Showing posts with label selling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label selling. Show all posts

Wednesday, 4 August 2010

10 Incredible Ways To Sell Your Products Now


1. Make your reader visualize they have already bought your product in your ad. Tell them what results they have gotten and how it makes them feel. They'll already become emotionally attached before they buy.

2. Turn your ad into an article. It could be a story, or how-to article. This will lead them into your ad without them knowing it's an ad. They'll already be interested when they get to your sales pitch.

3. Make sure you show your reader that they are getting a bargain. Tell them the usual price you sell your product for is $99. Then tell them if they order today they can buy it for $69.95.

4. Direct your ad headline to your target audience. Your readers will feel important and belong to a select group of people who buy your product. For example; "Attention! Accountants, Discover A New Way To Increase Your Client Base!"

5. Tell your reader how fast they can receive your product or service in your ad. Their buying decision may be based on how fast they can receive your product. They may need it by a certain deadline.

6. Use bullets to highlight your product or services benefits. Benefits are the key to selling anything, make them standout in your ad. You can use dots, dashes, or circles to highlight them.

7. Give a money back guarantee that surpasses a normal one. Instead of the normal timed guarantee, give them extra back. Tell them they can keep the free bonus or give them double their money back.

8. Tell your reader they'll receive surprise bonuses. This'll raise your reader's curiosity and make them want to buy so they can find out what the surprise bonuses are.

9. Let your reader know this specific package will not be offered again. You must create urgency so people buy now. You may always sell the same product but not with the same bonuses or price.

10. Give them a couple tips in your ad that will help them with their problem. This will give your business credibility and gain your readers trust to buy your products or services.


Saturday, 24 July 2010

9 Easy Ways to Find More Customers Fast


1.    Email (opt in)

If you're not sending your own personal email newsletter you're missing a huge opportunity.  I don't care if you're an employee of a Fortune 500 company or a self-employed consultant.  You MUST develop you own email newsletter.

An eZine will allow you to build your relationship, credibility and trust with the people that subscribe.   Provide them useful, unique and pertinent information and watch your sales skyrocket.

2.    Pay-per-Click (PPC)

Pay-per-click or PPC ads are a very effective and cost efficient way to drive prospects to your website.  Whether it be a one-page sales letter or a "squeeze page" for them to sign up for your ezine, PPCs are an easy way for you to build awareness.

By using PPCs you can achieve laser like focus on your target market by using specific keywords.  Then run ads for only those keywords.  The benefit is when the prospect clicks on that ad they are not going to a general site with all kinds of garbage on it they are landing on your specific, targeted site.  Niche marketing at its best.

3.    Customer Referrals

This is old school.  But if you're not asking every single person you come into contact with, "Do you know of someone who may benefit from my services/product/whatever?" Then you don't know what sales is all about.  Sorry but you don't.

Sure, most of the time we won't get a referral.  But all it takes is one to make it all worthwhile.  Imagine if you made one more sale a month.  What would that do to your income?  Well, that's easy to attain no matter what industry you're in.  If you just ask for referrals.

4.    Ask Co-workers

Have you ever thought of asking a co-worker for a business referral?  Most people don't. It's amazing.  They think that since their co-worker works their they would have already talked to everyone they know about their company.

However, over 90% of non-sales employees have top quality prospects sitting in their brain.  You just need to ask them for the information.

5.    Ask friends, family and neighbors

Same here.  Most people do not want to mix business with their personal life.  Get over it!  Your friends, family and neighbors have a keg of referrals.  They're just waiting to be tapped.

6.    Joint Ventures

Who do you know in your industry that is not a competitor but that calls on the same customers and/or companies as you?  Great!  Call them right now and ask them how you can build a mutually beneficial relationship together.

Remember, they're going to ask, "What's in it for me?"  Be prepared with a deal they can't pass up.

7.    Flyer Distribution

It doesn't matter if you sell to consumers or businesses.  Design a compelling one-page flyer and hire a company or a high school kid to deliver them to your target area.  This is a great way to get quality leads for very cheap.  Try it.  I promise you'll be surprised and impressed.

8.    Postcards

This is one of my favorite, low cost ways to drive traffic to my websites.  The key is to use a simple, targeted message on your postcard.  No fancy graphics or fonts.  Simplicity is key here. 

You can increase your response rate by up to 200% by using the simplicity formula.  The message should be in paragraph form and only 2-4 sentences.  If you can personalize it that's even better.

9.    Cold calling

Ah yes.  Good old fashioned cold calling.  You may not want to hear it or like doing it but you can't argue with results.  When you do it right of course. 

You need an effective plan, technique and outline to make it work best.  No cheesy scripts with canned responses.  You need to sound genuine, caring and be focused 100% on the prospect.  If you can change your mindset into one that you are simply talking to a good friend you will experience tremendous results.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Drew Laughlin helps salespeople who struggle to exceed sales goals and quotas on a consistent basis with his "How to Triple Your Sales in 30 Days" training system.  Read sales success stories at his website http://www.GetCustomersFast.com.


Wednesday, 21 July 2010

8 Dynamic Marketing Tips


Here are 8 dynamic marketing tips to help you increase your sales and profits fast.

<B>1. Don't Just Sell Benefits</B>

Don't just tell prospects what they gain when they buy your product or service. Tell them what they lose if they do not buy it. Most people fear loss more than they desire gain. Customers want your product or service to enjoy the benefits it provides. They will want it even more when you remind them of what they lose by not buying it.

<B>2. Use Pleasant Surprises to Close Sales</B>

An unpleasant surprise can kill a sale. But a pleasant surprise can help close a sale. For example, adding an unexpected bonus immediately before your prospect takes the last action to complete a sale will eliminate any last minute hesitation.

<B>3. Provide Fast Delivery - Even When You Can't</B>

The faster you can deliver your product or service the more sales you will get. If you cannot deliver all or part of your product immediately, add something to the purchase that you CAN deliver immediately. It could be as simple as a series of helpful tips related to your product posted on your web site ...available only to new customers.

<B>4. Make Buying Easier</B>

Every non-essential action in the buying process is an opportunity for customers to reverse their decision to buy. Look for ways you can make your buying procedure easier and faster. For example, many marketers use a multi-step shopping cart to get online orders when a simple online order form would do the job with just 1 or 2 quick clicks.

<B>5. Improve Your Offers without Lowering Your Price</B>

You don't have to reduce your price to improve your offer. Instead, simply load it up with bonuses. Make sure your bonuses have a high perceived value to your customers ...even if they cost you little or nothing.

<B>6. Keep Your Advertising Up to Date</B>

If you never make any changes in your advertising, your sales will eventually decline. Don't abandon advertising that's working - but do keep trying to improve it. And regularly test new advertising to see how it works for you.

<B>7. Outsmart Your Competitors with Alternative Marketing</B>

Look for some alternative marketing methods your competitors are overlooking. That's how one internet marketer discovered direct mail postcards. They proved to be a highly effective and very low-cost way to generate traffic to her web site ...while concealing her marketing activity from competitors.

<B>8. Neutralize Customer Complaints Quickly</B>

Handle customer complaints quickly and with a positive attitude. Strive to preserve your relationship with the customer instead of your immediate profit from them. They will reward you with repeat sales and referrals instead of punishing you by telling everybody they know about their unhappy experience ...causing you to lose future customers.

Each of these 8 marketing tips reveals a proven low-cost marketing tactic many other small businesses have used to boost their sales and profits. Integrate them into your marketing program now and you'll quickly start enjoying the same results too.


Monday, 12 July 2010

7 Small Business Marketing Tips


Here are 7 low-cost but highly effective marketing tips to help any small business find customers and generate sales quickly.

<B>1. Don't Advertise Like a Big Business</B>

Big businesses advertise to create name recognition and future sales. A small business can't afford to do that. Instead, design your advertising to produce sales ...now. One way to accomplish this is to always include an offer in your advertising - and an easy way for prospective customers to respond to it.

<B>2. Offer a Cheaper Version</B>

Some prospective customers are not willing to pay the asking price for your product or service. Others are more interested in paying a low price than in getting the best quality. You can avoid losing sales to many of these customers by offering a smaller or stripped down version of your product or service at a lower price.

<B>3. Offer a Premium Version</B>

Not all customers are looking for a cheap price. Many are willing to pay a higher price to get a premium product or service. You can boost your average size sale and your total revenue by offering a more comprehensive product or service ...or by combining several products or services in a special premium package offer for a higher price.

<B>4. Try Some Unusual Marketing Methods</B>

Look for some unconventional marketing methods your competitors are overlooking. You may discover some highly profitable ways to generate sales and avoid competition. For example, print your best small ad on a postcard and mail it to prospects in your targeted market. A small ad on a postcard can drive a high volume of traffic to your website or generate a flood of sales leads for a very small cost.

<B>5. Trim Your Ads</B>

Reduce the size of your ads so you can run more ads for the same cost. You may even be surprised to find that some of your short ads generate a better response than their longer versions.

<B>6. Set up Joint Promotions with Other Small Businesses</B>

Contact some non-competing small businesses serving customers in your market. Offer to publicize their products or services to your customers in exchange for their publicizing your services to their customers. This usually produces a large number of sales for a very low cost.

<B>7. Take Advantage of Your Customers</B>

Your customers already know and trust you. It's easier to get more business from them than to get any business from somebody who never bought from you. Take advantage of this by creating some special deals just for your existing customers ...and announce new products and services to them before you announce them to the general market.

Also, convert your customers into publicity agents for your business. Develop an incentive for them to tell associates and friends about the value of your products or services. An endorsement from them is more effective than any amount of advertising - and it is much cheaper.

Each of these 7 marketing tips provides a simple, low-cost way for any small business to find customers and generate sales quickly.


Friday, 2 July 2010

6 Powerful Tips to Creating Testimonials That Sell Your Products Fast


There are many ways to market a product or a service and providing the potential clients and customers with testimonials is one of the best ways to market.
   
The power of testimonials can never be underestimated. People, especially nowadays, will only purchase products or avail services which have been referred to them by people whom they know. But most of the times, this is not an option that is in the hands of the business owner, he has to do the next best thing, which is to get testimonials from his past clients.

Testimonials are living statements from past customers or clients which states that they were satisfied by the product/ service. Every business must have testimonials to be able to stand out in the ever crowded markets.

There are many benefits of having testimonials. Here are some of them.

Testimonials appease the target market

Testimonials usually lessen the doubts of the target market. There are a lot of scammers and con artists nowadays, and this has turned the market into a fearsome one. Credible testimonials provide security to the people who are eyeing at a certain product or service. The provision of testimonials gives people a much more relaxed attitude towards a product or service.

Testimonials assure quality

Aside from confirming the existence of a business and lessening doubts, testimonials provide assurance to potential customers and clients of the quality of the product or service. The fact that they took time out to be able to write testimonials about the product reflect their levels of satisfaction towards the product/service.

Testimonials give advantage

Credible testimonials provide a competitive advantage for the product/service. There are many products and services out there and one of the ways to stand out from the rest is the use of credible testimonials.

There are many types of testimonials. Testimonials are usually categorized according to the source. Here are a few examples:

a) Testimonials from satisfied customers

This is probably the most effective type of testimonial. Nothing beats a testimonial from a satisfied customer because it is a picture of what the product/service is all about.

b) Testimonials from experts

Experts can be credible sources of testimonials.  If a renowned dermatologist writes a testimonial for a beauty soap, it will surely help in boosting its sales, wouldn’t it?

c) Testimonials from celebrities

In a world that is run by mass media, celebrities have become powerful sources of testimonials. Today, even infomercials are infested by testimonials from celebrities.
People may think that getting testimonials from celebrities will cost a lot, but if it’s a real testimonial, celebrities may even waive their talent fees.

There is much more to making a testimonial an effective tool for marketing than gathering them.  Good testimonials are the ones which can be compressed into a few catchy words. “I lost 20 pounds in two weeks time!” is an example of an eye-catching testimonial. However, one must never rephrase or edit what the client had said. How to get the right kinds of testimonials will be discussed later.

Credible testimonials should also contain the complete attributes of the people who gave them. Their titles, location and age should be included whenever possible.

Visual appeal will also be a great help in using testimonials. If the clients are willing, one must insist in taking photographs or videos for their testimonials.

So how does a business owner get started with the whole testimonial thing?

Here are some steps on how to archive testimonials.

1. Before anything else, only products/ services with outstanding quality deserve testimonials, so one must make sure that his product/service possesses exceptional quality.

2. Ask the help of your customers. One must be able to communicate to his customers his need of getting their testimonials. If they are really satisfied with the product/service, they would be more than willing to participate.

3. Interview your customers. Ask them about what they like about your product/service, why they chose your product and other questions like these.

4. Ask them if they are willing to make a written testimonial. You can offer to make the testimonial yourself based on their responses during the interview but the testimonial is still up for their approval. You might want to make the wordings catchy and let them approve the testimonials.

5. Ask them if you could record the testimonial using a tape recorder or video cam. A video testimonial is better, but of course, many people are camera-shy and this can be a limited option for most.

6. Choose the best testimonials. Use the best ones so as to maximize the benefits that your product can get from the testimonials.

Testimonials are very powerful and this is the reason why every business should have them. They provide assurance and security and reflect the real essence of a product or a service.


Monday, 5 April 2010

3 Powerful Tactics That Motivate Customers To Buy


Wooing customers is a little bit like dating.  No, you can't present the engagement ring on your first date!  There's a two-way relationship that grows one step at a time before it leads to the church doors.  You can't rush it... you can't skip it... if you're looking for the satisfaction of a life-long commitment.

Getting to know your date, or getting to know your customer takes a little time and effort.  The personality, likes and dislikes of each date are different, but customers share some commonalities that you, the marketer, can grab onto.  Give them what they want, and they'll become the loyal, life-time customers that make your business prosper.

1.  Forget About Selling... Put The Emphasis On Buying
People like to think that all of their buying decisions were reached due to their own great ideas and skillful shopping.  Hey, no one is fond of a pushy salesman.  A salesman who "HELPS" them discover the best buy for their buck on the other hand, is a hero. 

Really, when a person walks into your place of business, they are most likely thinking of making a purchase before they get there.  You don't have to persuade them to buy.  You can take it easy, and simply help them decide what the best purchase is.

Keep your focus on the customer and his needs.  Think... what benefits would he be most interested in?  What is the price range he can afford?  Basically, keep in mind that you are there to serve his needs, not persuade him.  Ah, the pressure's off!

2.  Make Purchasing  A "Sure Bet"
Buying is a "risky" business.  The higher the price tag reads, the higher the risks are!  Yep, a customer is just looking for a product that satisfies the needs he purchased it for.  The question they ask themselves is... "Is it worth it?"

Hey, it's a legitimate question.  The world is full of scams where you spend your hard earned cash and end up with trash that doesn't last and that you can't get serviced.  A few tough lessons, leave customers wary about off-the-cuff purchases.  They want something they can trust.

A money back guarantee alleviates a great amount of concern in the mind of the consumer.  There's peace in knowing that if the product doesn't live up to its claims, they aren't stuck footing the bill for a piece of junk.

Customer testimonials also clearly tell "would be" buyers that you really do deliver customer satisfaction.  No one can say it better than a satisfied customer, but don't carelessly use testimonials.  You need a method to your madness.  Pick clear and specific testimonials to use, and include as much about the customer as you possible can to lend credence to his testimony.

3.  Let Them Know That It's As Quick and Easy As 1, 2, 3
Simplicy... ah, it makes life so much easier.  Yeah, your harried customers are busy and tired.  They don't want to mess around.  Most of the time, they just want to make the purchase and head home.  Convenience stores testify to the fact that quick and easy often overrides a better price!

Make the buying process as simple as you possibly can.  Remember that not everyone prefers the same method.  The more options you have available, the more customers you will please.

When you're planning your marketing campaign, don't forget to point out the quick, fast, and easy benefits of your product.  Remember that value isn't everything.

It's pretty easy to charm your customers when you know what they like!  Keep these 3 tactics in mind as you go about the daunting task of growing your business and expanding your customer list... and watch your profits go through the roof.


Tuesday, 12 January 2010

7 Keys In Getting Your Prospects To Act


Today I would like to look at the matter of persuasion. How do you get your prospects to take action?

I remember as a door-to-door salesman, my instructor often said that you must understand 'why people buy'. It has a certain ring to it doesn't it? If you know why people buy then you can gear your ads towards these 'psychological buttons'.

Before I go any further, I would just like to mention that this is in no way 'manipulation'. It's just common sense that you don't approach someone about an important decision when they're angry. Every wise wife knows how to place their husband in that 'mood' before they spring their special request on him!

Even kids wait until their parents are in a good mood before they tell them the cost of the special outfit that they MUST have.

Having cleared the air let's look at these important principles.

1. Scarcity - People go after those opportunities or products that are limited in availability. That's why you must show in your ad that your offer is for a limited time or in limited quantities. Field tests have shown that limited-quantity ads pull much better than limited-time ads. Procrastination is still a large part of human nature, so there're always those who would wait until the last minute to act. If the prospect knows that the item is in limited quantity, there's no way of determining when they'd be all sold out.

2. Herding Instinct - Your prospects will better respond to your ad if you can show that people JUST LIKE them are responding. Just recently a high school senior knocked on my door selling magazine subscription for a college scholarship program. She used that number on me - she was sure to let me know that my neighbors had bought subscriptions! We all just want to keep up with our neighbors. Needless to say, I fell for it. Whether I would read the magazine is another story.

I often point this out to my wife and you can try looking for this pattern as well. You would seldom find a satellite dish on a single home on a block. You often find dish receivers in pairs or more. One neighbor gets that service and the other follows. The same goes for gardens and lawns. Nobody wants to be the sore thumb! This is where the use of testimonials comes in. Your testimonials say "See, a lot of people like you are making this decision". Use lots of testimonials.

3. The desire to pay back a good deed - If someone thinks that you've given him or her something of value then there is a strong desire to pay you back the favor. One example is that of AOL that marketed their service by giving away those floppy disks. They literally blanketed the USA with these floppy disks. They still do but now with CDs and 1000 hrs free etc. Do you think that this is working for AOL?

In your marketing efforts you must give something of value FIRST - this builds loyalty and results. Always show the value of what your 'free' service is - never just say 'FREE'. Show the value of the gift then say that it is free. This is important because you want the person to place value on your bonus. (You'll notice that in all the bonus ebooks that I've given through these articles that I first tell you the value of them -and even go out of my way to prove the value sometimes.)

4. Authority - People will listen to you if they see that you have authority on your subject. There was a TV commercial that used this line - "My son-in-law recommended that I take _____ for my heartburn. Why should I listen to him you say? He's a doctor". You may think that you do not have authority on what you are advertising. In this case appeal to authority figures - quote from a respected journal, expert ... you get the idea.

5. Commitment - If someone has made a PUBLIC commitment to something then they are more likely to follow through. Find some way of getting someone to make a commitment and he or she's more likely to follow through than if they did not. That's why any motivational trainer would tell you that it's important to WRITE your goals down -you are more likely to complete them!

Just today I received a sales letter in the mail for which I had to send for free information. My physical act of commitment was to peel a nice red label marked "free" and place it in a designated spot on the mail back card. Now you know why they make you do this little silly stuff.

Only if weddings worked the same way!

6. Your 'likability' - People would respond to your offer if they like you. It's hard to sell to someone to whom you have no relationship even if it's just a 'perceived' relationship. This is one of the most overlooked areas of marketing on the Internet.

The Internet can seem a little cold sometimes. I've found that even after making email contact with my prospect I still have to make voice contact before they sign up for my offers. At the same time the Internet is a wonderful tool to build relationships through emails, message boards, instant messages ... the list goes on. It's a known fact that someone would buy from you if THEY think that YOU like them. Give people value, more than they expect and you have a customer for life!

7. The eternal "what's in it for me?" principle - As your prospect read your ad this is the question they are seeking an answer to. Make sure that you give them plenty of answers. Appeal to their desire for recognition, wealth, better health, and security -yes all those nice things on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - all the way up to self-actualization. (Check out a Psychology 101 text book if you are not familiar with Maslow -you will glad you did.) But do not forget to appeal to their FEAR of pain and loss.

Field research has shown that people are more responsive to loss than gain. Be sure to show them what they would LOSE if they don't get your product.

Read through your sales letters again and see if these buttons