In this article Ill show you 5 basic things you can do to improve your business. These are basic principles that apply no matter what industry youre in or what product/service you are selling. By following these and putting them into action, your business will soar, and profits increase. Number 1: Ask Your Customers What They Want! No, dont try and GUESS what they want, ASK them directly. Create a survey or form for your web site. List an email address they can send requests to. Email them if theyve given you permission to. Post forum announcements and say hey, what do you want? Believe me, theyll tell you. And youll be pleasantly surprised (most of the time) that you werent too far off target. Other times, well, you might scratch your head and say Huh. Never wouldve known. So ask. Youll have a great list of stuff for your next product development cycle, and if the current products youre making are too far off-target, you can put them on hold and get cracking on the things you know will make some sales. Sometimes what they want will be a certain type of product. Other times it might be a change to your web site, perhaps information that is there but they just couldnt find. They want an easier way to find it. When you find out what your customers want, start giving it to them. Number 2: Give Your Customers What They Asked For in #1! Now that you have your list of Most Wanted Products, start developing them. Then make it easy for the customer to get them. Send a notice (if theyve provided you contact info which you should always ask for), and in some cases, send the customer a freebie. Start giving them what they want, and youre guaranteed success in your venture. Number 3: Know Your Unique Selling Proposition Your USP (unique selling proposition) is whatever it is that sets you apart from the competition. It may be the process by which you produce your products, the quality of materials, the design/look/feel factor, or it may be your customer guarantee. Im your customer. Tell me why I should buy from you and not Joe Vendor on the next web site. Then tell me all about that USP break it down into details I can use to assess whether or not youre telling me the truth, and if youll back up your claims. And then Ill be able to make an informed buying decision. So determine your USP, then let everybody know it! It may be just what determines your market share. Number 4: Be Easy to Find Location is everything on the web. Just like brick-and-mortar stores, the easier you are to get to, the more visitors youll have. Having a web site with www.yourdomain.com is a heck of a lot better than a web address like this one: www.ispname.com/accounts/users5/joevendor62546891/index/yawnyawnyawnyawnyawn. Jeez. How will your customers remember that? Short answer: they wont. With the cost of domain names and web hosting these days, theres no excuse not to have your own domain name. Make it short and easy to remember, and your customers will find you, even without a bookmark. 5. Give Your Customers Excellent Support and Service This should go without saying. Providing excellent customer support should be one of any business goals. But youd be surprised how many companies or vendors are rude, neglecting, or just downright mean to their customers. Your customers are your bread and butter. Treat them with respect and youll get the same. Be rude, and they may not tell you, but they wont be back. Put these five principles to work and start reaping the rewards! Best of luck in your marketing efforts! --Donnie Vist silvers: MarketPlace Store Home Page Art Gallery