Yesterday, we had discussed some steps to be considered for ensuring better business. We know that with the growth in business, we would certainly be able to gain more money out of our margin between costs and selling prices. Today, some more steps are proposed for consideration for betterment of our business.
1. Always carry on improvement whenever required.
If you’ve wracked your brain and simply cannot think of something that makes your product or service stand out from the crowd, then you may need to sit down and come up with ways to improve it. Develop your product to appeal to more people, and add something truly unique in order to make it better. Sometimes, things are simply what they appear to be, so you have to literally change the way it’s made, developed, and sold to make it a success.
2. Emotions can be your friend.
Think about what you have, and then take it to a whole new level by injecting some emotion into the equation. Whether it is a very emotional customer testimonial about how the product changed someone’s life, or just inserting some funny humor into your website, emotions are a great way to reach customers. Be wary not to overdo it, but don’t be afraid to get a bit sappy, happy, or even insert a little bit of fear into your marketing scheme. Of course, with the fear, you’ll want to make it so that the customer will fear they cannot live without your product!
3. Don’t be afraid to stomp the competition.
You want to make your competition practically invisible to customers. If this means going all out to ensure that you’re number one, then by all means do it. While it’s nice to belong to a network of similar businesses, in the long run and at the end of the day, everyone wants to be number one. This means your business, too.
4. Cross functions always add appeal.
Don’t just sell your product for its face value. If you can think of other ways it might be beneficial, use that to your advantage and add that to the marketing plan. Come up with ways that everything you sell has a dual purpose so that it reaches an even broader customer base.
5. Freebies entice buyers to make a purchase.
Some companies cannot afford to give away free products, but sometimes this is the most effective way of marketing a new product. Whether it is a free sample, or by giving away a gift with purchase, etc, free stuff often gets people interested in the product and what the company has to offer. Promotional material is also a good way to advertise, but studies show that giving away the actual product itself for free really entices people to buy and learn more.
6. Figure out what people lack or what they need.
As a new business, or one that is already established, a great way to stay ahead of the game is to look for and pinpoint a gap in your particular industry. What is it in your line of work that customers are missing? What has not been sold yet or could drastically be improved upon? The best way to stay unique and be successful is to fulfill a want or need that has not been fulfilled yet.
7. Guarantees offer customers security.
If you can offer a money back guarantee on your products, you’re giving the customers serious peace of mind. While this is not something unique, it’s still a lot more than many sellers can give people, particularly smaller businesses who sell their items strictly online. By giving peace of mind, you’re letting people have the option to back out of a sale later on. Odds are they won’t, but the security in knowing they can get a refund will encourage them to buy from you.
8. Printed material is good.
Business cards, letterhead stationary, envelopes with the logo, pens, and other promotional material all make an impact. When people see something enough, they tend to remember it. If they haven’t checked it out yet, they will once they see it several times.
9. Protect your individuality.
Make sure that whatever your unique product is cannot be easily copied. Whether it is a hard good or a creative endeavor, be sure you’re able to either have it patented or copyrighted against thieves or people who want to try and duplicate what you’re offering.
10. Pack a punch.
Don’t just say you guarantee delivery of something at a certain time, or you’re the best in town. Your Unique Selling Proposition needs to leave a strong impact and should make sense while still sounding excellent. Come up with a way to spin your uniqueness and reach out to people looking for exactly what you are offering.
11. It’s all about the why.
You must remember that customers are asking, “Why should I buy this product from you and not someone else?’ Anyone can offer basic items, but it’s important to remember to consider that most people are wondering what makes your items worth it to them to buy.
12. KISS Factor.
You remember the old proverb, “Keep it Simple, Stupid”. This is true for marketing. If you’re looking for an effective way to reach people, keep in mind that being as basic as possible is often the best way to do it. Too much going on can cause confusion and turn people off. Come up with a logo, come up with a tagline, pinpoint your USP, and then sell the heck out of it. Don’t overdo things to the point where you turn people away. Just get the message out there, and let the product do the rest.
13. Make your website present in the top ten searches by Important Search Engines.
Get a well planned website about you and your products designed and make efforts for its placement in the top ten searches. Many people won’t click on the second or third page of search results.. This is why it’s imperative that your website be the first ten of a search result on the page. Use keywords and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to help boost your results. Remember it’s all about exposure, and coming up top in Google is about as good as it gets.
14. Keywords are important.
Speaking of Google, sit down and comprise a list of keywords to describe your business. Try to think of as many as possible so they can be included in your web content. The words you choose are the same words people will be typing into the search engine when they’re looking to buy exactly what you are selling.
15. Enthusiasm is contagious.
Be as excited and enthusiastic about your business as possible. People take notice of these things and know what you’re thinking when you project an air of happiness and enthusiasm about the services or products you have. From your body language and facial expressions to the way you speak to others and how your words are portrayed in emails and on the website, it is something that cannot be ignored.
Apart from the above, there are many more methods to increase your business which you can consider according to your circumstances – it depends upon your own priorities. As much you will concentrate over your business activities, your business will grow up and you will get more money.
Be Happy – Better Business Means More Money.