you are selling and not pay anything whatsoever until a month or 45-days have elapsed since they received whatever you are selling... and... they've had plenty of time to satisfy themselves you are an honest and reliable vendor with 100% integrity.

Believe it or not, a few businesses in the United States do this and they make millions of dollars with this operating model. For example, Rodale Publishing will not allow you to pay for a book in advance. When they send direct mail, they include an order card you simply sign and return to them. This order card says (in essence):

"Please ship me xyz book. I will read it within the next 30-days. And if I am satisfied with the book, I will then pay for it. If I am not satisfied, I will return the book to you and not be charged a single penny."

The real wording of their order cards is slightly different from what I have just written. But I am pretty sure I have communicated the essence of it accurately.

Sources tell me when Rodale sells books this way, they get something like a 70% or 80% "pay-up" rate. However, you should remember Rodale Publishing has a few very powerful advantages most of us "lesser mortals" do not possess.

For example, they have a very large in-house list of proven trustworthy customers.

Secondly, they have very deep pockets and can afford to wait for their money.

Thirdly, they run a very tight ship and their billing notices go out like clockwork.