Even better, she’d already started leading a test class and it was going great. When she hired me, she was struggling with the best way to deliver content and keep participants accountable. What she really wanted was an automated online tool that could track when someone had completed their homework.

At the time online teaching tools were pretty limited. But I knew to start out she could use teleconferencing and a system of email autoresponders to deliver content, then just monitor homework manually.

It would be relatively easy and inexpensive to set up. And let her get started quickly with minimal investment. Then, if her business grew so big she couldn’t handle monitoring the homework manually, she could invest in a custom online system.

The next thing I know, she tells me a Web developer is going to build a custom system for her for only $25,000! That was on top of her Web design fees and what she was paying me as a marketing consultant and copywriter.

I advised against this for a number of reasons (cost, maintenance, bugs, etc.). But she wanted her entrepreneurial dream in all its glory right now.

The end result? With no money left in her marketing budget she struggled to get her business and its fancy Website off the ground. And she put herself in a good bit of debt to boot.

The saddest part is; it didn’t have to be that way.

Now, I believe in playing big, offering tons of quality and value in everything you do, and setting big, fat, hairy goals…

But whenever it comes to launching something new I don’t believe in jumping in whole hog. And I rarely launch anything in the full-blown, state-of-the-art fashion I might ultimately be dreaming of without testing the waters first.
[baseball swing]

The key is to start small but make sure whatever you do is scalable. Then, as you start seeing success, you reinvest in rolling out in a bigger way.

Because, in the immortal words of my good friend Mike Glavin,

“If you’re gonna swing, swing hard…
But be prepared to whiff.”

So I always swing hard, but I make it so it’s not such a big deal if I miss the ball entirely.

Let me give you a few examples of how I do this, so you can do this too…

1) I did monthly free teleseminars for almost two years before holding my first Telesummit.

2) I’ll test a concept first as a speaking topic to see if it gets interest. If I get booked to speak on the topic, then I might create a live small group workshop. Or write an ebook on the subject.

3) If the live workshop is popular, I may record it and turn it into an audio product—one that I already know is likely to be in demand. Or turn it into a virtual coaching program first then a product.

4) If I decide to launch a virtual coaching program, I’ll launch just to my list initially to gauge interest before investing in a full-fledged online launch (complete with video, press releases, social media push, etc.) to a wider audience.

5) I always search for no-cost or low-cost tools that already exist, like email autoresponders, conference call lines, Facebook groups, Moodle sites, simple Web pages etc., to deliver the content. If it’s a hit then I can invest those revenues into having a custom site, program or app built—if it even still makes sense.

See how this works?

* By starting small you might lose a couple hundred to a couple grand if you whiff, but that sure beats being $30k or more in the hole.
* If you think about how you can scale up in the beginning, it’s easy to do later.
* You get the chance to refine your program or product before going big with it.
* Because you’re testing as you go, you have a much better chance of success with each new—and larger—launch.

Yeah, I know a lot of the mindset gurus say you shouldn’t even consider failure as an option. But you know what? Not everything you do, or launch, is going to be wildly successful. Sometimes you’re going to whiff.

If you’re not prepared to miss the ball completely you could be setting your business, and yourself, up for some serious financial difficulties.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you go whole hog or do you test the waters before you launch big? Please share by leaving a comment below…

On the Web, you have about half a second to capture someone’s attention, and less than 4-seconds to let them know you have what they’re after. Then just a few more seconds to keep them on your site and convince them to take action.

Your Website can do all this and more. But if you want it to be an incredibly effective salesperson, you can’t just throw up a nice looking design and some content. Or rely on your Web designer to come up with the right branding, sales and marketing to make it work.

Thankfully turning your Website into your #1 salesperson doesn’t cost a fortune, once you know what you need.

If you want a Website that regularly makes sales and sends you hot leads, then join me for my upcoming Website Sales Catapult virtual coaching program.

We cover everything you need to know to get to turn your site into a highly effective sales and marketing tool…From how your site is organized to making sure you’ve got the right messaging and content to grab prospects by the eyeballs and make them take action… We even look at ways to use online and offline marketing to drive traffic to your site!

Because I want to provide loads of personal attention I’m keeping this group small, and open by invitation only to my subscribers.

Interested? Send an email to stacy @ TheUnchainedEntrepreneur.com with your phone number, time zone and the best time of day to call. I’ll give you a ring to discus your business needs and see if you’re a good fit for this accelerated program.

P.S. The program starts August 4th, and, because the early bird gets the worm! The first three people to register get a complimentary live Laser Website Critique during the first call as my congratulations for taking action. So email now to reserve your spot!

For example, I now have http://www.facebook.com/unchainedentrepreneur as the fan page for TheUnchainedEntrepreneur.com. Easy, memorable and a perfect place to communicate all things business separate from my personal Facebook page.

Just make sure you create the personal page first, then a separate fan page for your business. Otherwise you’ll run into problems down the road. Once you’re on there, start a conversation, join other conversations and offer info of value. Before you know you’ll be building your own online community of fans.

Since it’s a little out of the way for us normally, we hadn’t eaten there in a while. So we were rather excited to have it conveniently located on our route home.

Then life got even better…

The woman who took my husband’s order asked if we’d like brown rice instead of white!

Now I don’t each much white rice. But I love brown rice! In fact I’ll order it every time if given the option. So this was a very pleasant surprise.

My husband said yes right away even though it cost a bit more. And boy was it good! This place has the yummiest teriyaki sauce, and it is divine on rice (white or brown).

I can say for sure we’ll now be going out of our way to eat there more …And I bet we’re not alone.

My husband and I were very impressed from a sales and marketing standpoint too. Because they’re clearly paying attention to changes in people’s eating habits, and changing their menu to suit. And they’re making sure customers know about this new option…They actually asked for the upsell!

—–
Upselling doesn’t have to be hard or uncomfortable
—–

With the simple act of asking if we’d like their newest menu item as a substitute, Seattle’s Best made $1.90 more. And now we’ll be there more often, and spending more money each time to get that fine brown rice.

All they had to do was let us know this option is now available, and boom, they grew their business. Best of all, I’m thrilled to have spent the extra money.

This was upselling at its finest. And it’s most simple.

What’s interesting is that big companies and chains often train their employees to ask if you want to make it a combo, add fries with that, try their new dessert, etc. Yet it’s rare to see this done in small restaurants (or any small business).

Which is silly. Because it’s one of the easiest things to do. And almost any business can do it (not just restaurants!).

When I worked in my parent’s animal hospital, we boarded pets. And we always asked if clients wanted their pets bathed before going home. More than 50% said yes.

Added convenience for them, more revenue for us!

The key here is…We were trained to ask.

All too often small business owners (or their employees) just don’t ask. Maybe because they aren’t comfortable selling.

Or they feel like they don’t have time to train employees in this much detail.

Or don’t know how to get the employees to do it.

Or, even worse, they think the employees are asking, when in reality it’s not happening (When was the last time you had a “secret shopper” call in to see what employees really say when they answer the phone???).

In the last case, the poor business owner is usually left thinking the promotion isn’t working. Or the new product or service is a dud.

When in reality clients don’t know it exists!

The bottom line is, you have to let people know about other options, or you probably won’t sell very many. Thankfully, you don’t even have to be there in person to do an effective upsell.

—–
5 Easy Ways to Upsell Your Products and Services
—–

1) If you sell and ship products, put an ad or coupon for a related product or an upgrade in the box.

2) Send new clients a thank you card with a promotion for or mention of one of your other services.

3) Put a sign up in your store or office announcing a new offering or special deal. Just make sure it doesn’t get lost in the clutter. And ideally train your staff to point it out.

4) Send targeted follow-up emails to clients or customers offering them a related product or service (you can do this automatically with a good email autoresponder and shopping cart)

5) On your Website, offer an added discount for buying two products or services together (Amazon does a great job of this by always offering a second book on the same subject below your main selection).

Remember, upselling is really just a matter of offering something else your customer is likely to want, based on what they’re buying now. Simple as that.

You’re doing your clients a HUGE disservice if you don’t tell them you have something else they may want or need. And you’re leaving money on the table in your own business.

If it’s “Welcome to Our Site” you are definitely missing out. The best headlines identify the target market, promise a benefit they really want, and create enough curiosity to convince them to keep reading.

You don’t need or want to get creative with this. Because you don’t want prospects to have to think about your headline. You want them to understand right away how you can help them solve a problem, fill a want or achieve a goal.

Here’s a winner that’s anything but creative: “Corns gone in 5 days or your money back.”

In fact, it’s often best to use a proven headline as a template but change it to suit your products or services.

Take the well known headline selling piano lessons “They all laughed when I sat down at the piano…But when I started to play.” This could be tweaked for my Asian Cooking School client to “They all laughed when I invited them over for an authentic Thai feast…Then they tasted the food!”

However, that doesn’t mean your business has to suffer for it. And if all you’re managing to do every day is just take care of clients, put out fires, and handle the day to day tasks of running your business, trust me, it is suffering.

Because you don’t have any time to work on marketing and growing your business. Maybe you’re thinking, “I don’t have the money to do much marketing even if I had the time…”

Well I’m here to say that shouldn’t stop you. And right now, with the economy still in the dumps, you absolutely must find ways to let people know about what you offer and how it can help them solve a problem, fill a need or fulfill a want.

So here are 10 ways you can market your business that take little or no money and just a few minutes of your time. Now you don’t have any excuses. :-)

1) Make killer PR happen – Get access to queries from reporters all over the country who need sources and information for their articles, books, blogs and interviews. Go to www.helpareporterout.com and www.pitchrate.com and sign up for their query lists at no charge. Read them regularly, and respond to the ones you can genuinely offer something of value to.

2) Say thanks – Write a thank you card to a client, prospect who contacted you, referral source, or anyone who has helped you along the way. Everyone appreciates being appreciated, after all.

3) Become a blogger – You don’t need your own blog to benefit from the power of the blogging (though that’s ideal)…You just need to post comments that are interesting, relevant and helpful on other people’s blogs. Or be a guest writer on someone else’s blog. Then people who read them and enjoy your comments or articles can follow the link back to your Website.

4) Get networked – These days, it helps to take your business beyond your own back yard. Online social networks are a terrific way to do just that. A quick Google search will turn up a boatload related to every topic under the sun. Sign up for a no-cost account with one that’s related to what you do and set up your profile. Connect with others and stay engaged.

5) Be helpful – Many social networking sites like Biznik.com and LinkedIn.com have Q & A sections where members post and answer questions. Jump in there with helpful advice and people will want to learn more about you and what you do.

6) Connect – Make a point of getting in touch, and scheduling phone meetings with interesting people you find on your social networking sites. You never know who you might meet or how they could help your business grow.

7) Speak and be heard – Start podcasting and adding the audios to your blog or Website. The easiest way I’ve found to do this is with a nifty little no-cost service at http://www.utterli.com that lets you record your podcasts by phone. Simple!

8) Stay in touch – When was the last time you called a past client or referral partner just to check in? If it’s been more than 6 months, there’s no time like the present to pick up the phone and say “Hi. How’s it goin’?”

9) Get your info out there – If you regularly write articles, submit them online. Again, Biznik is a terrific place to do this. I also like ezinearticles.com and evancarmichael.com, but there are plenty more options out there. Find ones targeted at your niche and have fun.

For example, I now have http://www.facebook.com/unchainedentrepreneur as the fan page for TheUnchainedEntrepreneur.com. Easy, memorable and a perfect place to communicate all things business separate from my personal Facebook page.

Just make sure you create the personal page first, then a separate fan page for your business. Otherwise you’ll run into problems down the road. Once you’re on there, start a conversation, join other conversations and offer info of value. Before you know you’ll be building your own online community of fans.

Since it’s a little out of the way for us normally, we hadn’t eaten there in a while. So we were rather excited to have it conveniently located on our route home.

Then life got even better…

The woman who took my husband’s order asked if we’d like brown rice instead of white!

Now I don’t each much white rice. But I love brown rice! In fact I’ll order it every time if given the option. So this was a very pleasant surprise.

My husband said yes right away even though it cost a bit more. And boy was it good! This place has the yummiest teriyaki sauce, and it is divine on rice (white or brown).

I can say for sure we’ll now be going out of our way to eat there more …And I bet we’re not alone.

My husband and I were very impressed from a sales and marketing standpoint too. Because they’re clearly paying attention to changes in people’s eating habits, and changing their menu to suit. And they’re making sure customers know about this new option…They actually asked for the upsell!

—–
Upselling doesn’t have to be hard or uncomfortable
—–

With the simple act of asking if we’d like their newest menu item as a substitute, Seattle’s Best made $1.90 more. And now we’ll be there more often, and spending more money each time to get that fine brown rice.

All they had to do was let us know this option is now available, and boom, they grew their business. Best of all, I’m thrilled to have spent the extra money.

This was upselling at its finest. And it’s most simple.

What’s interesting is that big companies and chains often train their employees to ask if you want to make it a combo, add fries with that, try their new dessert, etc. Yet it’s rare to see this done in small restaurants (or any small business).

Which is silly. Because it’s one of the easiest things to do. And almost any business can do it (not just restaurants!).

When I worked in my parent’s animal hospital, we boarded pets. And we always asked if clients wanted their pets bathed before going home. More than 50% said yes.

Added convenience for them, more revenue for us!

The key here is…We were trained to ask.

All too often small business owners (or their employees) just don’t ask. Maybe because they aren’t comfortable selling.

Or they feel like they don’t have time to train employees in this much detail.

Or don’t know how to get the employees to do it.

Or, even worse, they think the employees are asking, when in reality it’s not happening (When was the last time you had a “secret shopper” call in to see what employees really say when they answer the phone???).

In the last case, the poor business owner is usually left thinking the promotion isn’t working. Or the new product or service is a dud.

When in reality clients don’t know it exists!

The bottom line is, you have to let people know about other options, or you probably won’t sell very many. Thankfully, you don’t even have to be there in person to do an effective upsell.

—–
5 Easy Ways to Upsell Your Products and Services
—–

1) If you sell and ship products, put an ad or coupon for a related product or an upgrade in the box.

2) Send new clients a thank you card with a promotion for or mention of one of your other services.

3) Put a sign up in your store or office announcing a new offering or special deal. Just make sure it doesn’t get lost in the clutter. And ideally train your staff to point it out.

4) Send targeted follow-up emails to clients or customers offering them a related product or service (you can do this automatically with a good email autoresponder and shopping cart)

5) On your Website, offer an added discount for buying two products or services together (Amazon does a great job of this by always offering a second book on the same subject below your main selection).

Remember, upselling is really just a matter of offering something else your customer is likely to want, based on what they’re buying now. Simple as that.

You’re doing your clients a HUGE disservice if you don’t tell them you have something else they may want or need. And you’re leaving money on the table in your own business.

When you make every minute count, you will OPTIMIZE your limited time and MULTIPLY your results. Your time can be wasted away in distractions, interruptions and preoccupations, or it can be put to its highest and best use. Time doesn’t care one way or the other. If you want to get more of what you want from every minute, you must STOP indulging in activities that waste your time and START making every minute matter. Choose wisely today.

Source: Donna Amos www.solopreneurs.org

How did it go? Did you get any response?

If you wrote it yourself, perhaps you went through the following cycle:

Procrastinating about writing the letter…

Agonizing while writing the letter…

Finally finishing the letter (Whew!)…

Mailing the letter out to clients, customers, friends and/or associates…

Waiting…

And waiting…

And waiting, for responses that never come…

Then feeling frustrated about all the time you spent stressing and writing, and the money you wasted sending the darn thing out!

If any of this strikes a chord for you—or you are thinking about sending out your first sales letter or postcard in the near future—this week’s email is for you.

Because today I am going to share with you secrets I’ve learned over the years from my own experience, and from some of the worlds most effective direct response marketing and copywriting experts including Dan Kennedy, Robert Bly and Richard Benson.

How do I know these secrets? First, because I am a readaholic. I subscribe to about ten e-newsletters per week. Plus, I rip through an average of two books per month on marketing, copywriting, sales, business management or psychology.

Second, because I’ve personally used these techniques to power up my—and my client’s—sales letters time and again.

Believe me, these recommendations are not just shots in the dark. Direct mail (IE sales letters, sales packages, postcards, junk mail, etc.) is one of the most tested forms of marketing.

Large firms literally spend millions of dollars each year on testing—sending out variations on a theme to see which generates the most response. Once they’ve found the best one, called a control, they then set out to improve on that with more testing.

I’ve written letters that became the control, so I’ve used these very tips with great results. And through testing they’ve been scientifically proven to turbo-charge the money-making power of your mailings.

1) No matter who you are writing to, use an informal, conversational tone that sounds as though you are just one person speaking to another.

2) Don’t worry about your letter being too long. Years of research has shown that long sales letters (ten or more pages)—when they offer valuable information—outperform short letters every time whether in print or on the Web.

3) Break up your letter using bullets, subheads and even handwriting in the margins to make it more skimmable and highlight key points.

4) Include testimonials whenever possible.

5) The headline and the PS get read first, and read the most (80% of readers will read the PS). Leave them out at your own peril.

6) Don’t just mail one letter (or postcard) and expect to get oodles of responses. Instead, create a three (or more) step mailing sequence to give your prospects a chance to notice you, get to know you and decide to take action.

7) A carbon copy follow-up of a successful sales letter sent two weeks after the original mailing with a note on it that says “If you missed the first one, here’s a second opportunity” will generate 50% of the response of the original.

8) Offering a premium or bonus (Remember the Ginsu knives commercials??? They always had a bonus for buying) increases response.

9) When it comes to payment plan options, sales will increase in direct proportion to the reduction in the size of the payments and the increase in the number of monthly payments.

10) Give people a reason to take action now—a deadline, a special price, a limited-offer bonus gift.

11) Putting a physical object in your mailings gets them opened more often (just recently I’ve received a magnet, a button, and a pen).

12) Don’t forget a call to action (IE Call now, go to this Website, etc). If you don’t tell the reader what to do next, chances are they won’t do anything.

I’ll be the first to admit that writing truly powerful sales letters is both an art and a science. Few things can replace practice and experience…But these tips sure do help.

Best of all, you can also use these same tips to power up all of your marketing from Websites to emails, fliers business cards and more. So print out this list and get writing!