| For most folks, owning your own business is a dream | | | | Your customers already know that you have great |
| come true. The freedom of being your own boss, and | | | | products and provide satisfactory service. They trust |
| succeeding to the best of your ability are facts of life | | | | you to come through for them. Think about it... it's much |
| for the small business owner. Sure, there's more stress | | | | easier to make sales to someone you already have a |
| than what you probably imagined when you were | | | | relationship with. |
| creating your grand plans, but with a little strategy and | | | | Use every opportunity to increase your sales volume |
| planning you can overcome any tough spot you get in. | | | | within the customer audience you already have. Do |
| There are 7 tactics developed by successful | | | | you have a product that goes with the one they are |
| marketers that are sure to make your business as | | | | purchasing? Offer it to them at the register. It's a |
| successful as theirs. | | | | proven and effective method for increasing sales. You |
| 1. Create A One of a Kind Selling Point | | | | may be shocked at the additional sales you can |
| If you want to stand out from the crowd, create a | | | | generate from those who are already buying from |
| unique selling proposition that stresses the benefits the | | | | you. |
| customers will receive from doing business with you. | | | | 4. Make Your Price Seem Smaller |
| Will they get faster service? Go ahead and dramatize | | | | Divide and conquer... The old war tactic works in |
| it, but keep the customer at the focus..."Get free | | | | marketing too! When the price seems too steep, break |
| overnight delivery!" Hey, it tells the customer...you get | | | | it down into "buyable" size bites. An $120 item is only 12 |
| quick service and a discount on shipping. Two definite | | | | low monthly payments of $10. A $365 purchase would |
| benefits in one statement. | | | | only cost $1 per day. Now that sounds affordable! |
| Why should someone buy from you and not your | | | | 5. Paint The Benefits Pretty |
| competitor? I hate to deal a blow to your ego, but it | | | | Customers buy because they want to enjoy the |
| really has nothing to do with you , your product, or your | | | | benefits of the purchase. A lady might buy a dress |
| service. Yeah, its a little self-centered, but customers | | | | because she wants to feel sexy, or a man will buy a |
| are attracted by offers that point out the things that | | | | book because he finds pleasure in reading. Emotions |
| benefit THEM. | | | | are the key element that drives purchases. |
| Don't go out on a limb to create new products and | | | | Use word pictures to stir up the emotions that will |
| services to get attention. Just, add a special benefit to | | | | instigate the sale. Let them "feel" the benefits, and |
| the ones you already have... maybe it's quicker service. | | | | they'll be more apt to head for the cash register. Put |
| The most effective things to emphasize are benefits | | | | them where you want them. |
| that your competition cannot or is not willing to give. | | | | 6. Create Attention Getting Headlines |
| 2. Use Testimonials | | | | Are you ready to capture your reader's attention with |
| Hey, we all know that business owners think their | | | | great copy? The headline is the place to start. How |
| product or services are the best thing going, but it's | | | | often do you scan the newspaper's headlines before |
| what the current customers think about it that really | | | | you decide whether or not to read the article? Yeah, |
| matters to your prospective customers. They're the | | | | that's where we lose or gain the reader's interest, so |
| ones who see things from their point of view... what | | | | it's a pretty important part of the advertisement. |
| they have to say about the business has an impact. | | | | A good headline should telegraph its message in |
| Testimonials play an important part in advertising - | | | | twelve words or less. Double check those headlines. |
| especially for small businesses. Yeah, big businesses | | | | Do they make a promise of a positive benefit, or ask |
| with well-known names don't have to worry about it, | | | | a provocative question? Don't settle for less than |
| but small companies can use testimonials as marketing | | | | attention grabbing statements. |
| tools to build credibility. | | | | 7. Provide An Offer They Can't Resist |
| Think about it...how else can we gain credibility than by | | | | Is your deal too good to pass up? If not, you need to |
| creating a group of satisfied customers and shouting | | | | improve it. Hey, I'm not talking about cutting prices even |
| what they have to say? Let's look at some ways we | | | | more...you've still got to make a profit. You can make |
| can make testimonials an effective part of our | | | | the deal sweeter just by increasing the readers |
| marketing campaigns. | | | | knowledge of the value of the product, or adding |
| 3. Upsell | | | | bonuses that are perceived as valuable, but cost you |
| Upselling is one of the most successful marketing | | | | little. |
| trends today. Everywhere you go, someone is trying | | | | Motivate buyers with expirations. Yeah, an open ended |
| to get you to buy more. From McDonalds with its | | | | offer encourages procrastination...which leads ...yep, |
| supersize options to clothing stores that try to sell you | | | | nowhere. When the customer knows he has until |
| shoes to match your outfit, everyone's jumping on the | | | | Saturday to purchase an item he'll pay more for on |
| band wagon. Why? It works! | | | | Sunday, he'll make it a priority to head for your shop. |