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Chapter Twenty-six: Follow this and you WILL prosper in your business

1. Create a great USP – something that stands out and tells your clients why you are not only the best choice, but the only choice in their purchasing decision.

2. Keep it simple. Can a grade 8 read and understand what it is you are saying in your promotions? If not, go back and simplify it.

3. Educate them – tell them about you, your business, what it does and how it does it – and – MOST IMPORTANTLY – why they should even care!

4. Ask the prospect/client to take action right now. Any action – buy, phone, email, signup – whatever your marketing message is – make sure it contains something they should take action on.

5. Why should they believe you? The prospects you are targeting WILL distrust you. It is a fact of life. You need to overcome this distrust with proof that you deliver (testimonials, case studies, pictures, professional sources, anything and everything that shows you are the best at what you do)

6. "What’s new?" is something your prospects AND clients want to ask and know. You must give them compelling reasons to buy – buy again – and spend more each time. And you can’t do that by boring them – what is NEW in your business? You’re offering? Your client success stories? New bundles of products or seasonal promotions? Tell them what is new in your personal life. Make sure they have a good reason to read what you are writing!

7. Make sure everything you do is designed to get their contact information. From your business cards to your letterhead, to your advertising and website – everything must present a compelling case as to why they should give you their contact information. And when they do – FOLLOW UP!

8. Find ways to raise your prices and offer an upsell every time they go to make a purchase. There is ample proof that you can double your prices and not lose a significant number of buyers – as long as you make the reason compelling enough as to why they should pay the higher price – and what you offer in return.

9. Call everyone (or hire professionals to do it on your behalf) AFTER your direct mail efforts – it will increase your response by a huge margin.

10. Find people to joint venture with and cross-promote to their lists and your own.

11. Make sure your clients and prospects KNOW you appreciate them. They pay the bills – so make sure they are constantly told that you value them.

12. Invest a substantial amount of your time developing good higher end products for your clients. Either on your own or through partners, you need to present them options at higher prices and better bundles of products and services. A one-time buyer is twice as likely as a prospect to buy again, and at a higher price. A two time buyer three times as likely… and so on. Your entire goal is to get them to buy once then offer them multiple options to buy again, and again.

The greatest way to get referrals is by being the best-of-the-best. Make it so they would feel guilty for NOT telling their friends, family and business associates about you. Be the ONLY one they would through excellence. And again, you have to ASK them to refer their friends and family. They may do it on their own – but chances are they don’t feel comfortable doing it. But if you position so there is something in it for them, and for those who they refer – they are much more likely to actually do it.