5 Quick Marketing Tips (written February, 1993)

Here are 5 high-impact marketing tips you can use to boost your sales quickly. All are simple to implement and they involve little or no expense.

1. Promote only one thing at a time – Promote only 1 product or service each time you advertise. Many people have difficulty selecting one product when their decision forces them to delay or reject buying something else they also want. When prospects cannot make an easy choice they often make no decision at all and consequently, you lose the sale. Tip: Offer new customers a related product or service immediately after they buy from you. Many will accept your offer, producing an easy sale without jeopardizing the initial purchase.

2. Provide multiple ways for customers to buy – Providing choices of what to buy will reduce your sales. But providing choices of how to buy will increase your sales. Offer many different ways for customers to buy from you. The same method is not convenient for everybody. Prospective customers are more likely to act immediately when their favorite way of ordering is available.

3. Avoid your competitors – Look for some new niche markets you and your competitors overlooked. You may uncover a market you can dominate with little or no competition. One quick and easy way to find profitable new markets is to subdivide your current market into several narrowly defined niche markets. Then customize your advertising to the unique needs of prospects in each niche market.

4. Use alternative marketing – Look for alternative media your competitors may be overlooking. For example, many marketers are beginning to use direct mail postcards to generate inquiries. It’s a low cost way to bypass the heavy competition out there. A brief captivating message on a postcard with an enticing offer sent to the right prospects will generate a flood of sales leads. Tip: Postcards are also an excellent low cost alternative to mailing letters. People get so much mail today that even legitimate offers are getting thrown away unread. But they get few if any postcards. Your message is guaranteed to get their attention when it’s delivered on a postcard.

5. Encourage questions – You’re walking away from a lot of easy sales if you don’t encourage prospects to ask questions about your product or service. Only interested prospects will take the time to ask questions. Many will buy – especially if you answer their questions when they are at your material or in other selling situations where there is no personal contract. For example, provide a phone number so they can use to ask questions. Tip: If you find yourself personally answering a lot of questions, add a Question and Answers section to your sales brochure. Include the answers to the most frequently asked questions. It will reduce the number of questions you have to answer personally.

Each of these 5 quick marketing tips provides a simple way for you to boost your sales quickly – and for little or no money.

The author of this article is Larry Costello, President of All-American Print & Mail, 2200 Wilson Blvd #102-57, Arlington, VA 22201.