7 Key Tactics For The Small Business Owner

If you want to stand out from the crowd, create a unique selling proposition that
stresses the benefits the customers will receive from doing business with you.

Don’t go out on a limb to create new products and services to get attention. Just
add a special benefit to the ones you already have… maybe it’s quicker service or a
guarantee. The most effective things to emphasize are benefits that your
competition cannot or is not willing to give.

We all know that business owners think their product or services are the best
thing going, but it’s what the current customers think about it that really matters
to your prospective customers. They’re the ones who see things from their point
of view… what they have to say about the business has an impact.

Testimonials play an important part in advertising – especially for small
businesses. Yeah, big businesses with well-known names don’t have to worry
about it, but small companies can use testimonials as marketing tools to build
credibility.

Think about it…how else can we gain credibility than by creating a group of
satisfied customers and shouting what they have to say? Let’s look for ways we
can make testimonials an effective part of our marketing campaigns.

Upselling is one of the most successful marketing trends today. Everywhere you
go, someone is trying to get you to buy more. From fast food with supersize
options, to clothing stores that try to sell you shoes to match your outfit,
everyone’s jumping on the bandwagon. Why? It works!

Your customers already know that you have great products and provide
satisfactory service. They trust you to come through for them. Think about it, it’s
much easier to make sales to someone you already have a relationship with.

Use every opportunity to increase your sales volume within the customer
audience you already have. Do you have a product that goes with the one they
are purchasing? Offer it to them at the register. It’s a proven and effective
method for increasing sales. You may be shocked at the additional sales you can
generate from those who are already buying from you.

Divide and conquer, The old war tactic works in marketing too! When the price
seems too steep, break it down into “buyable” size bites. A $120 item is only 12 low
monthly payments of $10. A $365 purchase would only cost $1 per day. Now that
sounds affordable!

Customers buy because they want to enjoy the benefits of the purchase. A lady
might buy a dress because she wants to feel sexy, or a man will buy a book
because he finds pleasure in reading. Emotions are the key element that drives
purchases.

Use word pictures to stir up the emotions that will instigate the sale. Let them
“feel” the benefits, and they’ll be more apt to head for the cash register. Put them
where you want them.

Are you ready to capture your reader’s attention with a great copy? The headline
is the place to start. How often do you scan the newspaper’s headlines before you
decide whether or not to read the article? Yeah, that’s where we lose or gain the
reader’s interest, so it’s a pretty important part of the advertisement.

A good headline should telegraph its message in twelve words or less. Double
check those headlines. Do they make a promise of a positive benefit, or ask a
provocative question? Don’t settle for less than attention grabbing statements.

Is your deal too good to pass up?

If not, you need to improve it. I’m not talking about cutting prices even more, you need to make a profit, but you can make the deal sweeter by increasing the reader’s knowledge of the value of the product, or adding bonuses that are perceived as valuable, but cost you little.