For many businesses, sales are getting harder and harder to come
by. The economy is slowing, consumers are more cautious, and
businesses are cutting back. A period of drooping sales can
throw a roadblock in front of your plans to earn a profit.
Fortunately, there are some tried-and-true strategies to focus
your business and get profits flowing again. Here are three
things you can do today to boost sales and almost certainly get sales jumping.
Write down your USP and promote it.
Your USP is your Unique Selling Position. It's the one thing you
have that your competitors don't. When you promote your USP you
get more customers. It makes your business easy to remember.
You stand out from all the others.
Your USP could be a product or service that people want but the
others don't sell. It could be something a bit more intangible
like friendly service.
One search engine promotion firm I worked with NEVER answered
email. Another always replies within hours. There is never any
question which will get my business.
Put your Unique Selling Position on your business card, in your
newspaper ads, and front and center on your web site.
If everybody in your business keeps their prices a big secret,
publish yours right out in the open where anyone can examine them
(you might be surprised how many of us won't buy if we aren't
given the price without having to ask).
If all the others have the same products, point out how your
products are original, one of a kind, first to market.
Flaunt those customer comments!
Nothing sells products and services like good comments from past
customers. Prospects believe the word of a customer long before
they'll buy into even the best written ad or most lavish TV
commercial.
But how do you get good testimonials, especially if your business
is new?
1. Nobody says YOU can't provide the testimonial. If you have
personally used the product you are selling and truly believe
it's the best thing since sliced bread--put that in a
testimonial. Put your own words in quotations.
2. Get someone who is a recognized name in your field to say
something good about what you sell. Let them mention their own
interest in the testimonial. This is why blurbs on book covers
go, "Best book I've ever read," Joe Blow, author of How to Get
Rich. Joe lends his good opinion as a way to get a mention for
HIS book.
3. Put up a comments form on your web site. Clearly mention that
some comments may be selected for display on your site or in your
promotional literature. Some people will say good things (which I
sure they mean sincerely) just to get their name in print.
4. Always include the person's first and last name along with the
city they live in or the business they work for. Otherwise,
people will think you made up the testimonial.
Let your Order Form also sell.
Many times the order form or order page is the drabbest part of
the sales package. A brochure will feature color photos and
imaginative copy, yet the order form will be plain black on
white. The same goes for web sites where lively web pages lead
to a legalistic shopping cart with hard-to-understand
instructions.
This is a mistake.
Most customers have very busy lives and don't always remember
what they did and where. When I worked in radio, we were often
stunned to learn people often couldn't remember which station
they won a prize from.
The same goes for customers. People may buy from you, then forget
who they bought from just a few weeks later. That is a real
problem if you are depending on word of mouth (which you
should!).
Put your logo bright and bold on every one of your order forms.
Make sure your name is stamped onto your customer's memory at the
time of the sale.
Some smart business people turn their order form into a brochure.
They include an ad and a full list of their products and
services. The order form is on the final page. The brochure also
gives you space to include a coupon for the next purchase.
Be sure to include customer testimonials on your order form.
Most prospects need an extra bit of encouragement just before
they commit their money to a purchase.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kevin Nunley provides marketing advice and copy writing,
including web copy, sales letters, press releases, and ads. See
his free 10,000 marketing ideas at http://DrNunley.com Reach
Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
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