> My original copy of POPULAR MECHANICS, the
> September 1961 edition was destroyed in the
> "great flood", and although my
> kids think I may have known Noah personally,
> it was my personal great flood that altered
> the course of my life.

> But, I've found another copy and I keep it
> on my desk as a reminder. Now I made my
> money as a kid selling flowers door to door,
> washing cars, mowing lawns, all the typical
> stuff.

> The difference was I didn't spend it on
> candy at the local drug store, I sent away
> for stuff. I guess I was an information/mail
> order junkie even as a kid.

> And it was the September issue of Popular
> Mechanics, in 1961 that I place my first
> order...actually, I sent away for almost
> everything in the classified section.

> My dad had a barber shop and back then he
> would get free subscriptions to magazines
> aimed at men, it was like having a
> mini-library right next door. I had to read
> the PLAYBOYS at night when I got done
> cleaning the place. Of course I was only
> reading the articles...anyway,

> I'd like to share with you a few ads from
> that issue.

> Some of you know this past Summer I spent
> countless hours in the library collecting
> DIRECT RESPONSE advertising from the last
> 140 years...all the way back to the War
> Between the States.

> I have ads that have run continuously for
> over 100 years. It was a great research
> project, and maybe in the near future I'll
> share more of that with you.

> But back to September 1961. Under the
> BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES section of the
> classified ads section...

> and many people feel this was near the BOOM
> of the INFORMATION marketing...mail order
> too.

> ******
> LEARN Landscaping and the growing
> of plants. Start a profitable business part
> or full time. Free information without
> obligation. National Landscaping Institute,
> Dept. MC-91. 11826 San Vicente Blvd.,
> Los Angeles 49 CA
> *******

> I included this one because of Mike
> McGroarty...visit this "landscaping
> site"...

> www.freeplants.com 40 Years ago (and I
> can go back 120 years with this type of
> information product)...

> they were using the TWO STEP...FREE info and
> a sales letter, but let me show you a couple
> of more:

> *****
> FREE Catalog. Self-help books. Write
> Wilshire. 8721 Sunset, Los Angeles 46P
> *****

> I wonder if Melvin Powers still has the
> results of that ad? I sent for his catalog,
> and the first book I bought from Melvin
> Powers was a book on Tennis, and one on
> playing Checkers. I was hooked.

> *****
> FREE Book "711 Bizarre, Successful
> Ventures" Retired at 47, simple home
> plan! Haylings, Carlsbad, Calif.
> *****

> George Haylings was fantastic. His copy
> inspired me to take on a paper route, just
> so I could afford his newsletter. This guy
> got me hooked on "research" into
> small "bizarre" successful
> businesses...like THE OFF-KEY SINGING
> TELEGRAM SERVICE

> *****
> MOST Profitable aspect of mailorder is
> cheapest to try! Write: Simon, box87-
> PM-2, Pelham, N.Y.
> *****

> Hubert Simon one of the overlooked MASTERS
> in my opinion. His OUT OF THE RAT RACE AND
> INTO THE CHIPS was one of my first mailorder
> purchases. He also had newsletters I got the
> local pizza shop to subscribe to so I could
> read them.

> MILLIONS OF DOLLARS have been taken out of
> those little classified ads.

> This was the issue that got me started. I
> sent away for everything that was FREE or
> that I had an interest in...and that
> included building flying saucers too.

> Gosh, I wish I had all the INFORMATION these
> companies sent out, what FUN that would be.

> This is the magazine I used as the
> "standard" for remote direct
> marketing advertising as I went back in time
> looking for all the products and the copy
> that sold them which have WITHSTOOD THE TEST
> OF TIME.

> As we get ready to launch another project, I
> spent some time looking through the magazine
> that started it all for me...I find it
> inspirational, and I'm amazed at how many of
> those product types are still being sold
> today.

> Ah, the PARADE OF LIFE...AIN'T IT GRAND.

> Gordon (Classified and Display Ad Junkie)
> Alexander

Gordon,

Thanks for the referance to my gardening site. Those landscaping ads have been running for years so you know they are successful.

I really didn't start reading the classifieds on a regular basis until the mid eighties, but I remember all those ads from Carlsbad, Calif.

I've never made the connection until now that those ads were from the George Haylings that inspired Mark Nolan.

Back in the seventies I used to read Spare Time magazine, and I acutally bought and sold "The Automatic Needle Threader" from Lakeside Products.

Remember those ads. I think they are still running them, and the products haven't changed much at all.

As a kid I used to send away for all kinds of things from magazines. Is there a connection?

Mike McGroarty
Free-"37 Secret Money Making Strategies"
http://www.homemadebooklets.com




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