The Lazy Man's Way to Get Rich . He said he would not cash customers' cheques for 30 days, so they could be absolutely sure they were satisfied before being committed. This is the easiest sale of all, because it's the least painful way for your customer to pay. The continuity relationship Since the best direct marketing builds a continuing relationship between the buyer and the seller, many marketers establish a contract with the respondent which has a continuing arrangement built in from the start. Loan offers, where people may be repaying for five years or longer.
Mortgage offers, which also end up in a relationship over a number of years.
Credit card applications, where the relationship may endure for decades. Club offers, where the respondent may be offered a very low price for a selection of books or records or even a free gift to start a collection of cookery cards, for example, and have to make a positive effort to extricate himself from the relationship. Collector's offers, where one starts with the first of a series of collectible items, and carries on through to the end, unless one wishes to cease. Of course, exactly the same sort of financial offers you make to encourage a one-stage sale apply to a continuity sale. Thus, insurance companies selling direct often offer what they call in their quaint argot 'a deviated first premium'.