Posts Tagged ‘marketing tips’

Why It’s Said That Location Is Key

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Have you ever given though to the reason why people who are in business always spot the consumate that the fundamental to business is Location or that to succeed in business you have got to consider ‘Location, Location, Location’? They reveal so because it is a fact and it goes for all sorts of business, including online and offline operations.

Why Would You Choose to Sell Somewhere People Can’t locate You?

One of the biggest flubs you can make when in business is to set up a shop in an locale where your target clients won’t locate you. For example, let us say that you like to open up a 24 hour discount store to benefit a regional residential area, but the location you found for it is a 20 minute drive from the nearest home. Is that a exceedingly wise choice? It could work if you are the only shop from miles around, but what if you’re not? What if your competitor has a store that’s only a 3-minute walk away from a packed residential area? They would certainly get more traffic than you would.

Most Business that Go down Do So Because of Poor Location Choice.

Have you ever seen a product that just feels out of place or an poster banner that doesn’t concur with the demographic reached by the channel it’s advertising on? Chances are that you have seen some. You ought to be certain to be exceedingly vigilant in whatever decisions you are making for your business. Let us say for example you are selling a product reminiscent of How to Attract Women. It is critical that you confirm that your products are placed somewhere related clients can have access to it. The better the choices you make, the better your opportunity are at succeeding in your business venture.

Know Your Demographic.

This is one more thing you ought to always commit to memory when deciding on location. It is really significant that you be acquainted with who your client demographic is and that you should also match that with your choice of location. For instance, let us say that you would like to sell something akin to Dating Tips for Men or a product in the vein of How to Approach Women. As the seller, it is your responsibility to make sure that you place your products in an region that gets a high degree of traffic that are made up of more often than not of single men.

You should also look to molding location with your target audience. For example, do not open up a barbecue place in an region that draws the most traffic from vegans.

Why It’s Said That Location Is Key

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Have you ever given though to the reason why people who are in business always spot the consumate that the fundamental to business is Location or that to succeed in business you have got to consider ‘Location, Location, Location’? They reveal so because it is a fact and it goes for all sorts of business, including online and offline operations.

Why Would You Choose to Sell Somewhere People Can’t locate You?

One of the biggest flubs you can make when in business is to set up a shop in an locale where your target clients won’t locate you. For example, let us say that you like to open up a 24 hour discount store to benefit a regional residential area, but the location you found for it is a 20 minute drive from the nearest home. Is that a exceedingly wise choice? It could work if you are the only shop from miles around, but what if you’re not? What if your competitor has a store that’s only a 3-minute walk away from a packed residential area? They would certainly get more traffic than you would.

Most Business that Go down Do So Because of Poor Location Choice.

Have you ever seen a product that just feels out of place or an poster banner that doesn’t concur with the demographic reached by the channel it’s advertising on? Chances are that you have seen some. You ought to be certain to be exceedingly vigilant in whatever decisions you are making for your business. Let us say for example you are selling a product reminiscent of How to Attract Women. It is critical that you confirm that your products are placed somewhere related clients can have access to it. The better the choices you make, the better your opportunity are at succeeding in your business venture.

Know Your Demographic.

This is one more thing you ought to always commit to memory when deciding on location. It is really significant that you be acquainted with who your client demographic is and that you should also match that with your choice of location. For instance, let us say that you would like to sell something akin to Dating Tips for Men or a product in the vein of How to Approach Women. As the seller, it is your responsibility to make sure that you place your products in an region that gets a high degree of traffic that are made up of more often than not of single men.

You should also look to molding location with your target audience. For example, do not open up a barbecue place in an region that draws the most traffic from vegans.

Is The Client Always In The Correct?

Monday, July 26th, 2010

The feeling of excellent customer service is what is promised with the adage ‘The Customer is Constantly Right’. It also encourages employees to provide superior service. However, loads of of today’s companies are moving away from this old maxim and are now questioning - Is the customer always correct?

Any businessperson, say someone who is selling a Rocket Italian Course or someone who is selling a Rocket Sign Language course, would grasp that the answer to that is NO. Your customer won’t permanently be in the correct. Nobody can assert that they are correct all the time.. No matter how we try to prevent it, mistakes and misconceptions will probably be made. They are a continual part of the business world - and for that matter - a regular part of everyday life.

However, that doesn’t insinuate that the consumers do not deserve to be cared for with respect. After all, they are still the businessperson’s bread and butter. You should go about dealing with complaints ably. There is no reason that you should not truly present you consumers a chance to voice out their concerns and you should by no means be rude. There is still a incredibly good chance that whatever complaints your clientèle have is based on a authentic thing and you should be seriously addressing it.

For instance, a client may plead a refund or the return of a product resembling that of theRocket German Course. Take a careful look into the complaint you received in order to get to the root of what it is sincerely about. If the client turns out to be actually right and if their demands for returns are within reason, you should take care of it accordingly. If, however, it looks that the client is only angling for a refund – ensure that it is handled suitably too.

However, remember that your customer service policies should not suffer from the declaration that the client isn’t constantly correct. If you sense that it is affecting your customer service, work on it so it doesn’t. Remind your staff and yourself that despite this, your customers should still be handled right and as said above, any complaints presented by customers should be dealt with accurately. Remember that just because your customer isn’t constantly correct, it doesn’t purport that they’re constantly wrong. You should constantly remember that you have to present suitable customer care.

The Common Errors Made By Small Startup Companies

Friday, July 9th, 2010

A lot of businesses today bomb within their first few years. These comprise those who choose to close down their doors for good due to poor customer flow. Others do it as a consequence of financial mismanagement and a bunch of other difficulties. Often, the matter that separates those who last and those who end up failing is a set of common flubs that a lot of start up businesses usually tend to make. If you like to forge your possibilities of lasting in the business world, avoid these following mistakes.

SELLING TO THE WRONG CONSUMERS. Unfortunately, this is a incredibly common slip made by a lot of start up companies. Make sure that you recognize who your perfect selling demographic is in order to avoid this problem. To give us an example, let us say that you are selling a product named - How to Get a Husband - the astute article here would be to sell the merchandise to single women seeking to get married.

WASTING TOO MUCH MONEY. This is regularly made by people who are new to having their own business. Most get overexcited about their new ventures that they are more likely to consume riches left and right. This happens even when the costs are avoidable. Many people go for the cream of the crop - personalized business cards, company stationary, decked out websites, and much more. Costs can really do pile up, this is something that many crash to take in. You should only be planning to pay out enough so that your business gets running. You should also confirm to find a balance and not expend to little where nothing gets mobilized.

FORGETTING TO BE PROACTIVE BECAUSE OF THINKING - ‘THEY’LL FIND ME’. This is a enormous error made by made by businesses everywhere. They break down to learn the value of advertising. How do you presume your customers to find you if you do not advertise at all? To illustrate, take your cue from that regional mattress store or from that neighborhood car dealership with ads everywhere - even if you are not about to buy a car or a mattress, you undoubtedly identify where to find one should you need to. Take a portion of your funds and expend it on advertising. This said resources doesn’t have to be gigantic, just enough so that  people discern that you are selling a product like How to Get a Man or a stock like How to Meet Men.

No matter how short one is - it is also extremely needed for you to have a good business plan.

Complains And Returns

Saturday, July 3rd, 2010

Have you ever gone to a store, paid money for one thing, and took it home only to find that one highly important thing’s problematic with it. Maybe its slightly too big or slightly too small, it does not match, or its color clashes with the other things you have, and so on. Those are a certain of the easier to reply to reasons, but every now and then a product get return because its defective.

By sales marketing only top quality products, you are then being certain that you are minimizing customer complaints. As an example, you should take the time to read Acne No More product reviews before you go put in a good word for it to your clients. If, on one hand what you’re offering are memberships to say clubs and image databases, confirm that these offer what they pledge the clients. Go to Chopper Tattoo, for instance, before you even vouch for it to your clients. Doing something like that should also be an important thing to consider when marketing Tattoo Fever: The Ultimate Tattoo Guide.

So, how ought to one cope with returns? Do you already have a design procedure laid out? Do you work to confirm that your clients be on familiar terms with about this procedure before they bought anything. As an internet store, did you confirm that your clients be acquainted with that it is their responsibility to confirm that whatever they buy meets their specs requirements. If you said no to last few questions, then it’s time to do a big thing.

If you do not be on familiar terms with where to start off with the above, visit sites for some ideas. You can even phone legal aide if you choose to.  You should be sure that the policies you come up with are strong enough to protect you, but they should also be exceedingly just to your clients. It is also principal to communicate your return policies to your suppliers. This is one way to help returns, if any happen, go a whole lot faster. This is where it becomes necessary to have a magnificent relationship with your retailer.

Talk to your suppliers at any situation your policies and theirs do not match. In the process of doing so you, you help ensure that you protect your interests and that of your clients.

Be Ready To Reply To Questions When You Choose To Sell

Saturday, July 3rd, 2010

As a customer, do you find yourself asking lots of questions before you purchase something? You could be debating regarding the quality of a piece of ceramic you are about to purchase. You could also deliberate with yourself over rather expensive buys - a sailboat perhaps. You could also be wondering about how wise you were regarding purchases you made like a new phone when you already have 10 others. It will always be in the nature of the consumer to ask, ask, and ask some more.

Being the seller, you should be able to look at your client’s questions and concerns, and you should be able to answer them factually.In illustration, any seller marketing a product called Breast Actives should be primed for questions resembling - Does Breast Actives do the job? These kinds of inquiries are almost like routine for any seller. The ability to answer such questions openly is a characteristic of a superior seller. Take each question genuinely. Keep in mind that each one can represent a potential buyer and maybe even someone who can spread the word concerning you. If what they have to say are superior things, then is the best kind of advertising. For the cherry on top, you’ll also love to find out that this kind of promotion is free.

If answering client questions scares you a bit, take into account that not everyone is a pro, after all, you can avoid the query onslaught by making sure that your website or your store is filled with relevant information. Take for example clientele who want to purchase Procerin, these consumers would be more than grateful for info on baldness. Providing some resources that chat about how the product works is also beneficial for both you and your customers. Providing your comsumers with a list of a product’s active ingredients is also a good thing.

Another great thing you can do for your clientele is to provide them with important and truthful product reviews. A Revitol Cellulite Solution product critique, as an example, can be worked out in such a way that it provides extensive product info. Always remember that a review can go both ways. Reviews that discuss both the positive and the negative features of the products are the best kind.

The best thing about opinions is that you don’t even have to use your own reviews. You can just pick out a review from a reliable online source. Just make sure to ask permission before doing so. It may also be essential to link back to the review’s source website.

Before I finish, it is also important that you only sell products that you believe in 100%. This facilitates to keep customers coming back. It doesn’t matter what kind of business you run, this will permanently be a good thing.

Small Business Marketing Tips:Make Exponential Profits with Backend Sales-Part 1

Saturday, May 30th, 2009

What is a Backend Product?

 

In this series I will be discussing an very powerful concept that if you implement in your business, you will see dramatic results! As a Denver Marketing Consultant , no matter what type of business you are in, or whether you market your products online or offline, the backend offers are the ones which determine whether you are going to make marginal or staggering profits.

 

Many business owners seldom realize how important reselling their existing customers is. They solely focus on acquiring as many new customers as possible. They fail to understand how revolutionary the backend marketing concept is.

 

We must keep in mind that a ‘backend’ is different from an ‘upsell’, and not confuse the two. The products or services you provide your customers with after the initial sale are referred to as ‘backend’. These products and services can be your own as well as of others, which you will be reselling. Usually initial sales are followed by backend offers after a certain time lapse.

 

On the other hand, the additional products and services that are offered to customers while selling something and before the sale has been completed is known as ‘upsell’…..just like at McDonalds…”would you like fries with your order”?.

 

Think about how you can start using this in your business today! 

 

 

Why Is The Money In The Backend?

 

Think of it like this: you already did what you did and spent what you spent to get your last customer….now with proper follow up tools and systems, you can “monetize” that list with backend sales to boost profit. 

 

The reasons why applying the backend concept in your business can ensure unlimited profit are as follows:

 

There will be no customer acquisition cost, as you will be selling to customers you have already acquired.

 

You can cash in on your goodwill… If you have properly established a firm relationship of trust between you and your customer, as general statistics show, about 35% of your customers will purchase from you again.

 

For example:

Suppose you sell information products.

 

Assume that the selling price of your initial product (frontend) is $97, while its original cost price is $30. You run an advertisement for $600, which got you ten customers.

Your gross profit will be $670 ($97 X 10 customers) - ($30 X 10 customers), while your net profit will be $70 ($670 gross profit - $600 ad costs) for 10 customers.

 

Without having applied the ‘backend’ concept, your net profit would only have been $70 for 10 customers. However, if you offer these 10 customers with the backend product or service, which gets sold for $250 a few days later, and 30% of these customers take it on average, you will make another $750($250 X 3 customers). Overall, you will make a profit of $820.

 

This is an example of how powerful the ‘backend’ concept can prove to be. Even if you do not make profit from your initial sale, you can make it up from your ‘backend’ sale.

 

The backend concept can really help you to raise your profit margin by several notches. Keep supplying your existing customers with additional product offers, as money really lies in backend sale.
The Importance of a Backend Strategy

 

When you start thinking about your sales and profits, you’re likely to think that you need to create many and varied items for the backend. But you’ll find that you need to take an approach that is going to leverage your lists of products when anyone buys any of those products.

 

First, consider putting some polish on your current products and also the “experience” your customer has while going through your sales and buying process Next, you need to develop a backend product which is related to your front-end product, be it an accompaniment or complementary.

 

Then, when this second product is ready, announce it to your list of existing customers, who have already brought your first product. If they liked it, they’re very likely to purchase the new product, which is likely to suit their needs as well.

 

In fact, the saying, “there’s gold in the list” is often used to refer to the many marketers who have built vast fortunes and created multi-million dollar empires by selling, not similar things to different customers, but different things to the same clientele.

 

You need to do several things:

 

First, you need to keep every customer for life. Even if an investment of $50 can get you a paying customer, it’s more desirable, evidently, to make a $10,000 profit off him/her over the years rather than a one-time $47 profit.

 

You should also create an efficient backend strategy for your information products which is tailored to your customers’ needs. Pick their brains without letting them know that it is simply for product-creating. As Seth Godin say’s in “Meatball Sundae” you need to focus on what your customers NEED and then go out and sell it to them!

 

This should actually be rather easy. People like being asked for their opinion—creating a poll or questionnaire and mailing it to your list should garner you a lot of information about what your customers want.

 

And while your follow-up products are being created, continue supplying questions and/or useful information to your clientele, so they don’t feel used.

 

Remember, don’t constantly send them sales-pitches. Once their names are added to your list, start sending them some bits of helpful information that they can access for free. Once they’ve begun to somewhat trust you, and you’ve proven that you’re working in their best interest, they’ll not mind buying from you again and again.

 

If you’ve gained the trust of your clientele, they’ll help you profit over the years. You merely need to discover what they want and over-deliver with the products you create for them.

Small Business Marketing Tips:Make Exponential Profits with Backend Sales-Part 2

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Taking the Advantage of Backend Selling

 

 

It’s odd that many companies don’t focus on building a database and taking advantage of backend sales.

 

There are, of course, countless examples of the value of building databases: Google, for instance, bought Youtube for $1.6 billion. It is extremely important to maintain and update your database to let your clients be aware of what special promotions you are offering and to keep them forever aware of the existence of your business. Having a good relationship with a large clientele is one of the biggest assets of any business in these consumer-oriented times.

 

Besides, though most companies focus on front-end sales, the backend is where the most money is to be made…..let me say that again….the backend is where the most money is made!

Your database means you can constantly market new products to your clients, allowing them to effortlessly upgrade, and expand your business further.

 

Backend sales are all about adding value to your clients’ purchases and persuading them that their main, front-end purchase would be much improved if supplemented by a number of backend purchases. If you market your backend good well enough, you can make a large profit even while seemingly offering the front-end product at a much cheaper price than other businesses.

 

For instance, let’s suppose company A purchases Toyota Camrys at $18,399 and sells them at $17,999. Company A thus loses $400 on the front-end sale. Meanwhile, other companies, which also obtain the cars at the price company A does, sell them at, say, $18,999. These companies thus technically make a profit of $600.

 

As people are more likely to purchase cars from company A, the others may justifiably complain that they are losing customers, and wonder whether the owners of company A were procuring cars at a lesser price.

 

Of course, company A, not being a charitable concern, is in fact making a profit. What company A is doing is concentrating on backend sales. Numerous extras, which would normally cost, say, $3,000 dollars are being offered with the car, for an extra price of, say, $1,400.

 

 In this way, company makes a profit of $1,000, instead of suffering an apparent loss of $400. In addition, they can offer special discounts on finance, say 4% instead of 6%. This enables company A to build up a loyal clientele and ensure that the customers poached from other car dealerships would not be poached back by them.

 

 You, too, can utilize backend sales and databases to make large profits.

 

 

Getting Started with Your Backend Strategy

 

As a Denver Marketing Consultant, I can help you with a back end product is what you sell your after you’ve sold your main product.

Building a business requires acquiring new customers. However, that is expensive since marketing costs have to be raised to attract new buyers. According to a research by Fortune magazine it’s easier to sell a product to an old customer than to a new one since buyers are always apprehensive in their first purchase.

 

An old customer trusts you and this enables him to buy other products from you. A foundation is created on whose basis you can introduce new products to the customer. This enhances their Customer Life Value and brings greater returns on your marketing investments….you DO know what the “lifetime value of your customers” is don’t you?! If not this is a very important concept, please get with someone who can help you with this, it will really open your eyes!

While determining your back end product, remember to keep it compatible with your main product. If you select an inconsistent product the customers will feel that you lack expertise and this can damage the customer’s confidence in your main product also.

If you are undecided then you can always ask your customers’ opinion regarding different products. Your customers will appreciate the gesture and your survey will bring you valuable information.

 

 

Conducting Surveys

If you possess a customer list then it is practical to conduct the survey by mail, email or phone. Prepare a simple survey questionnaire and mail it to your customers in self addressed envelopes. If you don’t have the required customer list then get your sales clerk to conduct the survey in person with each sale. However, a one-to-one survey might not be preferable to every customer. Another great idea is to grab your webcam and make a quick video email to sent to your list (you DO create and build your email database don’t you?!). In this way you can ask in a fresh personal way!

Another way of determining your backend product is to check what your competitor is selling. If you have the same target customers then their product will work for you too.

Conclusion…

To sell your backend product successfully you must believe in it yourself. If you are ambivalent about your product it will become evident to your customer soon enough as well. Therefore, a genuine love for your product is necessary to make your business successful.

 

Mike Saunders, The Automated Marketing Expert, is a Certified Marketing Expert and began www.MarketingHuddle.com during his MBA in Marketing.

Marketing Huddle is a marketing coaching and consulting firm specializing in helping small business owners set up automated marketing tools and systems in their business to reduce expenses and increase revenues.

Do you want a 50 pg. Video E-book on using online marketing in your business? Visit www.MarketingHuddle.com and join our ezine!

 

Small Business Marketing Tips:Make Exponential Profits with Backend Sales-Part 3

Friday, May 15th, 2009

Why Do You Need a Backend Marketing Strategy in Your Business?

 

 

 

You have tried every trick in the book but your ecommerce website is not being as successful as you expected it to be. This might be because you have neglected a whole area of business—backend sales. In today’s cut-throat business world, it is important to cash in on backend sales, lest your competition overtake you.

 

Here are a few reasons why backend sales are so important.

 

First and foremost, it is far easier to sell a product to an old customer than to convince a new customer. According to marketing estimates, your chances of success are eight times higher when you sell to old customers.

 

This is primarily because these people have used your products before and know how good it is. They are able to see you as a reliable products and service provider whose products embody some value and usability.

 

So, to succeed in business, you must care for your old customers. While marketing a new product, it is best to start with these older customers as they are not only more likely to buy your product, but will also be more forthcoming about their complaints and comment about it because they are familiar with your brand, know what it stands for and what expectations to have of it.

 

Also, giving your older customers some preference helps build trust and opens up lines of communication that you never had access to before. Through this, you are in fact showing your older patrons that you are privileging them, which is bound to rebound on your business in a positive manner.

 

Offering big rebates to your customers on backend products is also known to be an extremely successful ploy that is often used by internet marketing gurus around the world….and if it’s a model that works online then an offline business can get even better results because it’s not often used!

 

 These discounts give your brand a chance to re-connect with your customers. It also helps revive inactive customers, which is a lot more important than it sounds.

 

You need to understand early in business the opportunities an inactive customer offers you. These customers, while they might not be buying anything right now, have in fact bought and used and appreciated your product before, and are in fact only a phone call or an email away from resuming their business relationship with you.

 

If these are not big enough reasons to get you to understand the importance and worth of successful backend marketing, then nothing ever will. Continuity and a fostering of long-term business relationships is an integral part of a successful business venture.

 

Your business cannot start and end with just one product. You need to keep providing your customers with new solutions and added benefits to keep your business booming.

 

Backend Marketing Method

 

As a Denver Marketing Consultant, I can help you when your business is in need of some kind of a push, you mostly resort to the old method of broadening your clientele. This is not an easy task, and more often than not, you cannot tide over your dipping sales. An easy and innovative answer to your problem is the method of backend marketing. This is the trick that most salesmen have mastered, and it involves nothing but a bit of persuasion to make another sale to a customer who has purchased your product.

 

This is relatively easy for a salesman because once the client has purchased your product he has shown that he believes in your product and has thus invested his money. This also shows that they trust your services and won’t be averse to buying something recommended by you. You do not have to spend time building up their trust in you by proving that your company has excellent credentials.

 

You could work out this backend marketing strategy by suggesting a product that aids in the performance of the product your customer has already purchased from you. The key to a higher profit is to recommend a product that has better performance than the one just bought, and hence more expensive.

 

If you have recently kept an eye on Amazon.com, you must have noticed that a statistical account of the products purchased by each customer is maintained.

 

Suppose you decide to buy a book through Amazon.com, they will display a list of customers who have bought some other book-perhaps indirectly related to the one you chose- while buying the one you are going to purchase for yourself. They suggest you to check out this related book. You might even like the suggestion and go for both the books, even though you set out to buy just one.

 

Similarly, if you follow this simple yet effective marketing strategy, you could effortlessly bring in the profit you require and make your customers feel that their needs are being efficiently met with. Meanwhile your clientele-base gets strengthened.

 

You could offer to knock off a small percentage of the sales price in a bid to sell your expensive product. The customers feel that they are making a good bargain and they buy it!

 

Simply put, this tactic entails nothing more than first selling a reliable product to your client and then suggesting something more expensive yet useful to aid the aforementioned product.

 

Mike Saunders, The Automated Marketing Expert, is a Certified Marketing Expert and began www.MarketingHuddle.com during his MBA in Marketing.

Marketing Huddle is a marketing coaching and consulting firm specializing in helping small business owners set up automated marketing tools and systems in their business to reduce expenses and increase revenues.

Do you want a 50 pg. Video E-book on using online marketing in your business? Visit www.MarketingHuddle.com and join our ezine!