Tip for February 1, 2007

Spell out options to avoid confusion If you're using an online order form, make life easier on yourself and your customers by offering buttons, checkboxes, or pop-up menus wherever possible. Rather than asking a customer to type in an item name, number, color, style, or shipping option, for example, list the options on a menu so customers can simply choose the ones they want. Also, make important fields required, so the form can't be sent unless they're filled in. This makes ordering faster for the customer, and it eliminates omissions and typos that can make it difficult for you to process the order properly.

Tip for February 2, 2007

Many salespeople are strongly competitive and high-pressure. They're driven to outsell their comrades, the competition, and even themselves. They are often top producers. But their success is frequently short-lived, subject to the "paper match" syndrome, hot as hell, but quickly gone out. Because their style does not build the long-term customer loyalty that is so critical in guerrilla selling. Stop and listen more. You'll hear this advice frequently.

Tip for February 3, 2007

Is your business related to women over 45? If so, you may already know that these women focus on aging signs around the eyes first, skin problems second and deterioration of their hair third. What influences them? Advice from friends, followed by input from estheticians, magazine articles, store personnel and ads.

Tip for February 4, 2007

Do you offer shipping options? The more control you give your customers over a transaction, the more comfortable they'll feel about doing business with you. One easy way to offer more control is to give customers a choice of shipping options on their orders. Rather than using only parcel post or UPS ground, for example, offer 2-day or overnight delivery for an additional charge. Some people are happy to pay a little extra to get their shipment more quickly, and even those who aren't will appreciate having the option.

Tip for February 5, 2007

Guerrillas treat all objections as legitimate concerns. They love objections because they help the guerrilla to see real needs underneath the superficial ones we all talk about. "Well, I'd like pay a lot less, maybe get some discount or other." This is very superficial. "Tell me more about that...," begins the guerrilla. Now you begins probing for the specific underlying worries and fears.

Tip for February 6, 2007

Guerrillas are big on small details such as decimal points and zeros. To minimize amounts, write "only $80." To maximize savings, write "save $80.00."

Tip for February 7, 2007

A return policy builds trust Another way to increase customer comfort and confidence in doing business with you is to have a return policy, and to spell it out clearly in your ordering information. Customers can be skittish about buying something sight unseen from a distance, especially if they're worried that returning the product will be a nightmare if they're not satisfied. Reassure your customers that returns are no problem, and you'll eliminate a key barrier to online sales.

Tip for February 8, 2007

The Guerrilla sales presentation is short and direct, relating to the unique wants and needs uncovered. They've learned to ignore everything else. When we say "stop selling" we mean it. And, we certainly mean "stop over selling." When talking about our products we represent many just can't wait to tell them all about it. They wax eloquent about the features and benefits, and they give reams of data, and facts and figures. (Ever talked to a new parent?) Guerrillas spend most of their time uncovering underlying client needs and only show how the product will solve those needs within the client's budget in the presentation.

Tip for February 9, 2007

Neatness counts Expensive magazine ads cannot compensate for the credibility that is lost by the sloppiness of an overall package. Unconsciously, prospects assume that if an office or employee's attire looks messy, the company runs their business the same way. An unfortunate, but real-life conclusion.

Tip for February 10, 2007

Turn minor changes into marketing weapons Whenever you make a small improvement in your order form, return policy, payment options, shipping options, or other details of your transaction system, announce it under a What's New section on your storefront. Even the smallest changes show that you're working constantly to serve customers better, and it automatically becomes a new reason to return to your online storefront.

Tip for February 11, 2007

Some sales people make presentations that tend to be too long and vague. They do not appear to ever get to the point. They're very nice and all that, but customers tend to subconsciously avoid seeing them because they don't really follow this sales person's line of thinking. If you tend to be very nice and very sweet, and everybody loves you, take note. You may be boring the rest of us. Make your points clearly, summarize often. Use visuals and put your proposal and summary in writing.

Tip for February 12, 2007

Be a joiner Savvy marketers gain credibility by joining clubs and associations, then working their tails off. Prospects who meet these hard working club members will assume that these marketers run their business with as much energy and enthusiasm.

Tip for February 13, 2007

Ask customers what they think Anyone who's ever dangled on hold for five or ten minutes knows how important it is to have an open line of communication between buyers and sellers. Most every online storefront has some sort of feedback mechanism, such as a link customers can click to send an e-mail message, but guerrillas take this basic service a step further by actively soliciting comments and suggestions. Guerrillas know that the more dialog there is between them and their customers, the more their customers feel like part of the family. Rather than just adding an e-mail link at the bottom of your store's pages, ask customers for comments at various points in your store's text so they know you really welcome their feedback.

Tip for February 14, 2007

"Hello, Mr. Prospect. Thank you for taking time to meet with me today. I'd like to ask you a few questions this morning about growing your business faster, increasing your sales, making you look great to the board, stockholders..." A good beginning statement. Now start asking those questions that relate to your product or service. "Have you ever noticed

Tip for February 15, 2007

Neatness counts Neatness is a mark of professionalism that builds customer trust. When all your online messages are clear, correct, and concise, you're telling customers in a subtle way that you care about the details. When your storefront or electronic brochures contain typos, poor formatting, inappropriate graphics, or vague language, you're telling your customers you couldn't be bothered to get things right. You may only get one chance to impress someone in the online world, so make sure your message is crisp, clear, and correct.

Tip for February 16, 2007

A salesperson who likes to talk, for instance, can frustrate the prospect's desire to talk. Stop talking. Observe carefully and ask more questions.

Tip for February 17, 2007

Target your geographical area Be sure to consider the many established magazines and newspapers that offer regional, metropolitan, and zoned editions-geographically targeted to your specific audience. Cable and satellite-delivered programming in small geographic areas has brought the cost of TV marketing down to all -time low prices.

Tip for February 18, 2007

Avoid outdated information Outdated information is misinformation that leads to misunderstandings and dissatisfied customers. When you're busily plastering your marketing messages all over cyberspace, you may get so carried away posting new material that you forget about the old material. Fee schedules, lists of services, or promotions for contests may age after a few weeks or months so they're no longer true. Make sure you return to each location where you posted such information and delete or correct it as soon as possible. Otherwise, you risk promising things you can no longer deliver, and causing customer resentment in the bargain.

Tip for February 19, 2007

Everyone wants to enjoy their work, but pursuing personal interest at the customer's expense can be disastrous. You're not in sales to make friends, but to solve customer problems. Ask more questions.

Tip for February 20, 2007

Remember the Goodyear Blimp? Now there are ten blimps and 20 will be up there soon. Look up to see Fuji Film, Gulf Oil, Sea World, Blockbuster, Met Life, the Family Channel and more. Cost? $175,000 to $350,000 monthly. High!

Tip for February 21, 2007

Be price sensitive One of the great things about the Net is that it's easy to compare prices on similar goods or services. But this works against you when your prices are out of line. When setting pricing for your goods or services, don't work in a vacuum. Before establishing prices, check the competition on the Net and see what they're charging, and then be prepared to create marketing materials that explain your prices if they're significantly higher or lower. Net shoppers aren't particularly price sensitive, but they don't like being ripped off. If you offer good value, the convenience of shopping online will create the extra incentive to buy.

Tip for February 22, 2007

Guerrillas communicate respect for the prospect, the competition, and themselves. Guerrillas are at ease with people of every status, treating the cafe waitress or the hotel bell man with the same deference they would offer the president of a major company. Their impartiality makes everyone feel important and respected for the contribution they make. Check it out.

Tip for February 23, 2007

Many people consider cinema advertising to be pure guerrilla marketing because it is local, targeted, inexpensive and makes you part of the community.

Tip for February 24, 2007

Know your audience It's hard to imagine establishing profitable, long-term customer relationships if you don't know who you're selling to. Your online marketing program should be aimed at a specific group of people with specific needs. The beauty of cyberspace is that people sort themselves into convenient discussion groups or other communities by their interests. It's fine to put up a web site that anyone can access, but if you're not reaching out to specific mailing lists, discussion groups, or forums on online services where your customers are most likely to congregate, your customers may never learn about or find your web site.

Tip for February 25, 2007

Pleaser sales people are amiable and friendly, but they treat their calls as social occasions rather than as genuine attempts to get business. They assume prospects give business to people they like. Not so.

Tip for February 26, 2007

According to an MIT study, the median age of Internet users, now 26, is expected to drop to 15 within the next five years. Get 'em while they're young.

Tip for February 27, 2007

How far do you want your message to go? With so many companies and individuals rushing onto the worldwide web, you'd think it was the only game in town for online marketing. But you'd be wrong. Local bulletin boards, industry-specific online networks, and commercial online services are all viable alternatives to the web, depending on your business. One way to decide is to think about who you're trying to reach with your message. If you're a local remodeling contractor, for example, a local bulletin board with home repair tips is a better way to attract local customers than a worldwide web site. Before choosing an online marketing vehicle, think about how far you want your message to reach, and don't sell to people out of state or out of the country if you can't possibly serve them.

Tip for February 28, 2007

Everyone wants to be respected, but in selling, your status is clearly lower than your prospects'. You come to them, and they have the right to reject you, to make demands, or to insist that you defer to their schedules. Take note.

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