|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Up Your Income Next Week: 13 Ways to Have a Sale
Nothing gets people buying products or programs like a special promotion in your e-zine. Now, I know right now you're thinking, "I can't have a sale on my products or services. That's sooo cheesy!"
Au contraire, mon frere. It's all how you position it. Here are 13 ideas to consider. Choose one that would work for your business and give it a try.
IMPORTANT: You'll need to put some type of time limit on the offer to encourage folks to buy now and not later. It's also better if you explain to your readers WHY you're having the sale. You're not Wal-Mart and you can't just drop prices whenever you feel like it. Instead, give your prospects a reason. (Even a funny one -- see tip 13!)
1. Close-out sale. Have inventory you want to get rid of? Making room for other products or new versions of products? Then offer the current version at a significant discount.
2. "Scratch and dent" sale. Have any books, tapes, or CDs that were returned to you by customers? Offer them at a hearty discount for people who don't mind if they're a bit worn.
3. Half price sale. Lop 50 percent off all your goods, or select just one.
4. Coupon sale. Allow customers to enter a coupon or promo code to get a discount. (If you have a decent shopping cart program you should be able to set this up in seconds.)
5. Free shipping sale. Offer free shipping for a limited time. Or, upgrade folks to express shipping at no extra cost.
6. "We'll finance it" sale. Offer a payment plan - this works great for higher priced items and programs. (Again, if you have a decent shopping cart program, you should be able to set up timed, automatic billing.)
7. Free 30-day trial. Get their credit card information at the time of order, but don't charge them until the month is up. Another variation is the 30 day trial for $1.
8. Pre-publication sale. Start taking orders before your product is even ready. (Seeing orders come in is also a great incentive for you to finally finish creating that product!)
9. VIP discount. Give a special offer to a certain group. Show your e-zine subscribers, your clients, your speaking audiences, etc. that they're special.
10. Buy one get one free! Yes, this can even work for information products and services. The purchaser can give the extra copy to a colleague as a gift, or two people can split the cost and essentially get your product or service at half price.
11. Special bonus. Give something extra if people purchase before a certain date. (This is a great strategy to up your sales without cutting your prices.)
12. Package discount. Offer a big discount if they order all your products/services or a select combination thereof.
13. Birthday sale. Or any fun occasion... Valentine's day, your anniversary, groundhog day, your dog just had puppies, your kid just lost his first tooth -- have fun with it!
BONUS TIP: Many of these options for coupons, discounts, cutoff dates, etc. can easily be set up with a good shopping cart system. QueenCart.com links you to the one I use and recommend.
Now that you have a reason for your sale, you need to know how to write a promotion that SELLS. My program "E-mail Promotions That Sell" gives you the simple, step-by-step formula. (www.ezinequeen.com/emailpromo.htm)
© 2004 Alexandria K. Brown
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," is creator of the award-winning 'Boost Business With Your Own E-zine' system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for her FREE how-to articles and FREE audio class, visit http://www.EzineQueen.com
Advertisement: Honest Riches - Click Here!
Advertisement: Lost AdWords - Click Here!
Advertisement: Get $1 Million A Month In Google Pay-Per-Click Ads Free! - Click Here!
Advertisement: Who Loves Money? - Click Here!
Advertisement: SEO Elite, the GrandDaddy of SEO Software - Click Here!
CNNMoney.com - 16 hours ago
Ace Marketing & Promotions Inc. (OTCBB: AMKT) announces that IMAX Theaters is piloting Proximity Marketing at its Palisades theater location in NY, ...
Bizjournals.com, NC - 13 hours ago
Database marketing firm Merkle Inc. has signed up the Limited as a new client in a three-year contract. The Columbia firm will analyze customer data to help ...
Merkle Selected by The Limited to Support Integrated Customer ... MarketWatch (press release)
all 17 news articles
Reuters
Bizjournals.com, NC - 17 hours ago
United Parcel Service Inc. rival FedEx Corp. will cut its marketing budget by more than 25 percent for 2009, the company recently disclosed on its blog. ...
FedEx cuts marketing spend by more than 25 percent Reuters
FedEx to reduce marketing budgets by 25% Brand Republic
all 44 news articles
Bizjournals.com, NC - 17 hours ago
Downtown Greensboro marketing firm Bouvier Kelly has won three awards from the Carolina Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing Society for its work with ...
CNNMoney.com - 7 hours ago
TMI's marketing plan includes a program where LTC facilities can lease the equipment necessary to perform skin assessments and store the necessary data ...
Wellstar/TMI Announces Estimated Three-Year Revenue Projections MSNBC
all 9 news articles
Sun-Sentinel.com, FL - 14 hours ago
By Sarah Talalay | South Florida Sun-Sentinel University of Florida fan Michelle Jackson has her outfit for college football's national championship game ...
BCS National Championship notebook Dallas Morning News
BCS is a political football in 2009 CNN
Danny Wuerffel to Tim Tebow: Return for senior year Orlando Sentinel
all 3,989 news articles
CNNMoney.com - 17 hours ago
Proton will start by marketing a variety of enhanced water products that provide health benefits for people and the planet as well as the commercial product ...
Indianapolis Star, United States - 14 hours ago
With a team of 25 brokers and additional market research, marketing, and client support staff, Summit Realty Group specializes in office, industrial, ...
MSNBC - 4 hours ago
The initial stages of marketing the properties for sale have already begun, and the Company will expand those efforts now that the properties are completely ...
MediaPost Publications, New York - 3 hours ago
by Erik Sass, 7 hours ago Katz Media Group is launching a new national marketing unit that will focus on creating custom solutions for advertisers that take ...
Katz Launches Katz Marketing Solutions Streaming Magazine
Katz Media Group Reorgs to Trim Costs MEDIAWEEK
Katz Media Group Launches National Marketing Unit to Exploit the ... Earthtimes (press release)
Radio Business Report - AdAge.comall 24 news articles
The Top 10 Ways to Market your Business or Professional Practice Without Advertising
Every business and professional practice MUST be in the public eye. You need customers! Folks need your goods and services -- it's a mutual alliance for mutual... Read More
Brainstorming Techniques as New Product Development Strategies
When developing new products and strategies, coming up with unique ideas is often a struggle. It is one of the reasons why, in any industry, there is... Read More
Secret of Strategy - Part 1
A step-by-step guide to creating a growth strategy based on your current situation and future possibilities. I'll bet you think you already have a... Read More
How to Write Irresistible Promotional Pieces that Attract More and Better Clients
Whether you're creating a sales letter, a brochure, a newsletter, or any other business promotional piece, you need to write in a way that not only explains... Read More
Two kinds of Advertising for a Marketing Strategy
Advertising is the lifeblood of any business. If you do not learn how to advertise your products and services both efficiently and effectively, you won't be in... Read More
How to Turn a Marketing Calendar into Marketing Success!
Do you have a list of marketing ideas that you'd like to implement, but just never seem to get around to actually doing some of them? Who... Read More
Marketing Strategy 101: 10 Marketing Strategies I Learnt From My Oral Surgeon
This is how the conversation went on my follow-up visit to the oral surgeon, 10 days after he removed 2 lower wisdom teeth."Go down the hallway, enter... Read More
Want To Impress Customers, Win Clients and Influence People?
Remember the baseball cards kids traded while chewing their way through kilos of noxious bubblegum, all for about a nickle a pack? ... Read More
Buzz Word
Offline, it's called word-of-mouth advertising. Online, it's known as viral marketing. Semantics aside, one fact is perfectly clear: make your customers happy and they'll do the advertising... Read More
Non Products Exist in this World
"Both the market and the distributive channel are often more crucial than the product. Products are within the business as the accountants define it. They are within... Read More
5 Great Ways to Reach Your Target Market
There are many ways to reach out and find the people you are trying to attract for your business. Here are just a handful of ways to... Read More
10 Ways to Get Your Flyers Noticed
An inexpensive way to promote your services is to createvarious flyers and distribute them wherever you go -- pinthem to the bulletin boards at the library, bookstore,handout... Read More
Referrals . . .The Secret Weapon
Are you getting referrals from you customers? If not, you are missing a lot of sales. Think about many of the sites you visit on the web.... Read More
Mortgage Marketing - How to Write a Mortgage Marketing Sales Letter That Gets Results!
Have you ever sat down to write a sales letter and been at a complete loss where to start? It happens to all of us.Sales letters are... Read More
Top 3 Reasons Why Your Headlines Fail
Many professional copywriters estimate that the headline contributes to 80% or more of the success of any ad, article, or sales letter. One direct marketing expert... Read More
Simple Marketing Idea - Big Marketing Results!
Have you ever noticed how many times it's the simplest concepts that end up working the best?The same is so true when it comes to marketing. I'm... Read More
The 7 Commandments of Marketing
Marketing is the key to success with any business, online or traditional. You can have a website or business location. You can have a great product. However,... Read More
How to Use Direct Response Post Card Decks as a Valuable Market Research Tool
Market research specialists have discovered a new tool which enables them to quickly identify target market cells, measure buyer acceptance, test new product or service concepts quickly... Read More
Business Marketing For Consultants, Coaches, Speakers, and Trainers: How To Be Noticed and Trusted
Business marketing is essential for professional services, such as consultants, coaches, speakers and trainers.Creating trust with prospects and clients is essential. How do you do that?A Reader's... Read More
Top Ten Blunders Exhibitors Make in Expos/Tradeshows
Triple your response from expos by avoiding the top ten blunders at expos. Turn disappointment into sales success!If you are like most exhibitors, you were disappointed from... Read More
5 Steps to Success: A Surefire Way to Achieve Your Goals
No doubt you started this year with some big ideas about what you wanted to accomplish. I know I did!Maybe it was how many new clients you... Read More
Five New 5 Ps!
NO! When I say "5 P's", I'm not talking about the big 5 P's of marketing everyone's familiar with.Here I'm NOT referring to Product, Price, Place, Promotion... Read More
7 Tips to Grab New Clients
As a business professional, you probably realize the value of writing articles for print publications to telegraph your expertise. Have you considered that writing articles for online... Read More
5 Ways to Give Your Web Site a Big-Company Look and Feel
We all DO judge a book by its cover, and the same saying goes for Web sites. I've seen many entrepreneurs offer great information on their Web... Read More
Using a Marketing Calendar Template
Owning a small business isn't easy, especially if you are running it alone. Between moving products, taking orders, paying bills, and taking care of family, it is... Read More
Your Headlines Are Key To Your Success Or Failure. Do You Know What To Write?
Most professional copywriters would say that headlines account for 80% percent of more of the effectiveness of an ad or sales letter.After all, it's the headline that... Read More
Promotional Freebies
What's a promotional freebie? A promotional freebie is something you can give to your customers, visitors or subscribers. Giving away "freebies" is an excellent marketing tool. Who... Read More
50 Benefits Of Joint Venture Marketing
What Is A Joint Venture?A joint venture is an agreement in which two or more businesses work on a project for a set period of time.Joint ventures... Read More
How To Get To The Top of The Marketing Food Chain
Are you tired of living off handouts from big-name marketers, earning meager affiliate commissions?If you truly want to live and breathe the rarefied air of the super-marketers,... Read More
Thinking About More Business
What does an old Russian joke have to do with getting new business? Did you increase your business in the past 12 months?... Read More
Marketing Copy - Brand Identity Guru
Tips on writing great copy for your marketing efforts.It's just four steps that I call the Writing Path1. I create a deadline for something to be produced.... Read More
Maximize Your Lead Generation Efforts by Recycling Your Leads
The basic lead generation process is pretty much the same from company to company. Inquiries come in?they're qualified?and then sent to the sales team. Some turn into... Read More
Is A Marketing Plan The Same Thing As A Communications Plan?
How does a marketing plan relate to an organization's communications plan? What are the differences? Is the marketing plan just one aspect of the communications plan? Should... Read More
Profitable Marketing Programs Part 2: Figuring Break Even Point
In Part 1 -- http://www.websitemarketingplan.com/online/profit.htm -- I discussed how to consider both long term and short term profitability in your marketing programs and assumptions that go into... Read More
Build A Successful Business By Staying Connected
Over the course of your business life you'll come in contact with a number of other business people. They could be lawyers, business services, suppliers, customers, etc.... Read More
Direct Mail Personalization
A colleague who does work for a nonprofit organization contacted me asking if I could do research on the success rate of personalized direct mail letters (Dear... Read More
Choosing Networking Functions
Time is a concern for all of us. We only have so much of it to give to our work, and then some to our families, our... Read More
Tipical Mistakes in Marketing
To prevent the risks of a promotion campaign for our products or services, I'm talking about email campaigns, it is recommended to study some of the most... Read More
Top 9 Strategies To Attract More Clients Now
1. Advertise in trade journals, ezines, and web sites that cater to your ideal client.One secret for gaining substantial increase in sales is to communicate where your... Read More
Logo Facts
What makes one logo better than another?Simplicity.A good logo works in the simplest form. It is a memorable representation of your brand and inspires confidence in your... Read More
SWOT Analysis -- Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
When conducting strategic planning for any company -- online and/or offline -- it is useful to complete an analysis that takes into account not only your own... Read More
Fundraising Letter Envelopes: How To Make Them Irresistible
Readers spend only a few seconds deciding the fate of your direct mail fundraising appeals. Either they open them on the spot, set them aside for later,... Read More
Web Site Marketing Strategy: 8 Ways To Increase The Perceived Value Of Your Freebies
It is a well known web site marketing strategy: To attract new customers and traffic, give out something for free: e-zine, ebooks, software, services etc.But as you... Read More
Marketing Apathy Solutions: 10 Solutions for Overcoming Apathy Beginning Today
Are you suffering from feelings of indifference or a lack of concern when it comes to marketing your business? Do you lack the passion that's necessary to... Read More
Ten Reasons Why Most Yellow Page Ads Fail -And Yours Does Not Have to
Grant Directory users are ready to buy Yellow Pages have a major advantage over all other forms of advertising. It's used precisely when people have decided to... Read More
Mortgage Marketing to Realtors ? Creating a Memorable Positioning Statement
Mortgage marketing to Realtors involves having a crystal clear position that establishes credibility, so that you can develop a consistent dialogue with prospects and guide them... Read More
The Secret to Adding Credibility to Your Business ? Testimonials!
You may not realize it, but you already have a gold mine of endorsements waiting to be created. Everyone who is serious about building a business and... Read More
Loan Officer Marketing ? How to Target the Right Agents
Once there was a loan officer, who marketed his services to some Realtors®. His story went something like this... ...One day he invited an agent to lunch.... Read More
Direct Mail Response Rates Mislead if You are Careless
I could tell you that the average temperature in the world is 60 degrees Fahrenheit. But that fact wouldn't keep you from getting sunstroke in Cairo. Or... Read More
Spring Cleaning: How To Do It In Your Business To Make More Room For Success
With the arrival of Spring, I decided to get outside and into my garden. I had neglected to do some basic maintenance during the previous months and... Read More
Packaging Trends You Cannot Overlook (part #1):
1) People are buying in smaller quantities. Our busy lifestyle keeps many people from eating at home on a daily basis. Gone are the days of the... Read More
What is a Marketing Plan Anyway?
Building a business that grows steadily in size and profits is like building your dream house. First, you identify what kind of home you want, then you... Read More