What a Way to Live and Make a Living: The Lyman P. Wood Story [Paperback]

Roger M. Griffith (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0964229501 | ISBN-13: 978-0964229501 | Publication Date: December 1994

Starting a business? Looking for more satisfaction in life? This biography of mail order genius and visionary Lyman Wood is full of ideas, tips, anecdotes and good advice. Founder of Garden Way, pioneer of socially responsible business practices, mentor to hundreds, Lyman Wood was a unique and fascinating man. This very readable book is generously illustrated with pictures and ads from his 60 year career in mail order advertising.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is one of the greatest marketing books ever written. It's a biography of a mail order marketing genius, and a whole lot more!

Mr. Wood, who began his career at the J. Walter Thompson Advertising Agency, has played a major role in starting many successful companies - Garden Way Troy Bilt(, Country Home Products, Soundview Executive Summaries, National Gardening Association, and many others. This wonderful book presents a step-by-step blueprint on how you can achieve marketing success, using the experience and wisdom of a great marketing mind.

At 85 years young (and still going strong!) Lyman P. Wood is an inspiration to all. Buy this one-of-a-kind book, and discover Lyman's winning formulas - how to write great ads, how to get the most out of your mailings - a 4-step powerful process to test any ad before you run it - how to start small and grow big - plus much more!" -- Russ von Hoelscher in his Newsletter in 1995

From the Back Cover

How Would You Like To Have...

A business of your own you could start in spare time with very little money, and almost no risk?

A business that could get as big as you want, in time?

A business you could run wherever you wanted to live?

Perhaps a mail order business?

A business that would be good not only for you, but for your customers, your employees, your community and your planet?

If yes, you will love this book Roger Griffith has written about Lyman Wood, the Vermont marketer cited by the Governor for creating $500 million a year of new industry for that state.

It is the fascinating story of how Wood did all of the above and a lot more, and it's loaded with how-to you could use.

Lyman Wood set goals for himself and never forgot them. His goals were simple: He wanted to enjoy life in the country and make money through mail order. He has done both, tells you how he did it, and will make you want to try.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 252 pages
• Publisher: In Brief Pr (December 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964229501
• ISBN-13: 978-0964229501
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #876,711 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practial business Advice from Someone Who Has Succeeded, January 24, 2000

By 

Bob Moran (Piscataway, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What a Way to Live and Make a Living: The Lyman P. Wood Story (Paperback)

I read the book for the first time several years ago. Since then I've kept in on my desk to refer back to for practical advice about starting and running my internet business.

Much of Lyman's wisdom and insight into the mail order business is directly applicable to developing e-commerce sites for business customers: writing copy that stirs the reader to take action, measuring and testing the results of each ad, starting small and growing the business out of the profits it generates are a few of many gems he practiced.

In the book, his passion for doing what he loved, from a place that he loved, with people that he loved was inspirational to me. When I met him in person, he was also a great encouragement to me.

I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in in "Making a life" while making a living.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A FANTASTIC biz biography!, April 6, 2002

By 

Walter B. Conger "Solopreneur" (California central coast) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: What a Way to Live and Make a Living: The Lyman P. Wood Story (Paperback)

Here's the wonderful story of a man who set himself a goal--to live in the country--then figured out a way to earn a GREAT living to support that goal. Lyman Wood is (is he still alive?) a direct marketing/mail order pioneer who spent 60 years or so selling everything from $400 Roto Tillers to PRAYERS by mail. He also worked as an advertising and marketing consultant from his rural home. The stories in this book are inspiring AND instructional. This is a book filled with passion. It's not just biographical, it's "how-to." And best of all, it's FUN to read! I recommend it very highly to would-be entrepreneurs and to those frustrated entrepreneurs who occasionally need a "lift."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bravo - What an Inspirational Story, February 3, 2009

By 

John S. Gamble (Nyack, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What a Way to Live and Make a Living: The Lyman P. Wood Story (Paperback)

Wow. Imagine moving to the country, doing exactly what you love to do, and making all the money you could ever want and then some.

That's exactly what Mr. Wood did. It's really inspiring to see that this escape fantasy blueprint is in fact a possibility. And this book was written before the the Internet made this scenario so much easier.

A refugee from one of the big ad agencies, Mr. Wood clearly had skills when he "retired" to the country. And he used them brilliantly.

He found or created products that people want. He knew his offers. He tested. He did everything the right way. And he did everything his way.

Sounds just like the American Dream.