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