Sell Fast -- Strip It Down, Make It Cheap, Hype It Up
Sell Fast -- Strip It Down, Make It Cheap, Hype It Up
What does it take to sell LOTS of your products and services in today's slow economy? You can double, triple, even expand your sales by a factor of 10. But you must think a little differently about what it takes to win over customers.
Here is how selling online and off has changed in the past few years. Customers have different values these days. Meet those new values and you make a sale.
I'm ALSO going to tell you about important values that HAVE NOT changed. You should come away from this article with some good ideas you can use immediately to boost your sales.
1. People want LOW price. As the price of gas, food, and healthcare skyrockets, people and businesses are forced to cut back drastically to make ends meet. That means putting a high value on lowest price.
Drop your price as low as you can while still turning a profit. Think about offering loss leaders. These are popular products or services offered at prices so low they are below cost. The idea is you grab new customers, please them, then keep them coming back for many more sales.
I fully understand the fastest way to wealth is to sell at high prices. These days you have to think about making big money by selling bigger volume at lower prices.
2. Offer a stripped down version of your product or service. For years I charged $325 to write a press release and have it sent to media by a top distributor. As the economy slowed, customers wanted a stripped down version. So I now write a press release and give customers a list of free distribution services for $99. Sales have jumped.
3. Hype it up. The old saying in advertising is "sell the sizzle, not the steak." Hype up your product or service by telling the prospect how it will improve her life. Talk about the prospect's frustrations, his dreams, and how YOU can make those dreams come true -- by saving the prospect money, making him look good in front of his boss, or making his spouse adore him.
Now for some values that have NOT changed. I stress these because a LOT of businesses have left these qualities at the door. More than a few, especially online, or losing out because they have forgotten some of the key qualities that made them a success initially.
1. Be reachable! I can't tell you how many new customers tell me "I emailed three other sites before I emailed you. You're the only one who answered." Guess who gets the sale?
Give customers several ways to reach you. Depending on what works best for your business, offer your email address, phone number, number to text, online chat, mailing address, and office location.
Then REPLY back to people. Even if you just say, "Thanks for your message. I looked at your site and think you should get x product. It should work well for you. Let me know if you have questions."
2. Offer value. People want a low price, but most don't want junk. Make sure your product or service does what it promises. This was the number one customer value in the 1990s up until 2008. It still ranks very high in what customers want.
> The restaurant that offers good food, in large portions, at a reasonable price wins.
> The writer who produces well-written articles on time and doesn't charge an arm and leg wins.
> The plumber who fixes the problem the first time, stays a few minutes to chat with the homeowner, and keeps his price competitive wins.
3. Do the job when you say you will. Many business owners, especially service providers, say this is the number one thing their customers value.
I always make a point to tell customers when their copywriting will be completed. Since it's often hard to tell exactly when I will get through my list of projects, I tell customers "your website copy SHOULD be ready early in the week."
My customers get antsy if their work isn't done within a week. You probably know how long YOUR customers will wait and still be happy. Try to structure you business so you can meet those expectations. You'll have happy customers, lots of referrals, and many more sales. Victoria Falls Southern African Top Destinations Get An Unparalleled French Immersion Experience In France Setting up a Journey to Japan - Ideas Before Travelling to Japan Travel To Iguazu Falls What to do in London during the 2012 London Olympics? Summer Camp Positions– A Whole Variety of Opportunities Principal Investment to Succeed in Australia's World Trading Watch American Idol Season 10 Episode 19 1 Voted Off Why 4x4 Hire In Africa? How to shop online during holidays Do you crave Mini Storage Phoenix? The Best Experiences For Traveler Is Amsterdam How i'm getting beach ready in 60 days