Tip for August 1, 2004

Empower your front-line people to do whatever is necessary to satisfy an unhappy customer. On the spot.

Tip for August 2, 2004

Sales Incentive #6: trade-in allowances When selling physical products, consider offering an allowance for returning used or previous versions of the item. This makes special sense when the trade-in can be sold to another buyer, like automobile and camera retailers routinely do. Train yourself to be creative. In the case of books, especially when dealing with high-margin items where economies of scale reduce per-unit production costs. For example, even if a publisher offered a "trade in" on earlier versions of a book or CD and discarded them, the profits from sales of the new versions could generate healthy profits.

Tip for August 3, 2004

Sales Incentives # 7: Convenience It pays to make it as easy as possible for customers to buy. Convenience can take the form of toll-free telephone numbers, credit cards, 24-7 availability, online ordering, and self-addressed/postage paid envelopes. Businesses that are usually only open during normal business hours can offer extended hours or weekend availability for a limited time during promotions. For retailers, if parking is a problem during special events, consider offering validated parking, or even valet parking, for a limited time during the promotion.

Tip for August 4, 2004

Sales Incentives #8: Rebates Rebates are refunds offered to buyers after they have paid for an item. Rebates are similar to discounts in that the buyer ultimately pays less, but the seller has use of the buyer's money for a varying amount of time (i.e., until the rebate check is cashed.)

Tip for August 5, 2004

Sales Incentives # 9: Removal Retailers selling large, bulky, or heavy products, like furniture or home appliances like refrigerators, can offer limited-time removal of the item being replaced. Often, the store's normal policy may be to charge for removal, but these charges can be omitted during limited periods of time.

Tip for August 6, 2004

Sales Incentive #10: Disposal In this environmentally conscious age, many products, like automobile tires and computer monitors, must--or should--be properly disposed of. Many waste-handling authorities charge for accepting these objects. The free pickup and appropriate disposal of everyday items which can pose future hazards can become a powerful incentive when offered for a limited amount of time.

Tip for August 7, 2004

Create star employees: Guerrilla managers reward their stars. They set high standards and goals, and are constantly on the lookout, trying to catch someone doing something right. They encourage independent thinking and innovation, and they never argue with results.

Tip for August 8, 2004

Track response time in resolving customer complaints. Then shorten it.

Tip for August 9, 2004

Sales Incentives #11: Training The wealth of operating features built into many products can be overwhelming to users. This is especially true when dealing with high-tech products like software applications. Training and customer support above and beyond the normal "documentation" or "instructions" is often offered at extra cost in these cases. Eliminating raining and instruction charges for training--whether it be delivered in person or through books, online, CDs, or DVDs, creates a powerful limited time incentive.

Tip for August 10, 2004

Sales Incentives # 12: Accessories Many products require, or can benefit from, accessories. The performance of products like computer printers can benefit from extra memory, paper trays, and duplexing options. Software can benefit from templates which provide a "paint by numbers" framework for immediately putting the programs to use. Information products like books, seminars, and teleclasses can benefit from printable worksheets, notetaking sheets, and action plans. Rather than discounting your product or service, consider offering accessories which you normally charge extra for free during a limited time.

Tip for August 11, 2004

Sales Incentive # 13: Recycle Offers to intelligently recycle products--like used laser toner cartridges--cam provide an "environmentally friendly" incentive that can give your firm a "moral incentive" over its competition.

Tip for August 12, 2004

Sales Incentives # 14: Packaging Seasonal, or personal, packaging can provide an incentive that can set your product or incentive apart. One example is free gift wrapping during holidays, or when products are sent as gifts. Another incentive might be extra-secure or brightly colored packaging to indicate "deluxe" versions of a product.

Tip for August 13, 2004

Sales Incentives # 15 Testing and Certification As products become more complex, there is more to go wrong. You can build confidence in your product as well as add extra value to it by offering a pre- or post-delivery testing and certification of the unit's performance. This guarantees that the buyer will be receive all of the performance they have paid for. (It also eliminates post-sale service calls.) This technique gains value when you normally charge extra for it, but eliminate the surcharges during limited time periods.

Tip for August 14, 2004

Learn when and how to use humor (if ever) in your marketing.

Tip for August 15, 2004

Add a PS to every sales letter. Even though the P.S. is at the bottom, it's the FIRST thing people read. Put your hook or premium offer here in a single sentence.

Tip for August 16, 2004

Sales Incentive #16: Installation and hookup Installation and hookup differs from delivery in that you or your representative do not leave the buyer's home or place of business until the new product has been installed and hookup and is performing properly. In the case of information products, you could make sure that your product or service is performing properly by offering to review the buyer's first business plan, spreadsheet, or action plan created with your product or service.

Tip for August 17, 2004

Sales Incentive # 17: Quantity For a limited time, you can offer additional products or services at no cost. When selling supplies, for example, you can offer increase the quantity without increasing the price by offering a Baker's Dozen (13 for the price of 12, etc.) When selling books, you could send four copies for the price of three-which would expose you're your book to the buyer's friends and co-workers. When selling seats at a conference, you could offer three seats for the price of two. You could also offer site licenses for several teleconference attendees from a single organization.

Tip for August 18, 2004

Sales Incentive # 18: Customization There are several ways you can customize a product or service. When selling books or event attendance, you can include workbooks or sessions appropriate for vertical markets, i.e., accountants, educators, retirees. When selling products, you can include--for a limited time--templates, connecting cables, or software required for use with specific hardware and locations.

Tip for August 19, 2004

Sales Incentives # 19: Personalization Personalization differs from customization in that the value added element does not serve a practical purpose. A baseball hat or mousepad personalized with the buyer's initials does not function better than the same item without the buyer's initials, but the initialed version will create a far stronger emotional bond--and will be kept around longer. Personalization does not have to be complicated. Offering a computer monitor buyer their choice of screen saver software--perhaps their choice of photographic subjects--might be enough to convert interest into a commitment to purchase.

Tip for August 20, 2004

Sales Incentives #20: Bundled Solutions You can extend the benefit of your solution by bundling additional utility and information with it. Additional utility can take the forms of occupation-specific templates, handbooks, tip sheets, keyboard shortcuts, or instructions for frequently encountered scenarios. Bundled solutions can also include offering frequently purchased accessories and supplies as part of the purchase price for a limited amount of time.

Tip for August 21, 2004

Invest more in marketing: The average business in America invests only 3% of gross sales in marketing. The guerrilla averages 10%. Guerrillas believe that the difference between winning and losing, more often than not, is a very slim margin. So they invest heavily in technology, in people, and in themselves. They are constantly expanding their horizons, constantly training, and constantly on the lookout for anything that will give them a slight advantage.

Tip for August 22, 2004

Attend a Reverse Trade Show: At which trade shows do your customers exhibit? Consider attending to sell to their competition. A reverse show is where you target the exhibitors, not the visitors.

Tip for August 23, 2004

Sales Incentives # 21: Upgrades When selling information products, you can promise to provide the next product version, or upgrade, for free to buyers. This can include the next version of your software program or the next templates or "how to" instructions. When selling information products with a low cost-per-unit, such as teleconference attendance or downloadable audio recordings, you can invite buyers of your current product to attend your next teleconference on the same subject for free. Authors can promise to send a free copy of new versions of an e-book to buyers.

Tip for August 24, 2004

Sales Incentives # 22: Expanded Scope When encountering resistance when selling services, such as speeches or workshops, expand the value of your presence by offering to sit in on a panel--or moderate a panel. When appropriate, you could also offer to deliver a workshop or be available for a special question and answer session. The more valuable you make yourself to the event organizer, or any other time of client, the more likely you'll close the deal. An incremental addition of time can be the incentive you've been looking for.

Tip for August 25, 2004

Sales Incentives # 23: Sample Perhaps there is a way you can allow your prospect to sample the product or service you're trying to sell. Samples take many forms: excerpts from a longer publication, a one-hour teleclass instead of eight hours of training, a video of a previous performance, or a free introductory telephone consultation. Common to all of the above is not only offering prospects a chance to sample the actual product or service, but to get them to commit--which is the first step towards purchase.

Tip for August 26, 2004

Sales Incentives # 24: Trial Trials differ from samples in that a purchase is usually required, but only a portion of the full product or service is delivered, and there is no obligation to continue the relationship. Magazines and book clubs often offer a trial membership, i.e., 6 issues for $1.99, with the expectation that subscribers will be so pleased with the quality--or so busy they forget to cancel--that they continue at a higher rate after the initial trial period is over. Information marketers can use this technique to build membership in subscription web sites or when selling newsletter or teleclass subscriptions.

Tip for August 27, 2004

Eastern Mountain Sports Sells its Staff's Competence Jay Conrad Levinson frequently emphasizes that marketing can be free. Eastern Eastern Mountain Sports, at the Fox Run Mall in Newington, NH, has obviously listened. They display a large cork board next to the entry. On it, they display photographs of their staff in various outdoors activities: hiking pictures from the top of a mountain, canoeing and kayaking in remote regions, and winter camping. These pictures, which identify the staff members by name, not only "break the ice" with customers, but nonverbally communicate that staff members are knowledgeable and passionate about the products they sell. Total cost? With the exception of a $10 bulletin board, FREE!

Tip for August 28, 2004

Determine the longest that you can guarantee your offering – knowing that the longer the better – then begin to put more emphasis on it in your marketing communications.

Tip for August 29, 2004

Take the top 5 percent of your customers and look carefully at their transactional profiles. Group them into two or three different classifications. Lifecycle classifications work well, like rising homeowners or soon-to -retire. Or try the physiological types of classifications such as careful shopper, value buyer or trusted agent. Assess a strategy for that type of customer, and target the mailstream that goes to those customers.

Tip for August 30, 2004

How a One Dollar Investment Creates 5 Figure Incomes When Entrepreneur.com columnist Pete Silver was ordering a carryall bag from Lands End, he was offered an option of adding his initials for just $1.00 more. "How about my web site URL?" he asked. "OK," the Lands End representative replied with a laugh. Since then, his dark blue bag with a bright red www.petesilver.com stitched on it has generated at least three clients he knows began with conversations sparked by curiosity about his URL. I say I'm a writer, and suddenly, everybody wants to know "what kind" and "what else do I do?" A one dollar investment that continues to pay big dividends; proof, once again, that Jay was right all along! It's creativity, not budget, that boosts awareness and profits.

Tip for August 31, 2004

Only use email lists for those who have said they want to receive email from you. Opt-in is the only way to go. You need verifiable assurance that the e-mail addresses on any list you rent or buy belong to people who have raised their hands and said, 'Send us e-mail.'" The fact is, even people who sign up to receive commercial e-mail often forget that they've done it, and complain about junk e-mail.

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