Ten Strategies To Increase Your Sales

When potential customers are shopping around, how can your products or services stand out? Try these 10 tips to increase your sales.

Begin by differentiating your services or products by who you and your company are.

What differentiates you? More training, more experience, better methods, a better team? Come up with your key points.

If people can buy a similar product or service for less, be ready to overcome that obstacle.

Agree with the potential customer that they can buy for less but show them that they may be comparing apples to oranges.

Sell based on value.

Describe what they will get from your product or service.

Stress the quality of your product or service.

Point out what you are providing for the same investment as the competitor.

Talk about dependability.

How long have you been in business? What's your experience or background? How about testimonials and benefits?

Have some advantages that differentiate you.

What can you provide that others don't? Come up with something special or exclusive. Ask your customers what they might suggest.

Give outstanding follow-up services.

Frequently, customers complain that after the sale, there is no follow-up. Differentiate yourself by providing a unique follow-up service. That alone will be a refreshing change for customers!

Offer a money back guarantee.

Great point for differentiation.

Take credit cards if most of your competitors don't.

Target a niche that your competitor doesn't sell to.

Want to be different - just sell to people that no one else has marketed to... it takes a bit of research but can really pay off.

Unique Referral Tactics

To get more and better business leads network with those clients you already have a relationship with. (Note: some professions are prohibited from making gifts for referrals.)

1. Create a referral form.

A fill-in-the-blank referral form that is distributed quarterly to the names on your database is guarenteed to land leads. To help customers zero in on appropriate prospects, ask questions that relate to your nitch:"Whom do you know who's retiring in five years? Who just bought a new home? Who's launched a business?" Send a thank you note to everyone who sends you a referral. If you win a large account, send them a basket of flowers, bottle of wine or a magazine subscription.

2. Host a salon.

A salon is a business mixer for the sole purpose of garnering new business. Invite your best clients and ask each of them to bring a friend along. Because it is not easy for customers to think up prospects names when they don't know your market, send a list of the type of client you are trying to target along with the invitation.

3. Ask during delivery.

No matter what you sell, your clients are most likely to be enthusiastic at the point of delivery.(Weylman) This is an excellent time to leverage yourself. In fact, ask for referrals at any point in the sale.

4. Offer incentives.

Rewards for referrals that turn into business can range from free estimates, samples, consultations, coaching sessions to a discount on future purchases, etc. Just be careful to not give more than the referral is worth.

5. Sponsor a contest.

Enter everyone who sends a referral that coughs up a lead in a drawing. Make the prize substantial. "Make giving referrals fun," says Robert Middleton. Examples might range from a meal at an elegant inn to a mini-vacation or such.

6. Give leads in return.

This is one of the best ways to get referrals. But be absolutely sure that the referrals you give are competent and reliable. Remember your reputation is on the line. You don't want good intentions to jeopardize your relationship with your existing clients.

7. Pump prospects who've passed up your services.

Most potential client/customers feel bad when they have to turn your business down, so why not make them feel better by requestin leads. They do not see this as a burden. Just be sure to acknowledge them when the referrals come in and especially when they become a customer.

8. Swap leads with rivals.

If geography or time restricts your ability to service all your potential clients, simply pass along jobs you can't handle to other businesses and ask them to do the same. Giving these referrals scores you points with potential clients who may come back to you some day.

9. Cultivate reciprocal referrals from noncompetitors.

Find out who is compiling a database of related business and ask to be included. The opportunities occur in businesses which are somewhat collateral to your own.

10. Tap suppliers.

Constantly remind vendors of your need for referrals. Send out a letter or brochure which says, "When my business grows, your business grows." Likely, reason you don't get more referrals is because you don't ask. So, ASK!

45 Ideas to Promote Your Business

1. Advertise in the classified advertising section of your community newspaper.
2. Advertise in the Yellow Pages.
3. Advertise on a grocery buggy.
4. Approach your prospective customers over the phone.
5. Approach your prospective customers in person.
6. Approach your prospective customers through the mail.
7. Be a guest speaker at seminars and present on your area of expertise.
8. Be a guest speaker on radio talk shows.
9. Build and maintain a customer mailing and contact list on database software.
10. Build your image with well designed letterhead and business cards.
11. Design a brochure that best explains the benefits of your services.
12. Design a mail order campaign.
13. Design a point of purchase display for your product.
14. Design a telemarketing campaign.
15. Design an image building logo for your company.
16. Design and distribute a quarterly newsletter or an industry update announcement.
17. Design and distribute company calendars, mugs, pens, note pads, or other advertising specialties displaying your company name and logo.
18. Design and distribute a free "how to do it" hand-out related to your industry (e.g. Tips for conserving energy in your home).
19. Design buttons, decals and bumper stickers or balloons with your company name, logo or slogan.
20. Design T-shirts displaying your company name and logo.
21. Explore cross promotion with a non-competing company selling to your target market.
22. Explore the costs of advertising in newspapers, magazines, on radio, television, billboards, bus shelters and benches.
23. Explore ways to share your advertising costs using cooperative advertising.
24. Follow up customer purchases with a thank you letter.
25. Follow up customer purchases with Christmas or birthday cards.
26. Have your company profiled in a magazine or newspaper that is read by prospective customers.
27. Hire an advertising agency or public relations firm.
28. Hold a promotional contest.
29. Hold a seminar on your service, product or industry.
30. Include promotional material with your invoices.
31. Look for prospective customers at trade shows related to your industry.
32. Look for prospective customers in associations related to your industry.
33. Look for prospective customers at seminars related to your industry.
34. Look for prospective customers in magazines and newspapers related to your industry.
35. Package your brochure, price lists and letter in a folder for your customers.
36. Place a sidewalk sign outside your store or office.
37. Place flyers on bulletin boards and car windshields.
38. Place promotional notes on your envelopes, mailing labels.
39. Place signs or paint logos on your company vehicle(s).
40. Prepare a corporate video.
41. Prepare a list of product features and benefits to help you plan your advertising and promotional campaigns.
42. Prepare proposals offering solutions to your customers' needs
43. Provide free samples of your product or service.
44. Provide public tours of your operation.
45. Sponsor a charity event.

Ten Areas of Leverage That Every Small Business Has

1. Customer-base
   Ask yourself: If I just bought this company, how would I sell more/expand what I sell to this customer base?
2. Cash
   Ask yourself: If I could invest this cash in any one part of this business/niche/product line for the biggest cumulative return/profit over the next 5 years, where would I invest it all?
3. Market Leadership
   Ask yourself: To remain the market leader for the next 25 years, where should I invest my time and company's resources right now?
4. Reputation
   Ask yourself: What can I do to double the strength of our current reputation, within the next 6 months?
5. Momentum
   Ask yourself: What's working well right now and how can I keep it working well?
6. Key Staff
   Ask yourself: Who are the 5 key people in my organization and what game/plan can I create with them so they'll stick around for a long time?
7. Systems
   Ask yourself: What systems work so well that we take them for granted? How could we improve them?
8. Responsiveness
   Ask yourself; How quickly and completely do we respond to changes in our customers, market, technology, staff needs or economic conditions?
9. Intellectual Property
   Ask yourself: What do we have, IP-wise, that just isn't being as leveraged as it could be?
10. The X Factor
    What do we have that's very, very special and that we could really maximize, just for the pleasure of it?

Tips for getting FREE Publicity for your business

Getting your business mentioned in the press is an extremely good way to achieve a positive image and attract new customers to your business. Few things can give you as much credibility than as being recommended by a major newspaper or magazine. But just how do you write a press release that gets attention, and brings in results? Although I can't guarantee that you'll get media attention, I can tell you how you can increase the odds of seeing your business in the real-world media.

What is a Press Release?

A press release is a document that is written out in a specific format that is used to pitch a reporter or editor or to make an announcement that you believe is newsworthy.

The basic outline for a press release is as follows:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For Further Information Contact:
Full Name of Contact
Email Address
Direct Phone Number
URL

Headline

Some City, Some State -- Date (i.e. January 27th, Year) -- Introductory paragraph that answers Who, When, Where, What and So What?

A second paragraph offering more information.

Third paragraph includes a quote that's attributed to somebody important, for example: "It's a revolutionary product," says Joe Smith, CEO of Big Company Inc.

Fourth paragraph includes some more information, perhaps another quote.

Fourth paragraph often includes history and background information about the company.

# # #
----------------------------------------------

The entire press release should be no more than 400 words, or one printed page.

Five Things That You Must Do In Your Press Release

1. Make your press release newsworthy.
Make sure that you have something to say that'll be of interest to the readers of the publication that you're sending the press release to. Keep in mind that the media love news stories with a human side to them. Make your angle on the story entertaining, interesting or newsworthy or don't bother sending out a press release at all.

2. Target your releases.
There's no point in sending a press release about the launch of your jewelry store to "Fishing World" magazine.

3. Use the proper press release format.
Have a professional check the press release for grammar and spelling.

4. Keep the press release concise.
Get to the point in the first paragraph. Use clear, concise, vivid language. There's no better way to get your story ignored than sending a lengthy release which doesn't state it's purpose (Who, When, Where, What) right upfront. Don't fill the press release with buzz-words, hyperbole and exaggerated claims.

5. Write an excellent headline.
The headline is 90% of your press release.
Here are a few headlines that worked extremely well

• I Can Help Anyone Find the Love of Their Life in 90 Days Or Less!
• Abraham Lincoln's Office Is Being Given Away... For Free!
• Brooklyn Bridge Sold By New Jersey Man... For $14.95!

Write headlines that attract attention, stir emotion and create pictures in the mind of the reader.

More On Targeting

Be careful who you send your press release to. When compiling your own media list don't waste your time getting the email addresses or fax numbers of every newspaper and magazine in the country, just the ones who would be interested in your story. Likewise, when you purchase a media list, don't send your press release to every contact. Take some time to filter out all the ones who wouldn't care about your press release, no matter how good it is.

How to Grow Your Business Through Creative Publicity

Small businesses sometimes fail because their owners fail to use creative tools and techniques to get the added exposure they need. The following ideas are geared toward the smaller business, but would work for larger businesses as well. Some of the concepts are simple, and they have also proven to be effective over time with millions of small and large businesses.

1. Put your business and your name in highly visible places, no matter how unusual.

We all see billboards, Yellow Pages ads, and ads on the place mats at pancake houses and local restaurants. Try putting your business name and or logo on bus stop benches; ballpark walls; city buses; pens people sign charge card slips with at your business (often they take the pen anyway...might as well have your advertising on it!); T-shirts you, your friends, and clients and relatives wear(not unlike "Coach wear"); symphony, auto show, or concert program "inside ads;" plastic cups or mugs you use for your guests/clients in your office, etc. Keep the ads neat and the message clear. People DO remember names from events and places they go where they have personal or special interests.

2. Join or volunteer time to a few good local business organizations.

This can be the Better Business Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, Variety Club, United Way, small business clubs, breakfast clubs, business associations, your neighborhood business groups; anything that will expose you and your face and name and services to others who might need it, know someone who needs it, or even be your competitor. Knowing your competitors, what the *successful* ones are doing, and where THEY "mingle," can help you strategize where you might get some exposure of your OWN! If you can see what your competitors' strengths are, chances are you can also see where they have *weak* areas. If you can, use YOUR business and your expertise to fill in where they are weak.

3. Speak or write publically about your profession or your business.

This sounds self-serving. Of course it is! The KEY is to make it very subtle! Media folks will accept a story if they see it is interesting and about something where there is an "angle" that would appeal to many people. They will NOT be drawn to interview you or publish an article strictly on *your* business! Famous authors do not travel the country signing books in small town book stores to learn U.S. geography! Any good, honest exposure you can get through an article in a trade journal, one of the clubs you have joined, or a charity function, puts your face, your name, and your business name, its services & *results*, in front of the public. If you dislike public speaking, write an article for a business magazine related to your specialty or the service or products you sell. Most of those trade publications are looking for contributors with knowledge who will write for free or little money, to fill space and keep their readers interested. It's FAR better than having an ad in the same magazine! It gives you ten times the credibility to WRITE for a magazine than to have an ad in one! Make sure your name and all other pertinent short author "bio" copy is current and accurate. The "pen is often mightier than the ad."

4. Get with the times and get "online!"

Sure there are millions of people competing with one another on the Internet! Turn it around and know that there are *many* times the same number of consumers, looking for the best deal, the best service for the money, and the most qualified person to meet their needs. Here you can spend next to nothing or you can spend a lot. Learning how other people in your business use the "Web" will give you ideas as to where you might "beef up" your services, the quality of your goods, and the way you present your business and yourself as the owner to the public, who can either help your business sustain itself and grow, or not. See what other similar businesses do *not* offer that you could or do and play on that. The information is right before you. You have but to learn to access it and then the world and all of the world's businesses are in front of you!

5. Sponsor or be a co-sponsor for a local charity event.

Pick an event that is well-attended, and also one in which you might already have some interest. Taking the time off to man the telethon phones, attend a dinner or party or play or gaming event for a charitable function serves you in several ways. The two most important are that you are doing something for the benefit of others, which helps you spiritually and will give you a good feeling, and it gives you and your business some public exposure within a very positive and a very humanistic environment.

6. Get involved with civic groups and committees.

Pick your interest or one that you feel would be of interest to potential clients or current customers of yours: school boards, hospitals, libraries, art centers/museums, zoning committees, city council, neighborhood improvement, PTA, Boy Scouts, church groups, etc. Depending on the size of your city, you will have more or less choice. If your town is very small, get involved with something in the closest large town from your home. The more people you know and meet, the more people will know about you and "what you do" and what you have to offer. Simple truth.

7. Voice your opinion in print.

This "attention getter" has pros and cons. If you send a letter to the editor or write an article for your local paper's "editorial page," you are sure to have people who agree with you and will possibly give you some business or mention your name, as well as people who disagree with you BIG time and who you might even LOSE as a customer. If you write about something that is lighthearted, not related to religion or politics, and something you feel certain most of the people you really would want or already have as clients or customers would enjoy or be "neutral" on, you're safe. Again your name and maybe your business (many people use their business address in letters to the editor to keep their private address private) will be where many people from town and out of town might see it. Careful thought on the right topic, well phrased, can affect many people in a positive way for you.

8. Advertise or offer to give your clientele more than your competitors are giving.

Reason number one why to check out what your competition offers, gives, sells, and is all about with their business! It sometimes takes only a few cents less, better value for the money, extra courteous service, or other services or options, to make a client or customer choose you over one of your competitors...including the much larger ones! Develop or hone some skill or special "extra" you can offer people if they use your firm or buy from your company. Advertise that special extra! Small but thoughtful or useful gifts or services can actually make a difference in the kind of highly competitive marketplace of the late 20th century. This will be even more important in the 21st century. Know your strengths and play them up. Know your competition's weaknesses or things they simply cannot or do not give and find a way to fill some or all of those weak areas and voids yourself! Provide the best and most comprehensive and professional services or merchandise for the best prices, delivered in the best manner, on time, and you will be ahead of all but the very TOP people in your field. Much of what you can do will cost nothing but an investment in time and some extra "personalized" effort.

9. Send out a newsletter to clients and potential clients.

Simple newsletters can be done at home or office and copies can be made and sent out to mailing lists of your current clients/customers and other mailing groups. Don't make the mistake of filling the newsletter with ads and specials like everyone has in newspaper inserts! Write about what your business offers, what you do and how you do it, your staff, *special features or skills your business or firm has to offer*. Give the reader free hints, advice, etc. Let them see you are knowledgeable, friendly and not just out to send them junk mail filled with coupons or ads for products or services you are selling. They will be pleasantly surprised and they will remember you and your business if you do things with thought and good intentions. It's also a form of advertising, so it is a legitimate business tax deduction for most people.

10. Give free workshops or seminars to draw your special interest "target group."

If applicable and possible, decide on a topic or an aspect of your business, product line or knowledge gained from your business or the skills you sell. Advertise a workshop or seminar open to the public at your store or other appropriate place. (If demonstrating a skill, you may need to be in a place where you have the equipment to do so and where people in attendance can all see you doing it.) It can be all day long or last 1-4 hours, depending on your topic and your business. Again, the point is to offer some free, useful, interesting value and information to people who are used to paying you or your competitors for it! You need not tell them all you know so they would never need you again! Just give them enough to let them see that you know your business and are personable. You'll be surprised how many people will walk in the door or call you the week following a free weekend seminar or talk! Cost to you? Nothing but time, unless you pay to rent a room for your seminar or speech. If it is well publicized, and on a topic that you know, you will bring out the crowds; it will pay for itself with one or a few new clients or customers within a short time.

Ten Marketing Mistakes Small Businesses Make

How do you judge the effectiveness of your small business marketing efforts? Easy...does it produce results? Great looking ads, fancy logos and flashy web sites are worthless if they don't bring business to your door. This list of 10 common marketing mistakes can help you produce better results.

1. Not Having a Clearly Defined USP.

Do you want to fit in or stand out? In order to thrive in today's cluttered marketplace, every business owner must be able to clearly articulate an answer to the question, "Why should someone do business with you rather than your competitor?" "What makes you unique? Your answer to these questions constitutes your Unique Selling Proposition. Do you offer 24-hour, 7 day a week service? Do you offer the lowest price? Do you offer a no risk guarantee? A strong USP helps you to stand out in a crowded field.

2. Selling Features Rather than Benefits.

Someone once said, "No one ever bought a drill bit. Millions of people have bought a hole" People don't buy features, they buy benefits. They are tuned into Radio Station W.I.I.F.M. (What's in it for me?) Tell them clearly how the features of your product/service will help them, make their life easier, etc.

3. Not using headlines in print advertisements.

You have at most a couple of seconds to grab someone's attention when they read a newspaper, magazine etc. Using an attention-grabbing headline ensures that the reader will continue to read the rest of the advertisement. The headline is an ad for the ad. Take a look at some newspaper ads. Which ones attract your attention? You will probably find they have utilized an effective headline.

4. Not testing headlines, price points, packages, pitches, everything.

How do you know what ad, what price, what offer most appeals to customers? By putting them to a vote. Test everything. Rather than running one newspaper ad for three weeks, why not run three different ads for three weeks and measure which draws better? Rather than putting all your advertising into newspaper, why not split between newspaper and direct mail and measure the results? Why not price your products/services at different points and see which sells more? Is cheaper always better? Not necessarily. Each situation is unique. One price may outperform another for a myriad of reasons. Your job is not to know why, but to find what works. Test, test, test.

5. Making it difficult to do business with you.

Are your sales staff knowledgeable about your products? Does someone answer your phone promptly and in a friendly manner? Can people find your phone number, location? Can customers find things easily in your store? Put yourselves in your customer's shoes. Don't make them work-they won't. I've seen a web site that undoubtedly cost the company thousands of dollars and NOWHERE could I find a phone number or email address. Your customer has better things to do than struggle to do business with you.

6. Not finding out what your customer's needs are.

What is the first step in filling your customer's needs? Discovering what they are. What's most important to them? Don't even try to guess. You may think price is most important when what they really want is fast service. You may believe fast service is what they want when what they desperately want is a friendly, personal touch. How do you find out? People won't tell you unless you ask. So ask.

7. Not maintaining an up to date customer database.

Your customer list is pure gold. Rather than always working to bring new customers in the door, why not take advantage of the good will you have already built with your existing clientele? Experiment with extending special offers to your customer base. Ask for referrals. Send them a card on their birthday. Call and ask what they most enjoyed about doing business with you (or what they disliked doing business with you). You worked hard to develop these relationships. Recognize their value and work hard to "re-delight" them.

8. Not eliminating the risk.

What stops a customer from buying from you? Are they unsure that your offer is worth their hard-earned money? Make it easy to decide to buy from you. How can you reduce their risk? If you are in a service business, let them try your service at no cost. If you are a lawyer or consultant offer them a free consultation. Offer them a money back, no questions asked guarantee on any product they buy. Why not? Are you afraid people will take advantage of you? Give it a try for a month. You may be very pleasantly surprised. Not confident in your product or service? Then go to work on improving your service.

9. Not educating your customers

Don't just claim that your service is better. Explain why. Are your staff better trained? Do you utilize a technology that increases service turnaround or quality? Don't expect people to just take your word for things. Quality, Service and Value mean nothing. Everyone claims to offer these. Make these claims real for the customer by offering credible explanations why they should do business with you.

10. Not knowing what works, and sticking with it.

Do you know which ads are effective? What media pulls best? What offer gets the best reaction? By testing (see above) you will. When you find something that works, don't change it until you find something that works better. Just because you're sick of an ad/offer isn't a good enough reason to change it. You can supplement with other ads and offers. If it works, keep it.

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