It’s a proven fact that mail order marketers can increase sales
substantially by offering their customers a credit card option.
Some marketers enjoy increases of 10% to 30% in sales when they
get up with a Visa/Mastercard merchants account. Others have
reported increases up to a whopping 100%, or even more!
If all of your sales are made by mail, you can expect to up your
total sales by at least 10%, and more likely 15% to 30% simply by
offering the credit card option. If you plan to use the telephone
a great deal as a marketing tool, offering a credit card buying
option could double or triple your sales.
Credit card buying is seductive. Many people like the option of
buying something today that they won’t have to pay for until
later. Also, most consumers tend to spend more using their
plastic, than when they’re writing a check, or paying cash.
REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD BECOME A CREDIT CARD MERCHANT
There are many good reasons why you can benefit from securing
credit card merchants status. Here are some of them…
* People with credit cards are more affluent than those without
plastic. They can afford to spend more money.
* They tend to be better « credit risks », if you want to sell
« open account. »
* Overall, they buy more by mail than those without cards.
* You cannot effectively sell from commercials on radio or TV
without offering credit card purchasing. Visa and Mastercard are
by far, the cards most consumers have.
* They often will make credit card purchases even when they are
short on cash, and/or when their checking account balance is low.
* You can sell on installments, obtaining permission to charge
the buyer’s card on a monthly basis.
* You can ship goods with the secure knowledge that payment has
been secured before shipment is made.
THE PROBLEM
By now, you’re probably convinced that accepting credit card
orders is a darn good idea. But how can you obtain credit card
merchants status? Truth is, it’s not always a piece of cake. In
recent years banks have been playing hard-ball with many business
people, especially anyone doing business by mail. It’s the same
old story, a handfull of mail order crooks have almost totally
screwed-up a good thing for honest dealers. The major credit card
companies have told the banks to be very, very selective in
issuing merchant accounts to mail order sellers and home business
operators.
Because a few scum-bags have ripped off some banks, and run off
with the money, your local friendly banker may not be too
« friendly » when you tell him you want a merchants account. It has
become increasingly more difficult for mail order sellers to
secure a merchants account, and if you only sell by mail, but
also do consider setting you up for Visa and Mastercard
processing. That happens to be reality…but always remember
WHERE THERE IS A WILL THERE MUST BE A WAY! In this special
valuable report I’m going to cover some of the best way to obtain
your merchant’s status.
THE BEST WAY TO OBTAIN YOUR MERCHANT ACCOUNT
Although your banker may have already told you that they « cannot »
accept you for a merchant account, the simple, unvarnished truth
is that he/she can. Visa and Mastercard do set some rigid
guidelines for their affiliated banks to follow, but ultimately
the banks must approve or disapprove each application. Excuses
concerning « doing business by mail », « operating a home-based
business », « not having a long business track record », are just
that-excuses! A somewhat polite way to tell you « no »!
Could a mail order businessman, (books, home-study
courses, etc.) but how also conducts his business exclusively in his
home get a Merchant Account? Fat chance of him getting a merchants
account. Right? Wrong: He happily processes credit card orders for his customers will full
knowledge and cooperation from his bank. How did he do it? He never
stopped asking for what he wanted.
When his own bank refused to even consider him for a merchant
account, due to the fact that he was in mail order, and also
doing business from his home, he beat path to several other
banks.
The first four banks he visited also said « no », (2 were large
institutions, 2 mid-size), so he decided to try some smaller
banks. Guess what? The very first bank he went to said « Maybe ».
They asked him to transfer his account to their bank, so that
they could « monitor » it for six months. He told the bank
official that he would consider their proposal, and the proceeded
to another small bank one block up the street.
He liked what the second small bank said. They said « Yes! » All he
needed to do was establish a checking account with them and
maintain a modest $1,000, business checking account balance. This
he quickly did!
He is not unique. But he was very persistent and kept asking
for what he wanted, and you must also. Probably th two best ways
to get a merchant account are:
(1) Keep pestering your own bank about granting you charge card
privileges, until they agree to do so.
(2) If your bank outright refuses, make a list of all banks in
your immediate area, putting some special attention on small
banks. Next, get out a pair of your most comfortable shoes and
get to it! Ask…Ask…Ask..Ask.. Ask! You have nothing to lose,
and much to gain by being persistent, and by constantly asking
for what you want (that’s good advice in all areas-business and
personal) of your life!
CREDIT CARD MERCHANT ALTERNATIVES
If you absolutely have no success in obtaining a merchants
account from a local bank, you should consider the alternatives.
Here are some of them…
***Ted Nicholas, best known as the best-selling author of « How To
Form Your Own Corporation Without A Lawyer For Under $50.00 », has
established a small business organization entitles « Entrepreneurs
of America. » Membership is $50.00 per year. This organization
intends to offer reasonable rates on credit card processing to
their members. For more information write to: Entrepreneurs of
America, 2020 Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 224, Washington, DC 20006.
Phone: (800) 533-2665.
*** The Late Howard E. Welsh is the founder and director of the fast
growing National Association of Publishers and Mail Order
Dealers. His association has many exciting programs to help small
order tabloid publishers and small mail order dealers succeed.
Just prior to printing this report, For more information,
write: NAPOD, 12 Westerville Square, #355 Westerville, Oh 43081.
***If you sell books, manuals, magazines, or forms of « paper and
ink » products, you may wish to join the American Booksellers
Association (ABA). This is the No. 1 booksellers professional
association in the United States. In addition to many other
benefits (National and regional conventions and trade shows,
educational programs, etc.), members also can have their credit
card orders processed through the ABA’s Merchant Service Discount
program. Write to: American Booksellers Association, 122 E. 42nd
St., New York, NY 10168.
***Barry Reid, owner of the Eden Press, has advertised that he
can help mail order marketers obtain credit card processing.
Write: Eden Press, Box 8410, Fountain Valley, CA 92728.
***Mountain West Communications of Colorado offers a business
telephone answering service that handles inquires or orders. When
you subscribe to their service, they can also process your credit
card orders for you. Write: Mountain West Communications, P.O.
Box 216, Hotchkiss, CO 81419. Phone: (800) 642-9378.
NEVER GIVE UP!
Although this special report gives you various sources that might
be able to help you with your credit card processing, the main
message of this report is « NEVER GIVE UP » Never take « NO » for a
final answer. Keep asking for what you want! Those who keep
asking and seeking, usually obtain what they want.