Small Business Marketing Tips, what about asking me to return?

What do these three quotes have in common?

1. “But Paul, I don’t want to bother them.”
2. “But Paul, I don’t have the time.”
3. “But Paul, it’s too expensive and they buy from me anyway.”

They are the reasons business owners and sales people give to me for not keeping in touch with their clients.

It’s been proven time and again that the easiest client to sell a product or service to is an existing or past client. It’s also proven that they are the best source of referrals and testimonials. That said, what are you doing to keep in touch with your clients?

Do you:

1. Capture all client names?
2. Follow up with clients to thank them for their business?
3. Keep in touch with phone calls, emails, newsletters, greeting cards?
4. Ask for referrals and have a special offer, discount or gift for anybody who gives you one?
5. Ask for testimonials and get permission to use them in your marketing materials?

If not, start now. If you don’t know how, get in touch with me because I already have these systems designed and can have you trained and using them in a matter of days.

Waiting and delaying is no different than holding the door open for your competition to come in and get the business away from you. One way or another, the level of success in your business can hinge on the outcome.

Up your profits in a down economy – Post 3

In my last post, I wrote about the importance of improving your selling skills. Without a doubt, it is the simplest way to dramatically increase the value of each sale.

Even if you don’t take the time to go through a professional selling course or book, there are some things you can do to increase the average transaction value.

• Start by identifying your most popular selling products or those that are easiest to sell.
• Select one or more products or services that compliment these products.
• Create “bundles” with special package pricing that applies if the client buys the extra product at the same time as the initial purchase.
• Create a sales script and rehearse the words that you will use to up-sell to a client. Say you own a pet store and a client just bought a training leash for their new dog. You say, “If you are using this for training, I recommend you also get the bookGood Owners, Great Dogs. I think it’s one of the best training books ever written. If you get the book today with the training leash, I can discount the book 10%.”
• It’s that easy. The key is to know what extra value you can bring to your client, believe in the value of what you are offering and ask the client to buy it.

The key is to get used to asking. Will it work every time? No, but it will only work if you ask! Whatever you sell, it is very likely you can add value with additional products. Since you’ve already spent the money to get the client in front of you, you owe it to yourself and the client to insure they have everything they need!

Have you been drawn to the Dark Side of the Web?

The Dark Side of your site? Is Paul on another Rock and Roll theme using Pink Floyd to make a point? Well, those of you that know me remember my penchant for weaving album themes into my notes but this time, it’s all about YOUR web site and how easy it is to read. We’re talking about readability.

You can have the best copy writers in the world write your copy but if the font and background colors or graphics distract from your sales or marketing message, you will lose potential prospects by the thousands.

If your site is a commercial site promoting your business, you must make it easy for your prospect to read. Your goal is not to be creative, cute or pretty. The goal is to interest a prospect in your product or service so you can get them interested enough to take a step towards buying. That said, every element of the site or ad should be created with that specific goal in mind.

What is the Dark Side? Well, it is called reverse printing, which is white or other light color print on a dark background. You may think it looks very cool but remember, the goal is not to look cool, it is to generate sales.

I have seen many sites with a great message destroyed by reverse printing. A facebook friend recently directed me to a site with red type on a purple background. I literally could not read a word of it. You see, like 10% of males, I am color-blind. I see colors but certain combinations are difficult to see. It was like trying to understand a Grateful Dead album cover. I was a prospect for the service but I clicked away because I couldn’t read it.

The force can be with you

Think of a few of the major players on the internet. Take a minute to look at Google, Yahoo, MSN, Facebook, Amazon or other top sites.

How many are written with a reverse type font? None.

Now, go to your library and pull out any book. How many use black paper and white ink? None.

Now, look at your newspapers and magazines. How many use black paper and white ink? None.

Do you notice a common thread here? Dark print on a light background is easy to read. If it is hard to read, a lot of your prospects will click away.

Light print on a dark background is hard to read.

Let’s return to the goal of your site. If it is to generate revenue, make it easy for your audience to read your message. If your web designer tells you otherwise, get a new designer. If your ad agency tells you otherwise, get a new agency.

You could have Dan Kennedy, John Carlton, Yanik Silver and the spirit of Gary Halbert collaborate to create the most powerful sales letter in history. If it is hard to read because of the selection of type and ink, you just wasted a fortune.

If you are compelled to use reverse type, at least test it against a non-reverse control. Track how much time a visitor spends on the page. Track sign-ups to your newsletter. If the reverse pulls better for your niche, by all means stick with it. However, I think you’ll find the Dark Side is limiting your sales.

Now Luke, defeat the Dark Side. Let the Force be with you and… make it easy for the everybody in the Empire to read. Dark print on a light background is the way of the Jedi. Our message must spread across the galaxy and the citizens must not struggle to read it. Only you can help spread the message!

Oh no!!! Imperial Storm Troopers are outside of my office, I must find Master Yoda. He has a message I must get to the resistance and I am out of white paper and black ink. Curses!!! I can only hope that the Staples on the planet Alderon is open at this late hour!

Wish me luck and may the force be with you!

Signed,
Jedi Master Paul Flood

PS -  A lot of people disagree with me on this point and say there are situations that call for reverse printing or graphic intensive sites.  Others say brand consistency is important.  I look at a web site as a marketing investment.  As such, it’s purpose is to increase sales.

My small business clients hire me to make them money, not build a brand so I look at a site as any other marketing piece and ask the question, “Will this lead to a sale or a prospect wanting to buy the product?”

In print ads, reverse printing reduces readability and sales.  Statistics and studies have proven this repeatedly.  I’m applying the same rules and will continue to advise against reverse until research proves otherwise.