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Are You Using All 7 Of These
Highly Effective Marketing Techniques?
By Bob Leduc
Here are 7 well known, highly effective marketing tactics many
business owners overlook when developing their marketing program. How
many have you overlooked?
1. BE UNIQUE
The best way to beat your competition is to promote a distinct advantage
your customers cannot get from a competitor. This is often called your
USP (short for Unique Selling Proposition). If you don't already have a
distinct advantage, create one. Add something to your business you're
not already doing. One network marketer I know doubled her sign up ratio
by providing free sales leads to her new distributors for their first 4
months.
2. USE TESTIMONIALS
Collect and use testimonials. Testimonials from satisfied customers are
similar to referrals. Both provide your prospect with evidence that your
product or service produced results for other customers just like them.
I've performed many tests using the same messages with and without
testimonials. Those with testimonials always increased sales, often by
as much as 65% or more.
Don't wait for satisfied customers to volunteer a testimonial. Instead,
follow up with some customers soon after completing a transaction. Ask
what they liked best about your product, service or business
opportunity. You'll get many flattering compliments. Ask for permission
to use them in your promotions.
3. MAKE AN UP-SELLING OFFER
Up-selling is a proven technique you can use to get more money at the
point of sale. Customers will never be more receptive to an attractive
offer from you than when they're paying you money. Offer your customers
or clients the option to upgrade to a better product or service at a
special price. Or, offer the option of adding a related item to the sale
for a special combination price. Many will accept your offer. An
up-selling offer can increase your average sale by 30 percent or more
without creating any advertising expense.
4. TRIVIALIZE YOUR PRICE
Demonstrate a low cost for your product or service by breaking down the
price to its lowest time increment. "$325 per year" frightens
many customers away. "Enjoy all of this for less than 90 cents a
day" attracts them to the low cost.
5. STRESS BENEFITS BEFORE FEATURES
A feature is what something is. A benefit is what it does. For example,
my favorite donuts are now delivered in a re-sealable box. That's a
feature. The donuts stay fresh for a week after I first open the box.
That's the benefit. Promote the benefits of your product or service
before you promote the features of it. People never buy something to get
a feature. They always buy to get the benefit produced by the feature.
6. FOCUS ON THE HEADLINE
Always include a headline with your ad, sales letter or webpage. Include
your biggest benefit in the headline to grab your prospect's attention.
Otherwise, many prospective customers won't read your promotional
material. When you develop a new promotion, test different headlines to
find the most effective one BEFORE you test anything else. After you
find the headline that attracts the most readers you can test to find
the most motivating copy for them to read.
7. MAKE AN OFFER
Never advertise without including an offer. An irresistible offer is the
number one reason why people buy something. To substantially increase
the response to your advertising, substantially improve your offer. Many
small businesses advertise without including an offer. This is a costly
mistake because it doesn't provide a reason for prospective customers to
respond. The best way to get a big response from your advertising is to
make an offer your prospects can't refuse.
Are you using all 7 of these tactics in your promotions? If not, revise
your marketing program to include those you've overlooked. You'll
immediately enjoy a big increase in your sales and profits without
increasing your expenses.
Copyright 2000 Bob Leduc
Bob LeDuc retired from a 30 year career of recruiting sales personnel
and developing sales leads. He is now a Sales
Consultant. Bob's new manual, "How To Build A High-Profit Business
On A Low-Impact Budget", contains over 30 of his feature length
marketing articles. For more information...Email: BobLeduc@aol.com
Subject: "ProfitBook"
Phone: (702) 658-1707 (After 10 AM Pacific time) Or write: Bob Leduc, PO
Box 33628, Las Vegas, NV 89133
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