Posts Tagged ‘increase business’

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS WITH LEAD GENERATION

Friday, September 30th, 2011

When your business depends upon getting new leads regularly, there are some options that are open to you which can help you to achieve it. In today’s technologically advanced climate, there are many businesses that tend to focus on electronic means of contacting potential customers, such as through social media or email marketing. Although these can be effective, you should never overlook the possibility of direct mail and using those lists in order to increase the success of your business substantially. Here are some of the benefits that will be seen when you use this type of marketing and mail your list physically instead of automatically.

Perhaps one of the most important things that need to be considered when choosing direct mail over email marketing is that the majority of people look at their mail that they get in their mailboxes every day. Of course, some people are going to toss some of the information without looking at it but a vast majority of those individuals are going to sort through it without delay. This gets your message in front of those individuals easily and, compared to email marketing, the response can be substantially higher.

Another benefit to using direct mail is that you can specifically target groups of people that have an interest in what you are offering. It is important for you to consider this, not only when using direct mail but when purchasing the list of individuals that you will be mailing. The more focused the list is, the more likely it is going to be that you are going to see results from that list.

Have you thought about the customization that is possible when mailing people instead of using electronic means of contacting them? When most people gather email lists, they are only going to gather the most basic information from the potential customer. When you have a mailing list, you not only have the physical address but you often have their name and perhaps some other information as well. You can use this information in order to customize the mailing which will, in turn, increase the response. This is also something that should be considered when you are gathering a list or purchasing it from the company that generates leads.

Finally, you can measure the results of mailing those individuals in order to see if any changes need to be made to the mailing. Of course, you would always want to consider changing the copy and testing in order to increase the response. Some of the ways that you can track the response of a direct-mail campaign include sending out coupons with specific information that either needs to be filled out on your website or to be mailed back to your company. This can assist you in doing a split test as well, allowing you to easily see which is going to be more effective so that you can make those changes and send the future mailings to a larger list to increase the response.

This article is brought to you by America’s leading wholesale merchandise trade magazine, Retailers Forum.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Idea Exchange, SALES & MARKETING | Comments Off

SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE, INCREASE YOUR BUSINESS!

Saturday, January 29th, 2011

Sharing inside information can boost your sales. It can make your business much more profitable too, since valuable information can be supplied at very little cost.

Quality, timely, relevant, and important information helps prospects and customers make intelligent decisions. The right information makes it a whole lot easier to choose with confidence. Providing additional ideas, advice, insights and resources is a great way to distinguish your product – and your company – from competitors.

What inside information of value can you provide to help your customers and prospects?

Helpful tips, inside secrets, and other creative ideas help to establish your expertise in the marketplace. When you give away this kind of inside information, you create tremendous value that’s appreciated by customers. These people feel compelled to show their gratitude by continuing to buy from you, time and time again.

Offering valuable inside information is easier than you may think. Simply look at each product you supply and figure out what collateral information prospects would like to know.
In other words, if you were a salesperson standing in front of your prospect, what additional information of interest could you offer her?

To sell a solid cherry dining room suite from a showroom floor, you’d want to explain the exquisite finish and how to preserve that “new” look. You would point out the quality joinery used to secure the frame to the table legs. You might even open a china cabinet drawer to demonstrate the built-in quality, smooth running hardware and fine craftsmanship that went into it. It’s all inside information.

These are precious details that help educate potential buyers. It’s information that might otherwise go unnoticed… yet it could be the kind of detail that just might clinch the sale. Pointing out all this inside information helps buyers feel good about the true value of their purchase. It’s something they could have easily missed, had it not been brought to their attention.

This kind of detailed inside information is of interest to potential customers and it’s something that could easily be incorporated into a free brochure, booklet, report or videotape. It also adds perceived value to the product itself by establishing an exclusive “story” behind it. Don’t just give them sales talk of hard-sell sales copy. Give them the facts – good, solid, inside information about what it is makes your product a better buy.

Here are some additional examples of using inside information to inform and educate prospects – and increase sales as a result:

A hardware store could offer a free booklet called “How To Refinish Old Furniture Like A Restoration Pro” to all buyers of furniture repair and refinishing items. This added value item — offered exclusively — should help boost sales of refinishing supplies. It’s inside information that could only be provided by someone who has done it before.

A travel agent could offer personalized commentary on popular destinations in article format. “The 10 Must-See Spots In Las Vegas”… “The Top 7 Hottest Clubs In Nassau That Only The Locals Know About”… or, “11 Spectacular Sites Of Costa Rica You’ve Just Got To See At Least Once In Your Lifetime” might be great topics for niche market vacationers. If you fit the market profile and were planning a trip, wouldn’t you at least be curious about this promising inside information?

If you plan to give your information away freely, prepare it as you would a salable product. Don’t scrimp on quality in terms of both content and appearance. When an information product “looks” like something of value – it is. When you offer your report or booklet free with purchase, it’s much more likely to act as an incentive to the sale.

Author Bio
More resources at www.makeyoursalessoar.com
Robert Boduch is the author of more than 2 dozen books, reports and guides on the art and science of selling.

Join us regularly at www.RetailersForum.com to see the latest information on the wholesale and retailing industries. We are proud to serve as the number one trade magazine for wholesale merchandise.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Idea Exchange, SALES & MARKETING | Comments Off

INCREASING YOUR SALES IN A SLOW ECONOMY

Thursday, March 12th, 2009

Promotion Strategies to Crank Up Sales in a Slow Economy
by Stephanie Chandler

In a time with so much economic uncertainly, consumers are on the hunt for bargains. And consumers aren’t the only ones tightening up their belts; businesses large and small are scrutinizing purchases more than ever.

Whether your company sells to consumers or business, creative promotion strategies can give sales a much-needed boost to revenues in a difficult economy. To generate ideas, take a look at the big retailers. While the economy is slow, the big box stores are pulling out all the stops to bring customers in the door (and to their websites).

Following is a list of promotion strategies from the real world. Use these to inspire ideas for generating creative promotions for your business. Though many of these are used in retail sales, they can easily be replicated for all kinds of businesses.

Gift with Purchase

One local furniture store frequently gives away substantial gifts with purchase. For example, buy a bedroom set and get a flat screen T.V. or a gas barbecue. The cost of the bonus item can be subsidized by partnering with the maker of the give-away (they offer it at cost in exchange for publicity).

Falling Prices

Many retailers are trimming prices across the board and using the opportunity to advertise: “Check out our new lower prices!” You can bet that they will raise prices again later when the economy begins its recovery, but in the meantime, it gives them an edge over their competition.

A New Spin on the BOGO Offer

The Buy One, Get One offer is a perennial favorite and one retailer found a way to inspire higher-dollar purchases. At the time of this writing, Costco is selling five $20 Starbucks gift cards (a $100 value) for $80. Since coffee is a luxury item that can be sacrificed when consumers tighten up their budgets, offering a discount provides a boost to both Costco and Starbucks.

Deep Discounts on Clearance Items

Instead of the typical 20 percent to 40 percent discount on end-of-season merchandise, sales racks at stores are boasting discounts as high as 75 percent. Some even offer an extra 10 percent off if you use, or apply for, a store credit card. What retailers lose in deeper discounts they make up for in sales volume.

Group Discounts

Many businesses offer special discounts to groups such as seniors, teachers, students, corporations, members of trade associations and non-profits. Whether offering a percentage off on a certain day of the week or year-round, this strategy can provide a great incentive for buyers. As an added bonus, organizations that receive these discounts will often promote the offer to their members.

The Loss-Leader

A loss-leader is a deep discount on a product sold below cost (at a loss) in order to get people in the door (so they will spend money on other purchases). Grocery stores are famous for offering popular items like soda at ridiculously low prices. Recently, the California Lottery held a promotion that caused a traffic jam in one Northern California city. When customers purchased $10 in lottery tickets, they received $50 in gasoline. Not only did this promotion prompt a huge spike in lotto sales, it was so popular that it ended up getting air time on the evening news.

Discounted Gift Certificates

Retailers love gift certificates because they generate cash flow and a high percentage of them never get redeemed. One local hair salon sold gift cards valued at $50 for just $25 and marketed them to the business community. They sold dozens of cards to business owners and sales people who gave them away as gifts for their clients. As a result, the majority of the cards were distributed to potential new clients.

Gift Certificates with a Bonus

A popular holiday promotion that many restaurants and retailers employ is to offer a bonus with gift certificate purchase. For example, for every $50 in gift certificates purchased, get a special $10 gift card. Typically the bonus is valid only in the following month, giving the buyer incentive to return and make yet another purchase.

Free Stuff

To get new customers in the door, one local computer shop offers complimentary health check-ups on computers. While customers wait, they have the opportunity to shop for add-on products and services. In a similar promotion, a local pool company offers six months of pool cleaning services with any new pool installation. After servicing the pools for several months, the company will likely land contracts for continued pool maintenance services from satisfied clients, thus trumping the competition.

Web-Only Discounts

Smart retailers collect e-mail addresses and send out regular promotions to subscribers. For example, save 25 percent when you shop online before Friday!

Events: Register with a Friend

A great way to fill seats at events is to offer a discount when you purchase two tickets. For example, if registration costs $100 each, sell two for $150.

Remember, the point here is to find creative new ways to promote your products and services. In a difficult economy, price becomes an important factor when making purchasing decisions. In order to thrive in a marketplace that is becoming increasingly competitive, we must all learn to think outside the box to keep the sales wheels turning.

About the Author:

Stephanie Chandler is the author of several business and marketing books including FROM ENTREPRENEUR TO INFOPRENEUR: MAKE MONEY WITH BOOKS, E-BOOKS AND INFORMATION PRODUCTS. Discover hundreds of resources for entrepreneurs at www.BusinessInfoGuide.com. For author and speaker details visit www.StephanieChandler.com.

Stephanie Chandler may be contacted at http://www.TheBusinessGrowthConnection.comStephanie@BusinessInfoGuide.com. Click here to view more of their articles.
Stephanie Chandler is the author of several business and marketing books including FROM ENTREPRENEUR TO INFOPRENEUR: MAKE MONEY WITH BOOKS, E-BOOKS AND INFORMATION PRODUCTS. Discover hundreds of resources for entrepreneurs at www.BusinessInfoGuide.com. For author and speaker details visit www.StephanieChandler.com. This article presented by the leading publisher of wholesale merchandise magazine, Retailers Forum.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Idea Exchange | No Comments »