A consumer survey reports that 56% of people said that they plan to start their shopping using the internet, and more than 60% said that they plan to start their Christmas shopping before the end of October!
So you need to be getting your business ready now for the Christmas season if you haven’t already done so, you don’t want to miss out on those sales.
If you have a website that you can edit easily yourself, you can make these changes immediately, and start your Christmas marketing campaign quickly. Then, if you have a mailing list, as soon as your site is ‘set up’ for the festive season you need to use your list to let your customers know.
Keeping in touch with your customers is the key to increasing your sales and this is, of course, especially true in the holiday season.
When so many smaller retailers are competing for consumer attention you need to reach out to your customers before somebody else beats you to it.
Many of your competitors are already sending their Christmas marketing emails out as you read this. As more than 60% of shoppers are buying early this year, you need to capture their attention by sending your marketing message out before the holiday rush starts.
Why not include an incentive? A special offer is always a good marketing tool, you could offer free postage, or buy 3 get one free, or send them a coupon code for your shopping cart that will give them a discount of some kind.
Did you know that more than 79% of consumers say that free postage is an important factor in deciding where to buy?
If you offer a discount or special offer, make it time sensitive, that is give the recipient a set time in which to use it. The fact is that if people do not respond soon after receiving your offer, then they probably won’t respond at all, so give them a good reason to buy now by limiting the time in which the discount or special offers is available.
If you are looking for new customers this Christmas why not invest in a short Google Adword campaign specifically targeted for the season, its only a couple of months away and it could prove to be one of your best investments.
And finally, why don’t you send a Christmas greetings email to your clients, thank them for their business and let your customers know that they are important to you.
So don’t let the grass grow under your feet, set up your site now ready for the Christmas shopping season, and reach out to your customers before someone else does!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Circular Logic – Compensation Plans That Make Your Head Spin
At the time of this writing, Multi-Level Marketing is more than 50 years old. It’s truly amazing that such a ludicrous business model has survived, and even experienced incredible growth, over such a great length of time.
On the surface, this type of business has a lot of appeal. Many people are attracted to the idea of selling quality products and sharing a lucrative opportunity with their friends and neighbors.
But once you take a good hard look at the nuts and bolts of how 99% of these so-called ‘opportunities’ intend to pay you for your efforts, much of the initial appeal goes right down the drain. It’s fairly common for an MLMer to sell a $50 bottle of herbal tonic and make only a few bucks for themselves.
A big reason for this is the complex structure of most network marketing programs. Money is divided among so many different parties that it’s difficult to squeeze a decent profit out of a retail transaction.
For example, you might sell a bottle of your program’s super tonic at $50, but three of your upline sponsors have to get their share of the profits before you get paid. And of course there will be at least one heavy hitter in your upline tree who gets to claim some type of ‘over-ride’ bonus; this will mean more of the money you generated goes into someone else’s pocket.
And let’s not forget about the clever ‘one-up’ option many MLMs build into their payment structure. In this scenario, a member’s first sale gets credited to their immediate upline.
I’ve looked at many compensation plans that require a member to retail nearly $200 in product before they are even eligible for a commission. In other words, if they fall short of this monthly quota by even a few bucks, they don’t get paid!
The solution to this dilemma, according to the always jovial sponsors and team leaders?
Just buy the minimum amount of product yourself so that every real sale you make generates commission. And then of course you are told to encourage anyone you refer to the business to do the same.
How reasonable does that sound to you?
Sure it’s great to use and believe in a product you are trying to sell. But buying $200 in vitamins or face cream every month just so you can qualify for your distributor commissions borders on the idiotic, in my opinion.
If the potential monetary gains were significant in most cases perhaps I’d have a different attitude. But more often than not participants of an MLM system are paid 10% or less of the money they generate for the program.
In essence, the company owners and the professional network marketers who have helped them launch their business are keeping most of the money created by the retail and referral activity of their members.
You don’t need to join an online business opportunity to put money into somebody else’s pockets. That’s what a J-O-B is for.
The web is full of affiliate programs that pay their members a fair percentage on each successful transaction. There is absolutely no reason to settle for some kind of bogus MLM system that asks you to work your tail off for pennies on the dollar.
On the surface, this type of business has a lot of appeal. Many people are attracted to the idea of selling quality products and sharing a lucrative opportunity with their friends and neighbors.
But once you take a good hard look at the nuts and bolts of how 99% of these so-called ‘opportunities’ intend to pay you for your efforts, much of the initial appeal goes right down the drain. It’s fairly common for an MLMer to sell a $50 bottle of herbal tonic and make only a few bucks for themselves.
A big reason for this is the complex structure of most network marketing programs. Money is divided among so many different parties that it’s difficult to squeeze a decent profit out of a retail transaction.
For example, you might sell a bottle of your program’s super tonic at $50, but three of your upline sponsors have to get their share of the profits before you get paid. And of course there will be at least one heavy hitter in your upline tree who gets to claim some type of ‘over-ride’ bonus; this will mean more of the money you generated goes into someone else’s pocket.
And let’s not forget about the clever ‘one-up’ option many MLMs build into their payment structure. In this scenario, a member’s first sale gets credited to their immediate upline.
I’ve looked at many compensation plans that require a member to retail nearly $200 in product before they are even eligible for a commission. In other words, if they fall short of this monthly quota by even a few bucks, they don’t get paid!
The solution to this dilemma, according to the always jovial sponsors and team leaders?
Just buy the minimum amount of product yourself so that every real sale you make generates commission. And then of course you are told to encourage anyone you refer to the business to do the same.
How reasonable does that sound to you?
Sure it’s great to use and believe in a product you are trying to sell. But buying $200 in vitamins or face cream every month just so you can qualify for your distributor commissions borders on the idiotic, in my opinion.
If the potential monetary gains were significant in most cases perhaps I’d have a different attitude. But more often than not participants of an MLM system are paid 10% or less of the money they generate for the program.
In essence, the company owners and the professional network marketers who have helped them launch their business are keeping most of the money created by the retail and referral activity of their members.
You don’t need to join an online business opportunity to put money into somebody else’s pockets. That’s what a J-O-B is for.
The web is full of affiliate programs that pay their members a fair percentage on each successful transaction. There is absolutely no reason to settle for some kind of bogus MLM system that asks you to work your tail off for pennies on the dollar.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
4 Secrets To Building An Engaging Brand Experience
When you think of creating a new brand, it’s easy to think about advertising managers sitting around a conference room tossing around ideas with caffeine fueled creativity. However, often times, the most powerful branding comes from adding a little “fun” to your brand experience.
Driven by the Burger King mentality, today’s customers want to do business their way on their time. They want to make their own choices. As business people, it’s our job to make sure then when customers are ready to make their choice, our product or service is their top choice.
Below are five secrets to put some spark and imagination into your brand and create an unforgettable brand experience.
Secret #1: Tell Your Company’s Unique Brand Story
Television shows have long been a part of our culture. When viewers watch television shows, they see stories about characters that we relate to. Remember the Brady Bunch theme song? It tells the story of a lovely lady... well, you know how it goes.
Now imagine harnessing the power of storytelling for your business! By sharing your brand story, you create a powerful connection to your customers. They feel as though they know you. This brand story paints a colorful vignette of who you are, what vision you hold, and what experiences made you the company you are today. While your brand story might not be as catchy as the Brady Bunch tune, raving fans love to share stories of their favorite brands with others.
PartyLite is a direct sales company that has done a phenomenal job of weaving their brand story into their marketing message. Listen to the story of how this company got started.
“Mabel K. Baker, a young housewife, provided holiday candles for her friends. She hand-dipped candles from the wax of bayberry plants, which were plentiful on Cape Cod. From these humble beginnings, Colonial Candle of Cape Cod was established. In 1973, PartyLite was established to satisfy the desire people have for home beautification, along with the ever-increasing need for additional family income.”
Now can't you just imagine Mabel sitting outside and turning her gaze over to the bayberry plants in her backyard! Surely a light bulb went off in her head as she picked berries off the bush and harvested the wax to make gift candles for her dearest friends. A story like this makes you feel like when you get a PartyLite candle, that you are getting more than a factory made product. Rather, you are getting a lovely crafted handmade candle. Great story and great marketing!
What's your brand story? Do you have a wonderful story to tell about how your business was started? Was there a turning point in your company that shaped you into the organization you are today?
Secret #2: Make Your Brand a Household Name by Coining the Term
Why define your brand experience in terms we already use? Kleenex, Xerox, and Fed X are companies whose brand names have set the standards for their industry by becoming the coined terms to describe a tissue, making a copy, and overnight deliveries.
So how do you go about making your brand a household name?
Marla Cilley, aka “The FLY Lady” is an organizing super hero for moms across the county. She has turned her passion for tidiness into a nationally known brand.
How did she do it? By adding an ounce of fun with her own unique terms and philosophies. For example, The FLY Lady stands for Finally Loving Yourself.
Fans of the FLY Lady know that she lives by three rules.
1) Don’t sweat the small stuff
2) Laugh everyday. Even if it is at yourself.
3) Love like there is no tomorrow.
If you visit her website at FlyLady.net, you’ll notice that her brand is even reflected in some of the names of the navigation links: Why FLY, FLYing Lessons, FLY Zone, Time FLYs when, FLY FAQ, FLY Library, Join FlyLady Now, Ask FlyLady, and The FlyShop.
Secret #3: Add Your Unique Brand of Humor
Humor has the power to transform an ordinary product into a fun experience for the whole audience. Recently I saw a commercial for Red Stripe “The Great Jamaican Beer” that delivers an unforgettable quirky message.
The Jamaican spokesperson is dressed in a black tuxedo and says, “Red Stripe - the beer in the short stubby ugly bottle. If ugly people stand next to a Red Stripe they look beautiful.”
He speaks to a man who is sitting next to him, “You sir, would you say that you are ugly?
(Pause) You are VERY ugly!”
The man who is sitting down replies a little confused, “Well I don't know...”
The spokesperson hands him a beer and says, “Here hold this Red Stripe.”
The man says, “Okay.”
The spokesperson says, “Look, you are beautiful!” (Obviously implying that just by holding this beer this formerly “ugly” man is transformed into being beautiful.)
Spokesperson says enthusiastically, “Red Stripe, it's beer. Hooraaaayy Beer!”
The man cheers, "Hooray Beer."
The spokesperson adds at the end, "…says the beautiful man."
The point is, that although you may have never heard of Red Stripe beer before, this funny commercial really sticks in your mind. Even though we are not beer drinkers, this commercial is surely creating living room conversations in homes across the country.
That’s how a funny campaign can instantly turn a new or unknown product into a national phenomenon.
You should check out this very funny commercial online at their website here:
http://us.redstripebeer.com/media
Secret #4: Create your own Catch Phrases and Own Quotes
If you type the words “inspirational quotes” into Google, you will see that there are 1,130,000 listings. Quotes are hot! So why not tap into the power of quotes and catch phrases for your business?
Go back in your mind to the “Where’s the Beef” commercials from Wendy’s. That was a fun series of engaging commercials that had the whole country asking themselves, “Where’s the Beef?”.
And think about Donald Trump’s “Your Fired!” I’m sure that he had no idea that his show, “The Apprentice” would take off the way it did and become the “in thing.”
When you create a hot catch phrase or quote, you’ll find your words popping up on websites, in blogs, talked about in elevators, written on bathroom walls, and in the most unexpected placed.
Take a moment to step back and really look at your company’s brand. With a little imagination, you can transform buying your product or service into a fun, one-of-a-kind brand experience that your customers will never forget.
Driven by the Burger King mentality, today’s customers want to do business their way on their time. They want to make their own choices. As business people, it’s our job to make sure then when customers are ready to make their choice, our product or service is their top choice.
Below are five secrets to put some spark and imagination into your brand and create an unforgettable brand experience.
Secret #1: Tell Your Company’s Unique Brand Story
Television shows have long been a part of our culture. When viewers watch television shows, they see stories about characters that we relate to. Remember the Brady Bunch theme song? It tells the story of a lovely lady... well, you know how it goes.
Now imagine harnessing the power of storytelling for your business! By sharing your brand story, you create a powerful connection to your customers. They feel as though they know you. This brand story paints a colorful vignette of who you are, what vision you hold, and what experiences made you the company you are today. While your brand story might not be as catchy as the Brady Bunch tune, raving fans love to share stories of their favorite brands with others.
PartyLite is a direct sales company that has done a phenomenal job of weaving their brand story into their marketing message. Listen to the story of how this company got started.
“Mabel K. Baker, a young housewife, provided holiday candles for her friends. She hand-dipped candles from the wax of bayberry plants, which were plentiful on Cape Cod. From these humble beginnings, Colonial Candle of Cape Cod was established. In 1973, PartyLite was established to satisfy the desire people have for home beautification, along with the ever-increasing need for additional family income.”
Now can't you just imagine Mabel sitting outside and turning her gaze over to the bayberry plants in her backyard! Surely a light bulb went off in her head as she picked berries off the bush and harvested the wax to make gift candles for her dearest friends. A story like this makes you feel like when you get a PartyLite candle, that you are getting more than a factory made product. Rather, you are getting a lovely crafted handmade candle. Great story and great marketing!
What's your brand story? Do you have a wonderful story to tell about how your business was started? Was there a turning point in your company that shaped you into the organization you are today?
Secret #2: Make Your Brand a Household Name by Coining the Term
Why define your brand experience in terms we already use? Kleenex, Xerox, and Fed X are companies whose brand names have set the standards for their industry by becoming the coined terms to describe a tissue, making a copy, and overnight deliveries.
So how do you go about making your brand a household name?
Marla Cilley, aka “The FLY Lady” is an organizing super hero for moms across the county. She has turned her passion for tidiness into a nationally known brand.
How did she do it? By adding an ounce of fun with her own unique terms and philosophies. For example, The FLY Lady stands for Finally Loving Yourself.
Fans of the FLY Lady know that she lives by three rules.
1) Don’t sweat the small stuff
2) Laugh everyday. Even if it is at yourself.
3) Love like there is no tomorrow.
If you visit her website at FlyLady.net, you’ll notice that her brand is even reflected in some of the names of the navigation links: Why FLY, FLYing Lessons, FLY Zone, Time FLYs when, FLY FAQ, FLY Library, Join FlyLady Now, Ask FlyLady, and The FlyShop.
Secret #3: Add Your Unique Brand of Humor
Humor has the power to transform an ordinary product into a fun experience for the whole audience. Recently I saw a commercial for Red Stripe “The Great Jamaican Beer” that delivers an unforgettable quirky message.
The Jamaican spokesperson is dressed in a black tuxedo and says, “Red Stripe - the beer in the short stubby ugly bottle. If ugly people stand next to a Red Stripe they look beautiful.”
He speaks to a man who is sitting next to him, “You sir, would you say that you are ugly?
(Pause) You are VERY ugly!”
The man who is sitting down replies a little confused, “Well I don't know...”
The spokesperson hands him a beer and says, “Here hold this Red Stripe.”
The man says, “Okay.”
The spokesperson says, “Look, you are beautiful!” (Obviously implying that just by holding this beer this formerly “ugly” man is transformed into being beautiful.)
Spokesperson says enthusiastically, “Red Stripe, it's beer. Hooraaaayy Beer!”
The man cheers, "Hooray Beer."
The spokesperson adds at the end, "…says the beautiful man."
The point is, that although you may have never heard of Red Stripe beer before, this funny commercial really sticks in your mind. Even though we are not beer drinkers, this commercial is surely creating living room conversations in homes across the country.
That’s how a funny campaign can instantly turn a new or unknown product into a national phenomenon.
You should check out this very funny commercial online at their website here:
http://us.redstripebeer.com/media
Secret #4: Create your own Catch Phrases and Own Quotes
If you type the words “inspirational quotes” into Google, you will see that there are 1,130,000 listings. Quotes are hot! So why not tap into the power of quotes and catch phrases for your business?
Go back in your mind to the “Where’s the Beef” commercials from Wendy’s. That was a fun series of engaging commercials that had the whole country asking themselves, “Where’s the Beef?”.
And think about Donald Trump’s “Your Fired!” I’m sure that he had no idea that his show, “The Apprentice” would take off the way it did and become the “in thing.”
When you create a hot catch phrase or quote, you’ll find your words popping up on websites, in blogs, talked about in elevators, written on bathroom walls, and in the most unexpected placed.
Take a moment to step back and really look at your company’s brand. With a little imagination, you can transform buying your product or service into a fun, one-of-a-kind brand experience that your customers will never forget.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
5 Keys to Capturing Prospective Buyers
Spring has sprung. The birds are singing as they busily build nests and do their mating dances. Yeah, it won't be long before the flowers bloom, and grass starts growing. You know what that means...grass needs mowing. When you parked the riding mower last fall, you knew that it would be a miracle if you could get it through another summer. You're going to need to replace old "Betsy" sooner or later, and start thinking about the features you want the next mower to have.
Well, you haven't tried starting the old mower, but hey, it's raining cats and dogs outside. With nothing better to do, you head for the mall and find yourself among a line of shiny lawn mowers with a wide variety of prices and features. What are the advantages of each one compared to the difference in costs?
Yep, not every customer that walks through your door is ready to make a purchase. Maybe they're still in the "thinking about it" stage. Yeah, when you think long enough, you usually talk yourself into doing it. That's why it's important to treat every customer's question with respect. You never know when a properly answered question will lead to a sale.
Here are some tips to keep in mind for effectively answering customer questions:
1. A Question is the Sign of a Potential Sale.
Yeah, if a customer is taking the time to look you up and ask questions, you're dealing with a high level of interest. Don't take it lightly. A prompt and quick response laced with the added benefits of the product will go a long way toward closing a sale.
2. Make it Easy to Ask A Question.
There's nothing more frustration than having a simple question and having to move heaven and earth to get an answer. Make it easy for your customers to ask questions. Make your website question friendly and include a phone number with all of your sales material.
3. Organize - Set up a Frequently Asked Question File
What questions have you emailed answers to sixteen times this week? Keep a file with those repeat questions. You'll be able to copy and paste the answers into responses. Hey, your customer will be happy and you can spend time doing something else. Everyone wins!
4. Get Back - Quickly
How many times have you shopped around while waiting for someone to get back to you? Yeah, it's easier than ever on the web. Customer attention spans are ever shortening with the vast global competition at their fingertips. Don't dilly dally - get back to them pronto!
5. Make Every Question a Sales Opportunity
When someone asks you a question, you've got their attention! They're waiting for an answer that is important to them. Yeah, it's the perfect opportunity to expand your response to include benefits of the purchase.
Questioning customers wear a badge that says, "Buyer on Board!" Read it and pay attention. Often a little nudge will mean a sale to tally at the day's end. Think of it like this...learning to effectively answer customer questions is a low-cost and effective way to boost your profits this year!
Well, you haven't tried starting the old mower, but hey, it's raining cats and dogs outside. With nothing better to do, you head for the mall and find yourself among a line of shiny lawn mowers with a wide variety of prices and features. What are the advantages of each one compared to the difference in costs?
Yep, not every customer that walks through your door is ready to make a purchase. Maybe they're still in the "thinking about it" stage. Yeah, when you think long enough, you usually talk yourself into doing it. That's why it's important to treat every customer's question with respect. You never know when a properly answered question will lead to a sale.
Here are some tips to keep in mind for effectively answering customer questions:
1. A Question is the Sign of a Potential Sale.
Yeah, if a customer is taking the time to look you up and ask questions, you're dealing with a high level of interest. Don't take it lightly. A prompt and quick response laced with the added benefits of the product will go a long way toward closing a sale.
2. Make it Easy to Ask A Question.
There's nothing more frustration than having a simple question and having to move heaven and earth to get an answer. Make it easy for your customers to ask questions. Make your website question friendly and include a phone number with all of your sales material.
3. Organize - Set up a Frequently Asked Question File
What questions have you emailed answers to sixteen times this week? Keep a file with those repeat questions. You'll be able to copy and paste the answers into responses. Hey, your customer will be happy and you can spend time doing something else. Everyone wins!
4. Get Back - Quickly
How many times have you shopped around while waiting for someone to get back to you? Yeah, it's easier than ever on the web. Customer attention spans are ever shortening with the vast global competition at their fingertips. Don't dilly dally - get back to them pronto!
5. Make Every Question a Sales Opportunity
When someone asks you a question, you've got their attention! They're waiting for an answer that is important to them. Yeah, it's the perfect opportunity to expand your response to include benefits of the purchase.
Questioning customers wear a badge that says, "Buyer on Board!" Read it and pay attention. Often a little nudge will mean a sale to tally at the day's end. Think of it like this...learning to effectively answer customer questions is a low-cost and effective way to boost your profits this year!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
4 Tried and True Techniques To Create Loyal, Life-Long Customers
Let's be honest... everybody knows that people are in business to make money. Yeah, customer's know you've got our eyes set on making a profit, but they still want to believe that you are in business for more than just their money. Do your customers know that you really care about them? Here are 4 "tried and true" techniques to show them you care.
1. Be Personal
I recently walked into a well-known store and spoke with a salesperson who really seemed to have it going on. I felt pretty good about the interaction, until I walked away and heard him reciting the same spiel he had just used with me moments earlier.
Customers are looking for personal one-on-one recognition. In this automated world, they are used to feeling like just a number, and crave to have real interaction. Take the time to discover their lifestyle before you try to sell them a one-size-fits-all product. Think about the ways the product will benefit THEM.
You'll find that there are pockets of people with similar interests and needs. Hey, that's the perfect opportunity to customize your sales campaign to the needs of different market niches.
2. Look Out For The Customer
Sure, you've sat and listened to boring sales speaches that went on and on about every feature, aspect and guarantee a product had to offer. Yeah, BORING! Customers don't give a hoot about the specific details and credentials of you and your product nearly as much as they want to know how it will benefit them.
Make sure your advertisements on the Web, sales letters, and other promotions point out the advantages to the customer. Keep the focus on them. How will the modern features make life easier? How will your credentials make you better equipped to help them?
3. Stay in Contact
There are a lot of customers who don't buy on the first visit. Sure, there are a fair number of impulsive shoppers, but not everyone shells out the bucks the first time the idea pops into their head to make a purchase. Wise shoppers take a little time to consider it first.
What happens in the meantime? Well, that depends on you. Do you follow up regularly with customers? Give them a little additional information each time, and build a relationship of trust. Before long, you'll have a loyal customer spreading the word about your business.
Internet marketers need to devise ways of getting email addresses to use for follow-up strategies. Free newsletters and complimentary reports are perfect for opening the door for future communications.
4. Be "Question Friendly"
Nothing says, "I really care," like taking the time to thoroughly answer a question - no matter how small. Think of it this way... a customer who is asking questions is considering the possibility of making a purchase. Hey, it might not be today or tomorrow, but someday you'll reap the benefits of the time you spend answering their questions.
Is it easy for your customers to ask a question? Now, I'm not talking about calling an automated answering service that you spend 25 minutes pushing buttons and end up back at the main menu. Can they ask questions, and get personal answers?
Always provide a phone number where a person can be reached, or an email address that someone will personally answer. You can save a lot of time by posting a frequently asked question page, where they can find answers without the effort of making contact.
Assuring customers of their importance is one of the greatest ways to make loyal, life-long customers.
1. Be Personal
I recently walked into a well-known store and spoke with a salesperson who really seemed to have it going on. I felt pretty good about the interaction, until I walked away and heard him reciting the same spiel he had just used with me moments earlier.
Customers are looking for personal one-on-one recognition. In this automated world, they are used to feeling like just a number, and crave to have real interaction. Take the time to discover their lifestyle before you try to sell them a one-size-fits-all product. Think about the ways the product will benefit THEM.
You'll find that there are pockets of people with similar interests and needs. Hey, that's the perfect opportunity to customize your sales campaign to the needs of different market niches.
2. Look Out For The Customer
Sure, you've sat and listened to boring sales speaches that went on and on about every feature, aspect and guarantee a product had to offer. Yeah, BORING! Customers don't give a hoot about the specific details and credentials of you and your product nearly as much as they want to know how it will benefit them.
Make sure your advertisements on the Web, sales letters, and other promotions point out the advantages to the customer. Keep the focus on them. How will the modern features make life easier? How will your credentials make you better equipped to help them?
3. Stay in Contact
There are a lot of customers who don't buy on the first visit. Sure, there are a fair number of impulsive shoppers, but not everyone shells out the bucks the first time the idea pops into their head to make a purchase. Wise shoppers take a little time to consider it first.
What happens in the meantime? Well, that depends on you. Do you follow up regularly with customers? Give them a little additional information each time, and build a relationship of trust. Before long, you'll have a loyal customer spreading the word about your business.
Internet marketers need to devise ways of getting email addresses to use for follow-up strategies. Free newsletters and complimentary reports are perfect for opening the door for future communications.
4. Be "Question Friendly"
Nothing says, "I really care," like taking the time to thoroughly answer a question - no matter how small. Think of it this way... a customer who is asking questions is considering the possibility of making a purchase. Hey, it might not be today or tomorrow, but someday you'll reap the benefits of the time you spend answering their questions.
Is it easy for your customers to ask a question? Now, I'm not talking about calling an automated answering service that you spend 25 minutes pushing buttons and end up back at the main menu. Can they ask questions, and get personal answers?
Always provide a phone number where a person can be reached, or an email address that someone will personally answer. You can save a lot of time by posting a frequently asked question page, where they can find answers without the effort of making contact.
Assuring customers of their importance is one of the greatest ways to make loyal, life-long customers.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
4 Crucial Things You Need To Do To Build Your List
Online marketing may have developed a sudden surge these past few years, but many in the know how have felt its rise even from way then. As more internet based businesses are put up, the need to develop new marketing skills and knowledge based on this new medium have arisen. More and more marketing strategies are being discovered and developed to cope with the changing face of business the business world.
The demand for online marketing tips and strategies have drastically grown and a new form of business has been born, internet marketing strategies. While there are companies that are all too eager to help your site and business build a clientele for a fee, there also many ways that can spread the word about your sites subsistence in a more cost free way. One of this is Opt-in email marketing, also known as permission marketing.
Opt-in marketing requires the permission of a willing customer to subscribe to your marketing materials, materials that take form in newsletters, catalogs and promotional mailings via e-mail. The more opt-in marketing mail is sent, the more chances there is to bag sales and more sales. To do this, you must build a list of all those who wants to subscribe to your opt-in marketing list.
From your list, you will get your targeted customer, this is a good list since they already have shown interest in what you have to show and sell since they have willingly signed in for your list. These are the people who have liked what they have seen in your site and have decided they want to see more and maybe even purchase what ever product or service your company and site has to offer.
Many people would think that building their lists would take hard work and a lot of time to build and collect names and addresses. This is not so, it takes a bit of patience and some strategies but in doing this list, you open your site and your business to a whole new world of target market. Take the effort to take your business to a new level, if traffic increase and good profits are what you want, an opt-in list will do wonders for your business venture.
There are many sources and articles in the internet available for everyone to read and follow in building a list. Sometimes they may be confusing because there are so many and there different ways. Different groups of people would have different approaches in building an opt-in list, but no matter how diverse many methods are, there are always some crucial things to do to build your list. Here are four of them.
1) Put up a good web form in your site that immediately follows the end of your content. While some may say this is too soon to subscribe for a website visitors application, try to remember that your homepage should provide a quick good impression. If somehow a website visitor finds something that he or she doesn’t like and turns them off, they may just forget about signing up.
A good web form for subscribing to an opt-in list is not hard to do. Just write a simple short statement about how they would like to see more and get updated about the site. Then there should be an area where they could put in their names and e-mail address. This web form will automatically save and send you the data’s inputted. As more people sign in, your list will be growing.
2) As mentioned in the first tip, make your homepage very, very impressive. You need to have well written articles and descriptions of your site. Depending on what your site is all about, you need to capture your website visitor’s fancy. Make your site useful and very easy to use. Do not expect everyone to be tech savvy. Invest in having good programming in your site, make your graphics beautiful but don’t over do it.
Don’t waste your time making the homepage too overly large megabyte wise. Not all people have dedicated T1 connections, the faster your site gets loaded, the better. Go for a look that borders between simplicity and sophisticated knowledge.
3) Provide good service and products. A return customer is more likely to bring in more business. Even then and now, a satisfied customer will recommend a business always. Word of mouth and recommendations alone can rake in more business than an expensive ad. As your clientele roster grows so shall your list. With more members on the list, the more people will get to know about what you have new to offer.
4) Keep a clean and private list. Never lose the trust your customers have entrusted you. If you provide e-mails to others and they get spammed, many will probably unsubscribe to you. Remember, a good reputation will drive in more traffic and subscribers as well as strengthen the loyalty of your customers.
The demand for online marketing tips and strategies have drastically grown and a new form of business has been born, internet marketing strategies. While there are companies that are all too eager to help your site and business build a clientele for a fee, there also many ways that can spread the word about your sites subsistence in a more cost free way. One of this is Opt-in email marketing, also known as permission marketing.
Opt-in marketing requires the permission of a willing customer to subscribe to your marketing materials, materials that take form in newsletters, catalogs and promotional mailings via e-mail. The more opt-in marketing mail is sent, the more chances there is to bag sales and more sales. To do this, you must build a list of all those who wants to subscribe to your opt-in marketing list.
From your list, you will get your targeted customer, this is a good list since they already have shown interest in what you have to show and sell since they have willingly signed in for your list. These are the people who have liked what they have seen in your site and have decided they want to see more and maybe even purchase what ever product or service your company and site has to offer.
Many people would think that building their lists would take hard work and a lot of time to build and collect names and addresses. This is not so, it takes a bit of patience and some strategies but in doing this list, you open your site and your business to a whole new world of target market. Take the effort to take your business to a new level, if traffic increase and good profits are what you want, an opt-in list will do wonders for your business venture.
There are many sources and articles in the internet available for everyone to read and follow in building a list. Sometimes they may be confusing because there are so many and there different ways. Different groups of people would have different approaches in building an opt-in list, but no matter how diverse many methods are, there are always some crucial things to do to build your list. Here are four of them.
1) Put up a good web form in your site that immediately follows the end of your content. While some may say this is too soon to subscribe for a website visitors application, try to remember that your homepage should provide a quick good impression. If somehow a website visitor finds something that he or she doesn’t like and turns them off, they may just forget about signing up.
A good web form for subscribing to an opt-in list is not hard to do. Just write a simple short statement about how they would like to see more and get updated about the site. Then there should be an area where they could put in their names and e-mail address. This web form will automatically save and send you the data’s inputted. As more people sign in, your list will be growing.
2) As mentioned in the first tip, make your homepage very, very impressive. You need to have well written articles and descriptions of your site. Depending on what your site is all about, you need to capture your website visitor’s fancy. Make your site useful and very easy to use. Do not expect everyone to be tech savvy. Invest in having good programming in your site, make your graphics beautiful but don’t over do it.
Don’t waste your time making the homepage too overly large megabyte wise. Not all people have dedicated T1 connections, the faster your site gets loaded, the better. Go for a look that borders between simplicity and sophisticated knowledge.
3) Provide good service and products. A return customer is more likely to bring in more business. Even then and now, a satisfied customer will recommend a business always. Word of mouth and recommendations alone can rake in more business than an expensive ad. As your clientele roster grows so shall your list. With more members on the list, the more people will get to know about what you have new to offer.
4) Keep a clean and private list. Never lose the trust your customers have entrusted you. If you provide e-mails to others and they get spammed, many will probably unsubscribe to you. Remember, a good reputation will drive in more traffic and subscribers as well as strengthen the loyalty of your customers.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
3 Must-See Keys For Expanding Your Business
1. Team Up
No one knows your market like you! What are the main characteristics of your target audience? Find someone else out there who isn't a competitor, but who reaches the same class of customers that you do. Team up with them to do joint promotions!
We all know that two is better than one. The dramatic end results will be an effective and cost-cutting advertising venture the nets both of you a nice profit.
I once dealt with a veterinarian who promoted a local dog groomer... who in turn promoted the local veterinarian. Yeah, it's kind of a "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" set up, but hey it works for both parties. Think about it... customers are going to feel that the dog groomer is in the know about who the best vet in town is, as well as trust the vet to know who is the best dog groomer in the area. Sure, it's a win, win situation for both the groomer and the vet.
2. Dig Out New Niche Markets
Niche markets are everywhere, right under your nose! Within the customer audience that you serve right now are groups of people who share common traits. Think about it... maybe you have a goup who speaks Spanish, a group of teens, and a group of middle class family men and women.
Evaluate these classes of people, and discover the unique needs and desires they share. That will set you up to customize your advertising campaign directly to them. It's not hard to take your current ads, and make a few changes to adjust to the niches. They'll be impressed that you understand THEM, and the increase in your profits will be the best thanks you can get.
3. Hop On The Latest Trends
Get in on the first floor of the latest trend... before your competition becomes aware of it. Be a leader in the industry! Hey, Internet marketing is still profitable all around, but businesses who jumped on the band wagon early in the game got the best proceeds for their insight.
We're not talking about dropping everything and making a mad dash! Wise marketers add to their already profitable businesses when they see the "new and coming" techniques. Keep the customers you already have on board, and add to your existing products and services.
You can quickly and easily strengthen you business and push out the competition by adding new layers to your existing business, teaming up for joint promotions, and discovering new markets to reach.
No one knows your market like you! What are the main characteristics of your target audience? Find someone else out there who isn't a competitor, but who reaches the same class of customers that you do. Team up with them to do joint promotions!
We all know that two is better than one. The dramatic end results will be an effective and cost-cutting advertising venture the nets both of you a nice profit.
I once dealt with a veterinarian who promoted a local dog groomer... who in turn promoted the local veterinarian. Yeah, it's kind of a "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" set up, but hey it works for both parties. Think about it... customers are going to feel that the dog groomer is in the know about who the best vet in town is, as well as trust the vet to know who is the best dog groomer in the area. Sure, it's a win, win situation for both the groomer and the vet.
2. Dig Out New Niche Markets
Niche markets are everywhere, right under your nose! Within the customer audience that you serve right now are groups of people who share common traits. Think about it... maybe you have a goup who speaks Spanish, a group of teens, and a group of middle class family men and women.
Evaluate these classes of people, and discover the unique needs and desires they share. That will set you up to customize your advertising campaign directly to them. It's not hard to take your current ads, and make a few changes to adjust to the niches. They'll be impressed that you understand THEM, and the increase in your profits will be the best thanks you can get.
3. Hop On The Latest Trends
Get in on the first floor of the latest trend... before your competition becomes aware of it. Be a leader in the industry! Hey, Internet marketing is still profitable all around, but businesses who jumped on the band wagon early in the game got the best proceeds for their insight.
We're not talking about dropping everything and making a mad dash! Wise marketers add to their already profitable businesses when they see the "new and coming" techniques. Keep the customers you already have on board, and add to your existing products and services.
You can quickly and easily strengthen you business and push out the competition by adding new layers to your existing business, teaming up for joint promotions, and discovering new markets to reach.
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