Ten Important Hints for
Increasing Sales
By Dr. Robert Sullivan In these busy times, the customer's
choice to purchase may be based on how easy it is
to make the purchase rather than price! Here are
a ten ideas to make your product or service easy
for customers to purchase:
- Accept credit cards for
payment. This is mandatory. The majority
of small purchases is by credit card.
However, be careful in choosing your
credit card merchant provider. There are
agents that are charging excessive rates
and fees. As always, caveat emptor.
- Provide a money-back,
no-questions asked return policy.
- Distribute free catalogs.
(... but include a "price" on
the cover, say $5.00.) The recipient then
feels good about getting your
"$5.00" catalog free!
- Get an 800 number for
sales and service. Ensure the number is
well attended. Do it yourself if
possible! Again, as with the credit card
merchant account warning above, choose
your provider with care. It is now very
easy and inexpensive to maintain an 800
number. The 800 number may simply
"piggy back" on your existing
business line, if desired. Very handy.
- Provide a strong guarantee
for your product or service. If possible,
offer "lifetime" guarantees.
This is a very strong selling point but
statistics show very, very few customers
ever take advantage of such a guarantee.
- Give away something free
(possibly in conjunction with a purchase)
from time to time.
- If you're in the retail
business, maintain store hours in
evenings and on weekends.
- Provide a delivery service
(or service at the customer's location).
- Follow up sales to the
extent possible. Personal calls for big
ticket sales or a returnable post card
for higher volume sales can make a
lasting impression ... and a return
customer!
- Have a "preferred
customer" sale.
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Robert Sullivan is the author of The
Small Business Start-Up Guide, and United States
Government - New Customer!. He frequently
lectures on starting small businesses and appears
on CNBC's "Minding Your Business" as a
small business expert. His books may be ordered
toll-free by calling 1 800 375 8439.
Robert also
developed and maintains an extensive
award-winning Internet website, "The Small
Business Advisor," at http://www.isquare.com
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