Sales Templates and Strategies

Can You Increase Sales While You Decrease Risk, Time, And Effort?

Your sales will improve dramatically…if you implement three very important strategies.

These strategies are:

Adding new customers to your customer base.

Causing your customers to buy from you more frequently.
Increasing the amount of the order at the time the order is placed.
If you master these three strategies your business will go through the roof.

You will be able to build sales faster, with less risk and lower cost than you thought possible.

We will examine each individual strategy in three separate sections. Each of these strategies will address how to improve sales and grow your business while you lower your risks.

Let’s get right down to business.

Section 1.

 

Increasing sales by adding customers to your customer base.

Adding new customers is an area where a majority of small businesses fall short.

Why?

Because most businesses rely on a “single method” of attracting new customers and generating sales. This is unfortunate and completely unnecessary.

If you use multiple sales approaches your business will experience exceptional grow without being entirely dependent on one method. And, it is just as easy to do as using one method.

What methods/techniques can you use?

There are many.

Increase sales by defining and describing your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
This is one of the most important concepts for any small business to master.

Defining your USP is describing the essence of your business. It’s the definition of what your business stands for!

In one or two sentences (certainly no more than two paragraphs) you should be able to describe clearly what your business does for its customers.

Hopefully, you can describe the most powerful advantages or benefits that your business provides to the marketplace.

Hopefully, the advantages are different or unique?

When you are able to express this in a clear, succinct way, you have created a powerful advantage over your competitors. One that will attract customers and prospects to your business.

Why is creating your USP such a challenge?

First…we rarely bother to think about it.

The concept of a unique selling proposition simply does not occur to us very often.

Why?

Because we tend to get caught-up in our day-to-day activities.

We tend to spend our time working “in-the-business” as opposed to working “on-the-business”.

We know we work hard and that we are very willing to satisfy our customers, our suppliers and our banker. However, we normally don’t think about what sets us apart from the competition.

We fall into the trap of staying busy, helping our customers and employees without ever thinking about what sets us apart.

Second…when we do attempt to describe what makes us different (better) we tend to generalize.

It is not unusual to hear a business state, “We offer the best price, highest quality, and best service of any company in our field”!

That is not realistic! It is not believable! It can’t be done. Your business cannot be all things to all people.

You lose credibility, and that will “restrict” the growth of your business. Without “credibility” people will not embrace and believe what you stand for.

To generate some ideas on how to create your own USP here are some famous examples of USP’s from the past:

“If Your Package Absolutely, Positively Must be There”…FedEx™. This USP offers a guarantee, an assurance of satisfaction.

“It takes a licking and keeps on ticking”…Timex™. This USP demonstrates the reliability and dependability of its product.

“You have questions, we have answers”…Radio Shack™. This states that they are there to help with advice on making the best choice for you in the products they offer.

The USP clearly states what the “buyer” can expect when they make a purchase.

Ask yourself this question. “What is the Unique Selling Proposition for your business?” If you would like to learn more about how to increase sales and create a USP, please click here.

Increasing sales through Advertising.
Advertising is one of the least effective ways to attract new customers and generate additional sales.

Why?

Because you can expect a relatively small response to the advertising you use. Response rates normally fall into the 1% to 2% range on most advertising campaigns; 5% to 10% is exceptional.

What can be done to improve response rates?

Many small businesses are uncertain on how to advertise effectively.

Too often a great deal of money is spent on advertising with little to show for it.

First, you should learn to advertise correctly if you expect to increase sales.

You can develop an advertising “system” that will embarrass your competition.

And, don’t be surprised when your competition attempts to copy your advertisements.

Spending money on advertising must be done in a controlled system to maximize your return on investment.

The goal of any advertising system should be to get response rates in the 10% to 20% range.

Do you want to increase sales through advertising? You can learn more about an “advertising system” that works every time you use it. Please click here.

Increase sales by making your “customer” an effective sales force for your business.
This is commonly known as a referral system.

Creating a referral system is probably the fastest and easiest way to grow your business and increase sales.

Your customers can be your best sales force by obtaining testimonials and referrals.

However, very few small businesses have established a consistent, structured system by which they gather referrals.

Why?

See if you can answer these questions as it relates to your business.

Do you know where referrals come from?
Do you know how to ask for a referral?
Are you uncomfortable asking for a referral?
Do you know what to do when you get a referral?
Let’s assume you have satisfied customers.

How often do you ask them for a referral?

If you are creating benefits and advantages for your customers they will be happy to provide a referral or testimonial for your products and services!

You must find a way to ask your customers for referrals.

You must create a systematic approach to collection referrals.

Finally, you must create a follow-up system of using the referrals you have gathered (it’s a little like finding “gold” in your own business).

Increasing sales using Internet Marketing.
There is so much “hype” today about “getting-rich-quick” by using Internet marketing.

It is only hype. Getting rich quickly on the Internet is a rarity.

If you spend any time at all on the Internet you see ads for how easy it is and how your business will be an over-night success.

That is pure nonsense!

The truth is it takes work to do this correctly.

More importantly, you must know “what” to work on in order to make the greatest difference with Internet marketing.

Here are some of the questions you will need to ask?

How do I design a web page that will attract customers and increase my sales revenues?
Do I have to hire a web-page designer or can I do it myself?
How do I prepare “copy” that will create sales on the Internet?
Do I need a “newsletter” associated with my web site?
Should I use “email” marketing to grow my business?
Do I have to hire a web-page designer or can I do it myself?
How do I find a “web-host” for my web site?
How do I “track” the success of the web site?
What are Search Engines and why are they important?
How do I price my products or service for the Internet?
Using the Internet can be a powerful way to improve sales and market your products and services.

But, you must know the “in’s and out’s” so you can maximize your investment.

Unfortunately, there are businesses on the Internet that will take advantage of those who are attracted to the Internet and know very little about how to market correctly.

It can cost a fortune in both time and money, you will need to look for ways to avoid this trap.

There are several companies who offer packages for Internet sales and marketing.

You should look for a “turn-key” package otherwise you can be charged for several add-on features that can get very expensive.

One such company is Sitesell™.

They offer a complete package to market and sell on the Internet and their technical support is excellent. They do not have any hidden fees and they are reasonably priced.

To find out more please click here.

If you would like to learn more about Web Site Design, please click here.

Increase your sales by transferring the “risk” in the transaction from the customer to yourself (your business).In any business transaction normally, one party assumes more risk than the other party.The more you are able to assume the risk in the transaction, the greater the chance you will have for the customer choosing to do business with you over the competition.
Here is part of a case history of how one company assumed the risk for the customer and increased their sales:

A business that performed service repairs to heavy-equipment were frustrated because they were not gaining new customers and losing ground (sales) with their established customers.

Their standard warranty period on all service repair work was 90 days long.
90 days warranty was the standard practice in their industry.

A proposal was made to increase the warranty period from 90 days to 12 months.
This was a remarkable difference from all their competitors.

At first, the client objected.
However, they recognized that if there was a “problem” with the repair, even after the normal warranty period, they always “took good care of the customer”.

They realized that if they stated a much stronger warranty their customers would trust them at a much higher level and potentially they would increase their business (and their sales).
They made the change!
What happened?

Service sales revenues more than doubled in one year and their warranty cost showed no significant increase during the same period.

Increasing sales through using Direct Mail.
Direct mail can be one of the most effective ways to increase your sales.

There are specific requirements that make direct mail work, they include:

The mailing list you use.
The message you create for the mailing list.
The offer that is made.
Asking the reader to take action.
Let’s review each of these elements in greater detail.

The mailing list

The most effective list you can mail (or email) to is your own customer list. Why?

Because these are the people who already know and trust you. They are five times more receptive to the message you are sending.
When you receive a direct mail piece from a company you know consider how you respond to it. At the very least you will read the mailer and not treat it as junk-mail. You might even buy from them!

The message you create

The message in your mailing must clearly state the “benefit(s) the reader will receive. If you don’t get their attention in the first paragraph it will be thrown out and your message will fail.

The offer you make in you mailing

What will the customer get?

What are you offering? Is it a particular product? Is it a special package? State your offer as clearly as possible.

The action you ask your reader to take.

Your mailing must cause your reader to take “action”.

The action could be:

Place an order
Set up an appointment
Request for more information
Come to your location
Redeem a coupon
The list is endless. Your action step is dependent on what you hope to cause the reader to do (your “most-wanted-response”).

Click here, to find how to improve the direct mail “response-rate” and how to save money on your direct mail.

Increasing sales through direct mail is fast and inexpensive, click here to learn how.

Increase sales through “joint-venturing” with a trusted business partner (another business that you know very well).
This is commonly known as joint venture marketing.

Lets explain what joint venture marketing is NOT. It is not exchanging ownership of your business.

It is finding ways to work in conjunction with another “reputable” business to bring “greater benefit to your customers”. One of the most powerful “assets” any business owns is the list of customers they do business with.

You have spent a great deal of time, effort and money to develop a relationship of “trust” and “confidence” with your customers. You have a responsibility to bring more “benefits” to them.

This is much easier than you may think.

Obviously your products and/or services already meet the needs of your customers or they wouldn’t be doing business with you. However, there may be several other things that your customers may need that “compliment” your products or services.

Consider asking a trusted business to joint venture with you in a marketing program in an effort to improve your customer’s business life.

How do you get started?

Make a list of products and/or services that compliment what you provide to your customers.

Here are some suggestions to get your “juices flowing”:

You provide office supplies; find a company who sells printing services.
You sell expensive jewelry; find a “high-end” clothing company.
You sell travel services; find a company that provides great luggage.
You sell athletic equipment; find a company that provides a facility to exercise.
You sell automobiles; find a company that sells insurance.
You sell transmission repair; find a company that sells engine repair or replacements.
The list is endless.

Finally, make contact with your potential joint venture partner and explain what you are doing and explain to them how you both will benefit from a joint-venture relationship.

Joint ventures have to be a win-win-win situation for everyone in order to work effectively.

A word of caution: You must research the reputation of any business you are considering a joint venture with. You are bringing one of your most valuable assets you own (the relationship you have with your customers) when you enter a joint marketing venture. Be very careful.

Improve sales through Tele-selling.Tele-selling does not enjoy a “good” reputation and in most cases, with good reason.
Most tele-selling is applied poorly or incorrectly.

Rarely should tele-selling be used to make “cold calls”. This method can be very irritating and tends to alienate prospective customers.

However, if you use tele-selling to “educate” or “advise” customers about new programs or a new offering your response-rate and corresponding sales will skyrocket.

If you combine tele-selling as a follow-up to a direct mailing or a special event you can improve the response-rate from 10% to 70% and expect a 10% to 30% improvement in sales.

Tele-selling also can be used to “inform” your current customers of:

Special events (sales or otherwise)
Special price offer
An upcoming seminar
New products and/or services that compliment your current offering.
Increase sales by using “list brokers”.
Using list brokers can be lucrative. However, before you undertake this activity you must do your homework.

First, do a thorough search for a reputable list broker, one can be found at www.Zapdata.com. Once you have found a list broker who you trust and with whom can feel comfortable, you have some more homework to do.

This includes:

Carefully defining your market. Who do you want to sell and/or promote to. Spend the time to prepare a description of your target market.
Decide on the method (or medium) of how you will market. Will you use telemarketing, direct mail, email, fax campaign?
Create the copy (the advertisement) you will be using. Will it be a letter, flyer, brochure, etc? This will affect the cost of your campaign.
Create the “offer” you will be making to the marketplace.
Decide how you want your customers or prospect to respond (take action).
Determine the best time to kick off your campaign. As an example; sending information to customers and prospects during a holiday season can be a disaster. Be care of when you start and end your campaign.
To control the cost associated with type of marketing you will need to make some important decisions.

A good list broker will work with you to help control your costs while improving your sales. Good list brokers are looking for repeat business so it is in their best interest to help you.

A word of caution: If you choose to sell and market on the Internet be very careful of purchasing email lists from list brokers.
There are an abundance of list available from many sources. However, there are list out there that have little value and the cost can be excessive.

There is an excellent article written by Dr. Ralph Wilson that will provide some great advice on how to sort out who to trust for email lists, clickhere to go to his web site.

Section 2.

Increasing sales by causing your customer to buy more frequently from you.

Increase the number of times you contact your customers.
There are several ways to accomplish this at low cost and with excellent results.

Customers want to believe that you have their best interest in mind. They are most concerned that your business will offer some benefit or advantage that they can’t find elsewhere.

Therefore, it is your responsibility to advise them of all the advantages they can receive by doing business more frequently with you.

You are able to do this with the following:

a post card mailer announcing an upcoming event at your location
an email to all customers announcing specific promotions.
a visit to there location to announce new plans for expansion
an “open-house” so your customers can visit your facilities
a telephone call to announce a special program for “customers-only” not available to the general public
Create a “members-only” program.
Customers enjoy special treatment.

By creating a members-only program and making offers on a scheduled basis your sales will increase dramatically and you will create the image that your customers are a member of an exclusive club.

Use the relationship of “trust” you have with your customers to create greater advantage for them.
Have you ever found yourself thinking, “Its such a pleasure doing business with XYZ Company, I wish they offered other products!”

This thought occurs more than you may think.

If you are providing outstanding products and services to your customers there is a perfect opportunity to expand on the advantages you have created.

Customers have learned they can trust you. It is your responsibility to expand and improve what you can do for your customers.

One very effective way to do this is to find “complimentary” products and services to those you offer to your customers from companies other than your own.

There are endless combinations. It requires some imagination and some work but is very lucrative when it is set up correctly.

Caution: If you chose to enter into a joint marketing venture with another business be absolutely certain that the joint-venture partner has the same high values you do. Be certain that they will treat your customers with the concern and respect you do. Don’t risk your relationship of trust.

Section 3.

Increasing sales by increasing the amount of the order at the point of sale.

Create a “Related Sales Index”.
The Related Sales Index is simple.

It is a book, a brochure or a pamphlet that you develop for your sales force and/or your customers.

The concept is to up-sell additional products or services at the time a customer is placing an order.

The best approach to developing this index is to ask your sales force to meet with you to create a list of “complimentary” products or services that you can offer.

Pick the top ten products or services that you are selling and then develop a list of what could be offered at the time of sale (as a package or an add-on sale).

Once you have created your Related Sales Index don’t keep it a secret.

Make certain everyone that sells for you has a copy.

If you have walk-in traffic be certain it is in the hands of your customer service personnel. Give copies to your customers and prospects freely.

This approach works like magic!

Caution: You must be ethical in all your dealings with your customers. If you chose to use this technique for increasing sales do it with the idea in mind that the customer benefits. Remember, you are trying to establish long-term relationships with your customers. That happens as a natural consequence when you add value to their lives.

Provide continuous training for your sales force.
There are literally 1000’s of books written on the topic so there is no shortage of material.

The book you should consider getting is The Sales Bible: The Ultimate Sales Resource, Revised Edition by Jeffrey Gitomer.

Additionally, there are 100’s of seminars and training programs locally and nationally that you can find. Decide to attend one seminar every year and read at least five to six books annually.

You can provide in-house training. In most small businesses this can be the most economic way to prepare your sales staff. One suggestion would be to “role-play” the sales interview to be certain the message you want in the marketplace is getting out there.

Include the “impulse-buy” or “point-of-purchase” in your sales programs.
Point-of-purchase displays can be very effective.

A perfect example can be found in most grocery stores at the check-out counter.

It just so happens that most impulse items displayed at the check-out counter are the highest gross profit products. What could you put on display as a point-of-purchase in your business?

Offer “special-price” packages.
This works very effectively with service businesses.

Here is an example:

A landscape contractor could offer a package for the season rather than simply mowing the lawn on a one time basis.

In this case a special discount would be offered to maintain the lawn, all the trees and shrubs for the entire growing season (or a two year contact, etc.) The customer benefits from a reduced price and the contractor increases sales over a longer period of time.

Here is another example to consider:

If you sell products that are generally considered a commodity, by offering a lower price for “quantity” purchases will allow you to increase the amount of sale at the time of purchase.

To return to the home page please click here.

This works especially well if you offer to schedule the shipments into the future.

We wish you the greatest success in developing your strategies on increasing sales and making your business grow.

Best of luck!

You have now completed the section of this web site on how to increase sales.