Lots of entrepreneurs struggle when it comes to making sales. Though there are many possible reasons for this, I’ve found one mistake in particular that small business owners make time and again. This is something that kills sales—especially sales of higher priced items—like nothing else. Luckily it is also fairly easy to avoid. So what is this big mistake? Asking for the sale too soon! All too often small business owners are so focused on making a sale right now today, they’re oblivious to what’s going on in the prospect’s mind. So they come up empty handed time after time. And they fail to build a community of repeat customers who buy from them time and again. Here’s why… People don’t like to be sold, they like to buy. And they like to buy from someone they know, like and trust. On top of that, people jump at the chance to buy things they really believe are going to be of value to them. So if they don’t know who you are, or the value you, your products or your services have to offer, chances are they won’t risk spending their hard-earned dollars with you…Especially if what you are selling costs more than $100. After all, would you pay $3000 for a two-day seminar from someone you’ve never heard of? What about $1200? Or even $500? Probably not. Because unless someone gives you a direct referral, how do you know you are going to get your money’s worth? Or any value at all? For all you know, it could be a big scam or one long sales pitch. And your potential customers often feel the same way. So instead of pushing people to buy your products or services, give them ways to get to know, like and trust you. The sales will automatically follow. Here’s another way to look at it… Think of your business like an old-fashioned swimming hole. Now, most people are not going to just jump in when they first get to a new swimming hole–especially if they can’t see the bottom. Instead they might start by dipping a toe in to test the water temperature. Or asking how deep the water is, and whether the bottom is sandy, rocky or slimy. Once they feel more confident that the experience is going to be what they want, they might wade in a ways before fully submerging. If all goes well, then they might think about jumping in off surrounding cliffs, or hitting the rope swing. Because now they know the water is plenty deep and warm. Of course, some folks are willing to risk it and dive in right away—especially if someone who’s done it before says it is okay. And that’s fine. Nothing’s stopping them. But most people are going to want to ease in to one degree or another. So the key to getting more people to buy from you—especially high-dollar items—is to create a series of smaller steps that let them wade in and test the waters before taking a bigger, more risky leap. How? It’s simple really… 1) Always offer plenty of free information. There’s lots of ways to do this including: + Mailing out a regular newsletter + Putting free useful content on your Website + Starting an e-zine and/or blog + Offering a free report + Public speaking live or via teleseminars or Webinars + Giving away a trial size or introductory version + Adding helpful audio or video to your Website 2) Stay in front of them. You want your target customers to recognize your name and/or brand, and begin thinking of you in positive terms. Familiarity breeds confidence because people start to feel they know you. And they see that you aren’t just going to be here today, gone tomorrow. Plus, studies have shown that when given a choice between two identical items, people will chose the one who’s brand name is most familiar every time. 3) Create a series of complementary products or services at different price points. Someone who is not willing to sign up for your $3000 seminar might happily risk buying a $19.95 e-book, or taking a free teleseminar. So offer some things that are f*ree, then others that are gradually more expensive. People may start out downloading your f*ree information. But once they see the value you deliver, they will come back for more. If you’re doing all this, then the key to ongoing sales success is making sure that everything you produce—whether you give it away or sell it—is high-quality, valuable and helpful. Because the first impression you make will determine whether or not they come back again. Once potential customers see that you know your stuff, and have solutions for their problems and needs, they will begin to trust you—and buy more and more of your fabulous products and services. So don’t just try to sell…Focus on building a relationship in steps and letting people get to know you, and the sales will automatically follow. [tags] Effective Small Business Marketing is About Building Relationships…Not Just Making Sales, Stacy Karacostas, Marketing Junkie, Succcess Stream, small business marketing, marketing [/tags]

To Twitter or not to Twitter (or FaceBook, or Biznik, or Digg…), that is the question on lots of entrepreneurs' minds these days. And I can’t say that I blame them. Personally, after playing with Social Networking of all sorts for the past year, I believe it is a REALLY good marketing strategy for the right businesses (and the right business people). Think about it… Where else can you reach thousands of highly targeted prospects—and get in front of them over and over again—without spending a dime? The thing is, you have to know how to do it the right way or it WILL be nothing more than a huge, frustrating time suck! (Think email overload times a thousand. Ahhh!) Now I don’t know about you, but I can’t afford another big time suck in my life. And I’ve learned from experience that the easiest way to figure out how to use Social Networking is to learn the ins and outs from someone else. So if Social Networking has got you confused, excited, overwhelmed, interested or just generally unsure whether it’s right for you (or if it is, how to use it without driving yourself batty), you’re in luck! This month, I’m interviewing Online Marketing Expert Michele PW on all things Social Networking. She’s promised to answer the big question... “Is Social Networking a REALLY good marketing strategy or a HUGE waste of time?” Plus other critical questions like:

• How do you decide if this whole Social Networking thing is right for you?
• How do you choose the best social media and sites for your business?
• How do you make it work—and make you money—without pulling your hair out?
• PLUS, she’s going to share what’s changing and what’s new in the Social Networking world.

Bottom line, you’ll receive all of Michele’s best tips, tricks and secrets for taking advantage of the low-cost marketing power of Social Networking. If you want to stay ahead of the curve with online marketing or at least not miss out, you gotta be on this call. And you can listen in at absolutely no cost to you! Just click this link to reserve your spot on the call: http://www.success-stream.com/teleseminar-12.htm Even if you can’t make the live call, you can register to get a copy of the call recording sent to you after the fact. So there’s no reason to miss out on this valuable business-building information. http://www.success-stream.com/teleseminar-12.htm Are you using Social Networking to market your small business? If so, what’s working and what’s not? If not, why not? Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. [tags] Social Networking, Twitter, FaceBook, Digg, Marketing, online, Small Business, how to, Time Suck, Michele PW [/tags]

A while back I was working with one of my consulting clients, and realized I was once again staring at what I’ve found to be an all too common marketing problem. This problem is especially rampant in service industries. But I’ve seen it with products too. What’s so interesting is that this one, innocent mistake causes you to immediately be guilty of multiple marketing sins (If you haven’t read my f*r*e*e report on the 7 Deadliest Small Business Marketing Sins, grab it here: http://www.success-stream.com/7sins.htm ). Once I explain it, if you’ve been making this mistake you’re going to hit yourself on the head while howling out a big, fat “DUH!” But before I do, let me ask you a question… What do prospects really need to know to hire you? Well, let’s start by thinking about what you would want to know… “If you were looking for a chiropractor, bookkeeper, massage therapist, or other service provider, what would you need to know in order to choose them over anyone else?” Chances are it would be things like:

• A bit about the types of services they offer
• If there is anything unique or different about what they do
• Whether or not the specialize in, or have experience with, your particular issue
• Who else uses them and have they been satisfied
• What you can expect and how long it will take
• How they are better or different than the competition
• Where they are located, their hours and how soon you can get in
• If they accept credit cards or your insurance
• What to do to make an appointment

What you probably don’t want—or need—to know are the basics like:

• What is massage or chiropractic or bookkeeping
• The history of massage (or chiropractic, or bookkeeping)
• Why you need a massage therapist, chiropractor or bookkeeper

Yet time and again this is exactly the type of info service providers focus on in their marketing. The result is that they end up spending all their time and money trying to convince people they need a particular service. What they should be doing is trying to convince prospects them to hire them in particular. Let’s go back to the client I mentioned earlier…The one that got me started on this train of thought. When I first started working with her many months ago, she sent me her brochure to critique. As part of that process, I asked her to describe her ideal client. She’s a massage therapist, and her answer was “Active people who enjoy regular massages and understand that massage is a preventative measure. So they come in regularly for maintenance instead of just showing up when they are injured and in pain, then stopping when they feel better.” This is smart. Because it’s going to be much easier to convince someone who already believes in massage to come to her. As opposed to having to convince someone who has never had a massage to try it for the first time. Yet, except for a few testimonials, her entire brochure was devoted to explaining the basics of massage and why it is good for you. Of course this makes no sense. If the people she wants to attract already understand the benefits of getting regular massages, and are just looking for the best provider, she’s wasting space (and money) with this brochure. Because here’s the thing… If someone is looking for a massage therapist, chances are good they’ve already decided massage is for them. Maybe they’ve had massage before. Or their doctor or someone else in their sphere of influence recommended it. When they pick up her brochure, or go to her Website, they don’t want to learn more about the wonders of massage. They’re already sold on it. Instead they want to know why they should choose her as their new massage therapist. In other words, they want to understand the benefits of getting massages from her, not the benefits of getting massage. Unfortunately, far too many entrepreneurs are guilty of the same thing with their marketing. They just explain why you need their type of service, but they never explain why you should choose them instead of the guy down the street. Are you selling the right thing? You need to decide whether to spend time and money convincing people they need the type of services you offer…Or convincing them to hire you in particular to provide that service. I highly recommend focusing on the latter. It’s cheaper and easier, and you are far more likely to get the kind of clients you want. So worry less about explaining the basics of what you do, and focus more on the unique benefits of choosing you. ©2008 SuccessStream. All Rights Reserved. www.success-stream.com [tags]  Are Your Marketing Materials Selling the Wrong Things?, Stacy Karacostas, marketing junkie, Success Stream, small business marketing, marketing [/tags]

When it comes to buying anything—whether it is a product or a service—the first things we all want to know are “What can it do for me, and how effective is it?” Then we want proof, right? So how do you offer up the kind of proof that turns tire-kickers into paying customers? Well, the best way is with testimonials. But if you don’t have those, or can’t use them in your industry, the next best thing is a case study. And even when you do have testimonials you can use, a case study offers even more information. Plus you can always put the two together for added punch. Case studies are easy to write once you understand the basic format. And they can be just a few short paragraphs, or a full-fledged white paper up to about 18 pages long. Either way, the same basic rules apply. The best part is, the information I’m going to share with you today can just as easily be applied to testimonials. And it is the basis for most sales letters too... How do you write case studies that make people buy? It really isn’t hard. You just need to break it down into this surefire formula. **Problem (or Pain or Concern) + Solution = Results** It’s that simple. Let me show you what I mean... I’ll use a short case study from one of my own client projects as an example: Step #1: Explain the Problems, Pains or Concerns The idea here is to give readers an idea of why the client bought your product or service. You want this to really hit home with the reader and get them thinking, “That’s me!” So the more you know about your ideal clients—and their wants, needs and problems—the easier it’s going to be to write a case study that connects with them. Example #1: “Because of my outdoor industry background and years of experience doing outdoor sports, MSR (a leading manufacture of outdoor equipment), came to me to write the sales copy for their dealer workbook. At the time, they were getting ready to launch a highly-innovative new Fast & Light backpacking tent collection. And knew this was going to be especially tricky because many of the new tent designs were WAY out-of-the-box. Some were oddly shaped, a few were floorless tarp shelters, and one was a strange-looking single-wall design. Until recently, most consumers thought fast & light meant bug-filled, damp and uncomfortable (at best). But at that time there was growing mainstream interest in reducing weight. However, the company just wasn't sure how they were going to get buyers interested in the new designs and keep them from ordering only the more traditional-style tents—especially since tents take up a lot of valuable floor space in a store.” Step #2 Outline the Solution Now, explain what you did to solve their problems. You don’t have to go into every detail. Just show that you came up with a well-thought-out solution to the problems and concerns you outlined above, and why you thought this would be the best way to go. Example #2: “After much discussion with their tent, sales, and marketing teams, I came up with a sales angle that positioned the tents as steps in a ladder going from more traditional, to hybrid shelter, to tarp-style shelter. So if a buyer ordered the whole line, then customers could choose the right balance of light weight and comfort for them. And the store would have an option to suit everybody.” Step #3 Spell Out the Results This is the most important part. No one cares about what you do near as much as they care about what you can do for them. Show ‘em by explaining the great results you created for someone else. Example #3: “It worked like a charm. Their Fast & Light collection quickly became the largest and most successful in their tent line, and the Hub tents from that collection have become best sellers. The company also went on to win numerous awards including Backpacker Magazine’s Editor's Choice for two of their most innovative (and weird looking) designs.” Step #4 Make it Sell (optional) Depending on how you use your case study, you could even put in a quick pitch and call to action at the end. If you’ve written it right your reader may be convinced to hire you to do the same thing for them. You could throw in something like... Ready to take your sales to the next level? Call me at ___________ to find out how I can help. Or better yet, offer a link to more information in the form of a free report they can download in exchange for their name and email. That way, if they’re not ready to buy right then you can help them learn more—and stay in touch until they are. That’s it. Done. Now post it on your Website. Add it to your press kit. Or put it in the package you give to prospects. It’s sure to add credibility and let people see the benefits of buying from you.

Just got done reading copywriting genius Clayton Makepeace’s amazing article on how to write sales making closing copy! So many small business owners struggle with closing the sale in person. And most have even more trouble trying to make it happen on paper. Why not follow a blueprint from someone who’s made clients piles of money with the written word? This blog post is a must read for anyone writing Website, sales letter, or any kind of advertising or marketing materials. He covers everything you need to know including:

• Eight steps to a compelling close …
• The two spreadsheets you must have to plan a successful final assault …
• How to fully dimensionalize the value of your offer in ways that make your prospect eager to buy now …
• Two ways to introduce your price without inducing sticker shock …
• Five techniques for making your price feel like the bargain of the century …
• The secret of creating guarantee copy that pulls double duty …
• The #1 mistake even top copywriters make when writing offer copy …
• When treating your prospect like a three-year-old pays big dividends …
• The amazing power of the “Crossroads Close” – and how it can help send your response through the roof …
• The four most effective techniques I’ve ever used when writing my P.S. …
• And much, MUCH MORE!

As you’ve probably already guessed from reading just these bullets, there’s more to it than simply making people an offer. But it’s well worth doing the work up front to get the sales you’re after from your marketing and advertising efforts! Read the entire article right here: http://www.makepeacetotalpackage.com/clayton-makepeace/how-to-close-the-deal.html [tags]  How to Close the Deal by Writing Sales-Making Marketing Copy, Clayton Makepeace, copywriting, copywriter, closing the deal, marketing, Stacy Karacostas [/tags]

A few years back, when I transformed my small business from service-based where I delivered all the deliverables, to info-product based where I sell a variety of products, workshops, audios and coaching, I had to change my marketing. Because, back when I was strictly a copywriter and marketing consultant for hire, I could only take on a handful of new clients a month. With my copywriting and marketing skills it wasn’t hard to bring in more serious prospects than I could possibly handle. Now that I have something to sell other than my time the sky’s the limit when it comes to the number of people I can help. So my reach has had to grow in a big way. That means doing a LOT more marketing than I ever did before. For quite a while I got busy marketing my butt off, both online and off. To give you a frame of reference, I typically write at least one blog post, an article for my e-newsletter, a podcast, a handful of emails, and usually another article or two or a press release or video script every week. Plus I regularly post comments and answers on other people’s blogs and social networking site forums. And although my mailing list was growing—as was my customer list—it wasn’t growing fast enough to achieve my goals. So I started doing more research into what works and wasn’t doesn’t when it comes to online marketing. Unfortunately, my frustration only mounted because every suggestion I read about I was already doing. Yet I wasn’t getting the results I wanted, or that the gurus promised. Then I stumbled across some information that really made my head spin. You see, although I was indeed doing everything I was supposed to in order to grow my small business online, I wasn’t doing nearly enough! Turns out that the big guys are getting 10 times the amount of content into the world weekly than I generate in a couple of months! Literally. So they’re reaching a lot more people. And there’s no doubt that once you have the right information and offer going to the right prospects, it all becomes a numbers game. My first thought was “Holy Crap! I can’t generate that much content every week!!” My second thought was, “Okay, how AM I going to generate that much content every week and get it out onto the Web?” While I’m still not doing as much online marketing as some of the big guys (who typically have larger support teams and bigger budgets) I have ramped things up quite a bit. And the results have been well worth it! If you’re doing regular marketing that does get at least some positive results, but your business isn’t growing as fast as you’d like, chances are you’re in the same boat I was…You aren’t doing enough marketing. So start searching for ways to get your message out there in more ways, more often. Automate and outsource as much as you can. And make sure to reuse and repurpose every bit of content you create or information you offer. Before you know your business will be growing like gangbusters! What types of marketing are working best for you? Got any proven suggestions on how to do more marketing (especially more with less)? Please do share by leaving a comment below… [tags] Online, Marketing, Grow, Small Business, Content, Articles, blog post, e-newsletter, podcast, customer list, email list [/tags]

http://www.success-stream.com and Stacy Karacostas bring you another free small business marketing tip. This time Stacy shares important statistics on marketing through a recession or poor economy, and a few more reasons to keep your marketing machine cranking no matter what! [tags] Free Small Business Marketing Tip, Recession, Economy, Stacy Karacostas, Statistics Video, SuccessStream, Success-stream [/tags]