I have used all types of media from postcards to Money Mailer Coupons to get my message out to the masses. But, out of all of the media that I’m familiar with, I believe that the simple Sales Letter is the most reliable and powerful method of selling any product or service—whether offline or online. 

By the way, I have yet to see what the “thing” is that can’t be sold with a sales letter.  I believe everything can.

With this in mind, my advice is to always try to include sales letters in your marketing portfolio.

When doing direct-mail marketing, self-mailers and post cards can also be effective.  But nothing beats a true letter that is written like a letter.  It should look like a letter and be delivered like a letter in the mail.

Remember a flyer is not a sales letter.

Here are some smart ways to use Sales Letters.

1. To introduce new products to existing customers
2. To get prospects to call you
3. To ask for referrals
4. To directly sell services and products
5. To generate publicity
6. To sell seasonal promotions
7. To sell out last year’s product, get it off the shelves and out of the warehouse.
8. To create direct response advertising
9. To sell subscriptions or memberships
10. To introduce new services to existing customers/clients
11. To create a multi step promotion program

What are your thoughts about using sales letters?

Technorati Tags: direct mail, direct mail marketing, direct response advertising, Referrals, seasonal promotion, sell memberships, sell new product, sell new service, sell products, sell services, sell subscriptions

I recently ran across a referral tool that will boost word-of-mouth for your business.

As everyone knows, there is no better way to grow your business than by word of mouth.

So instead of writing my normal instructional blog post, I want to tell you about this tool.

At first glance, I didn’t see its full potential.  But as I talked with its inventor, I realized it was a valuable innovation I should share with you.  It’s low tech, but effective.

It’s called the RipCard.  It ingeniously doubles as a business card and a referral card at the same time.

If you are new to this blog, I should tell you that I rarely promote products here.

However, because I believe this patent-pending innovation can make a huge difference for you in acquiring new customers, I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t talk with you about it.

Here is how it works…

The RipCard (Referral Incentive Program) is a business and referral card combination that allows you to customize your offer to both the person giving the referral and also to the referee.

To be able to customize your offer on the fly and keep track of it…no matter where you are…gives you a huge advantage. You can have your offers printed up ahead of time on the cards.  Or, you can write them on the card to fit the situation.

When you write them in, this allows you to make offers that will motivate the referrer and the referee to act.

In other words, you can ask the referrer: “Out of these 3 options, which would you like as a reward for referring a friend?”  Or you can design an offer on the fly, based on the conversation you just had with the referrer.  Or…give a discount based on the next appointment coming up.

For example, say you are a dentist, and your client has another appointment set to get a tooth facial, a crown, or whatever.  You could say to the client: “If you refer someone to us between now and the next appointment, I’ll take X% off the cost of your upcoming procedure.”

Since this offer is directly related to a real, tangible event in the client’s life, her motivation to find someone to refer goes way up.  I really like this feature about the RipCard.

You can also ask the client/referrer: “Do you have a particular person in mind that you would want to refer?  Which of these options do you think she’ll love?”  Then state some options.

By customizing the card, you increase the motivation for action by the referrer and by the referee.

Once you write in what you want to offer to both parties, you rip the card down the perforated line, keep one half for yourself and give the other half to the referrer.

Here are two other things I like about the RipCard…

You can collect the personal email address of the referrers instead of their work email address that’s printed on their business cards.  This way you will increase your access to them.

You get to see and track exactly who’s sending you business.  It’s great for creating and tracking offline joint venture activity, with no fuss, no muss.

I highly recommend that you find out more about using the RipCard by watching a short 4-minute video here: See The RipCard In Action Here 

If you have any questions about what you see, or wonder how you can easily get these RipCards made for yourself, you can send an email to Alf Marcussen at alf@ripcard.com . 

Alf will be happy to answer any questions you have.  Alf knows the product inside and out because he invented it…actually, he said you could even call him if you like at 415-673-6464. 

After checking it out, let me know what you think.

Technorati Tags: get referrals, Getting Referrals, Referrals

When I started my first company, it was a struggle.

Over the years I realized how difficult it was to create a customer, so I decided that I wanted to create companies that would keep customers longer and have them spend more with me. This way they would spend more money with me. I became very successful because of the relationship I built with my customers and I treated them all as dear friends.

After 5 years of doing this, I wondered why I was putting all the time and effort into building these companies. After some “quiet time” I realized it was because I had a “passion” for what I was doing. There were times I couldn’t wait to get into my office.

What is your passion?

You must find it if you don’t know what it is.

It will keep you motivated and keep you going in the bad times. We all dream, so it will keep your dreams alive and keep you on track in order to accomplish your goals.

There is an old saying, “without a driving passion, you will become one of the “95% group.” Those are individuals without dreams, ambitions, and goals.

I’d like to offer a suggestion…

Right now, this minute, list the 10 things you have always wanted more of. Then rank them in order of personal passion to you. Review that list and look for the one that jumps out at you and gets you in the gut. That’s the one that will change your entire life.

I promise you that when you find your driving passion, everything in your life will start happening faster and faster.

Now, let’s get to your customer’s “why”…

Why do your customers purchase from you? It could be because of the great service you give, the great product you offer, or it could be a multitude of things. Whatever it is, you must find out why they purchase from you.

Once you know why, your job becomes about how to satisfy that "why" in a way that gets your customers to be passionate about doing business with you.

This is probably something new for you to try. But trust me, when you create a passion in your customer for doing business with you, you will have created an advocate for your business and services. Passionate customers will do business with you over and over and will refer everyone they know to you.

So your objective in dealing with your customers is to create passion in them for what you do.

When you are passionate and your customers are passionate, can you think of a better way to do business?

Let me hear your ideas about this.

Technorati Tags: customer experience, customer loyalty, Customer Retention, customer satisfaction

The following 9 ideas have helped me and will help you grow your business on a limited budget when you apply them.

1. If you don’t have a journal, I would suggest that you purchase one at your local Staples.  If not grab a sheet of paper.  It doesn’t matter what your business is, write down this question at the top of a sheet: ”How can I personally make my clients’ lives better?” 

   This is a very powerful question.  Think about it.   How many companies you know of, both offline or online, apply this model?

   Most of them are out to get the sale and then move on to the next “prospect.”  Can you imagine how effective they could be if they actually considered how they could help your life be better.

   For instance, I spend a lot on educational material for my grandchildren, and I never hear from the businesses after I make my purchases.  If they remembered the above quote and thought about how they could help me and my grandchildren have a better life, they would realize that they could offer me products to help us, and probably offer them on a monthly basis.

   I’m sure you’ve experienced this at some point in your life.  Think about how this applies to your business and what you can do.

2. Create your Stadium Pitch.  Someone once told me, “What would you say to a group of 50,000 people if they were in a stadium and you had 30-60 seconds to convince them about your offering?” How can you get your point across so convincingly that they would feel like idiots to say “no”?  

   Plus, consider the fact that any one of them can leave at anytime during your pitch.  Would your message change?  What can you say to make them stay?  What can you say to make them buy?  Some call this an elevator speech.

   Keep refining your stadium pitch (elevator pitch).  A great one can help you generate many new customers on a limited marketing budget. 

3. Look for valuable lessons in everything that you do, hear, or experience.  No matter if what you are doing fails or succeeds, write down what you learned from it in your journal. 

   Every person you meet, every person you listen to, has a lesson you can learn.  I try to teach with each blog and marketing tip I create. ..just for you.  But the lessons you learn from them are up to you; the insights you gain are up to you.  Whatever the lessons/insights are, write them down in your journal before you forget. 

   I carry my journal with me always.

   With a large repository of ideas it’s easier for you to find ones that readily meet your budget. 

4. Read your” Lesson Journal”.  Find out what lessons you can apply today to your next project or problem.  Then do it.  Find a way to apply and use that lesson today.  Now record your results.

   As you consistently apply ideas and track the results, you will produce bigger and bigger results with whatever money you have budgeted.

5. Referrals are one of the most important tools you can use to grow your business.  There are probably hundreds of ways to generate referrals.  Two of them are: pay for them per lead; bribe people in a fun way. 

   If you haven’t done your job on making your clients happy, you shouldn’t ask for a referral. The key is to start writing down the ideas you get, and then start doing them.

   Referrals are the least expensive way to grow your business on a budget.

6. Barter. Learn how to barter.

   Attend your local networking events, look around at the people you work with that need what you have to offer and you need what they have to offer.  What types of products or services do they need to make their lives easier?  Where can you find those products or services?  Apply this principle to people you want to work with and by helping them they will help you.

   Bartering allows you to grow with a minimum of cash outlay.

7. Dare to do what no one else does.

   Giving yourself permission to do what hasn’t been done before allows you to find new inexpensive ways to grow.

8. Ask what you don’t want in life and in business. Then decide what you do want (What you want is the opposite of what you don’t want).
   

   Knowing what you want shortens the journey to getting there, and therefore also lessens the expense.

9. Get rid of the “box”.  Forget about inside or outside the box thinking.  Don’t put parameters around your thinking.
   

   This is a variation of no. 7 above.  By removing parameters from your thinking, creative ways to use your budget open up.

The key in all of this is to be systematic and consistent.  By systematically and consistently applying these ideas, you are sure to see compounded results.

Technorati Tags: barter, elevator pitch, grow business, growing a business, journaling, out of the box thinking, Referrals, stadium pitch, using a journal

Even though it’s one of the most powerful ways to build a business, most business owners don’t send out personal cards because they don’t know what to say or feel it doesn’t apply to them. Do they feel that their business is different from any other business?

Let me tell you.  It doesn’t matter what your business is, you depend on relationships and if your customers or clients aren’t staying with you over the years and referring your business, then there is a serious flaw in your system.

In order to create a bond, your customers need to be acknowledged, they need individual attention so that they feel they are genuinely appreciated.

Here are some ideas you can use when you send a card to build that relationship. 

1. After a consumer makes a purchase, send a “Thank You”: “It was a pleasure to serve you.  Our goal is to provide you with the best customer service you have ever experienced, so that you will return and refer all of your friends.  If we can help you in any way, please let us know.”

2. After a telephone Conversation: “Thank you for the time we spent today.  I just wanted to take this opportunity to ask you to let us know if we can help you in any other way.”

3. After receiving a Referral: “Thank you for referring (name).  It is an honor to serve your friends and family and you can be assured they will receive the highest level of attention and service possible.”

4. After a Networking Event: “I want to take this opportunity to say Thank You.  It was a pleasure meeting you at ABC yesterday.  Thank you for sharing your time and telling me about your company and what you offer.  I have been lucky to work with wonderful people like you.  If there is anything I can do for you, please let me know.”

5. Birthdays: “Happy Birthday Bob.  Its clients like you who make going to work every day a reason to celebrate.  Have a super day today and every day.  I appreciate you and wish you the very best.”  

6. Thanksgiving: “As this time of the year comes by, I reflect on all of the wonderful events and people in my life and think of you.  I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your business over the past year.  It is always a pleasure to serve you and I look forward to many more years of showing you my gratitude.”

I’m sure you can think of others like anniversaries and other special holidays and events.

A few cards a day will make such a difference.  You can have one of your employee’s take 30 minutes or so when they have a slow time.

These simple acts of kindness go a long way towards building that relationship with your customers and clients that lasts a lifetime and that leads to referrals.

Remember, replacing lost customers is very expensive and time-consuming.  Keeping them is inexpensive.

Let me hear your thoughts about this by clicking on the “Comment” link below and leaving your thought.

Technorati Tags: building loyalty, client loyalty, client retention, customer loyalty, Customer Retention, Getting Referrals, lifelong clients, Lifelong Customers, lifetime clients, lifetime customers, thank you cards

The following aren’t necessarily in the order of importance, but if all are implemented you can’t help but succeed.  Next to each To-Do is a link for more information:

1. Create Data Base of your clients.  You need all pertinent data like name, address, email, spouse’s name, birthday for them and their spouse, and whatever data you need.  I would also get the data of every family member.  http://www.kenvarga.com/news/a-method-to-collect-information-to-create-your-customer-database/

2. If possible, connect with your customer/clients weekly. 

3. Dominate your market by becoming the expert that everyone goes to when they need what you offer.  http://www.kenvarga.com/news/dominate-your-market/

4. Do Special Events.  IE:    "Give A Little And Get A Lot— how this simple principle can cause a crowd of people to market your business to the world!  http://www.aweber.com/b/1Bvci

5. If possible, do a 30-minute radio talk show in your local area.  In it, address the pain the listeners are in and how you are able to help them.  http://www.aweber.com/b/1LBOq

6. Each time a customer buys from you, put the transaction in your data base and have an employee call to thank the purchaser for being your customer.  Ask the customer: “Why do you purchase from us and not our competition.” They will give you information that you can use to create more customers. 

7. Create a Referral System where you bring your customer/client from being a customer to becoming an advocate of your business.  http://www.kenvarga.com/news/growing-through-referrals/

8. Make sure your advertising is responsive and measurable.  Create a free report.  http://www.aweber.com/b/1Q_wC

9. Upsell.  Create a package of your products and offer them to your customers as a package.  http://www.kenvarga.com/news/promotions-you-can-take-to-the-bank/

10. Inspect what you expect.  I used to call my own office to make sure my people answered the way they were taught.  http://www.kenvarga.com/news/inspect-what-you-expect/

Technorati Tags: database creation, dominate market, free report, measure advertising, referral system, special events, upsell

Every small business has a set budget that they use to market and build their business.  Here are some cost-effective methods that will help you to get your new customers and grow your business.

1. Everyone has a strip shopping center or mall near them.  Wherever there is a grand opening, attend the opening and talk with the business owners and staff and hand out your business cards.  Remember to have your Unique Selling Proposition stated clearly on the card to tell them how they will benefit by doing business with you. Even if it’s an established shopping center, do the same thing. Use this method to introduce yourself and your services to them.  With the Banks I started, each time we opened a branch, I had our various staff members visit with all of the businesses within a 5-mile geographic area of the branch.

2. Create flyers with your business information on it and place them at the grocery store, coffee shops, library, or other places people meet. Always carry them with you so that you never miss an opportunity to place them when you come across an opportunity to do so.

3. There is a place called www.VistaPrint.com, where you can obtain free or low cost business cards. Make sure you add your USP, again to let everyone know how you can benefit them.  While you are out running errands, drop off a business card at every business you see, such as Restaurants, Medical Professional Offices, Gyms and Health Clubs, Drycleaners, and even gas stations.  You never know when someone will need what you have to offer.

4. Getting back to # 2, you can do the same flyers with Door Knob Hangers.  Go into neighborhoods and put the flyers on the doorknobs of the residents.  You can even hire a high school student to do this as a part time job.  I used this method also with the Banks I started. It is very cost effective.

5. Put together a presentation that is very informative about how your product can benefit others then contact organizations, such as your local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, etc., and offer to speak at their monthly meeting.  They are always looking for speakers to educate and inform their members.

6. Develop a press release announcing something that is currently an important topic that you can attach your information to, and offer a free report that reveals the 5 items that will help them solve this problem. Then send it to your local newspaper and other free area publications.

7. Always ask for referrals.  Give your business cards to your family members, neighbors, wherever you shop, and ask them to pass out your cards to their patrons, or whomever they cross paths with.  Offer an hour of free service or a free product to anyone who refers a client to you.

OK.  That’s just a few ways to market your business frugally.  I’m sure if you put your mind to it, you can think of others.   Let me know in the comments section other ideas that you think of.

Technorati Tags: business cards, cheap ways to market, flyers, frugal ways to market, inexpensive ways to market, word of mouth advertising, word of mouth marketing

Online newsletters and ezines are one of the most cost-effective tools you can use to market your business. Customers and prospects who subscribe to your newsletter mailing list are giving you the opportunity to establish a relationship with them. That is very important.  It gives you the opportunity to develop a relationship with them. Once they opt-in to receive your newsletter by email, you can build that relationship, establish trust, and nail down sales by sending the newsletter regularly. The more subscribers you get the more sales you’ll land.

How can you get people to subscribe to your online mailing list? Better yet, how can you get a lot of people who don’t even know you yet to subscribe to your ezine, thereby asking you to send them information on a regular basis about your business? In my last blog article I gave you some ways to build that list. 

Here are several more ways that I thought of since, to accomplish that feat without spending bucket loads of money on marketing.

1.  Ask people to subscribe to your newsletter mailing list when they complete a purchase. This is done at the time of purchase.  You should train your sales people to ask for it.  Yesterday I had a hamburger for lunch at a restaurant called, “The Fox and The Hound.”  When I received the check, my waitress mentioned that they have a gift of $5.00 the next time I visit if I would complete a form and allow them to communicate with me via email. You can do the same thing. Just because someone bought a product from you once doesn’t mean they’ll remember to come back the next time they need something that you sell. To get that customer back again, be sure you capture the customer’s email address as part of the sale and include a checkbox on the form letting people indicate that they’d like to be included on your mailing list.

2. Ask current subscribers to forward your newsletter to their friends. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to grow your newsletter list. Remind your readers to spread the word about you by including a note in every newsletter asking them to please forward the newsletter to their friends who would be interested in reading it. Be, sure, too, that there’s a prominent link to your subscription page in every issue of your newsletter. I use a “Forward to a friend” link at the bottom of my Marketing Tip of The Week newsletter.  Sometimes I also ask you within the body of the newsletter, near the end of the article, to forward the newsletter to others.

3. Promote your newsletter at seminars and talks. If you give seminars or talks on your area of expertise, be sure to let your audiences know that you have a newsletter and what the benefits of subscribing to the newsletter are. And don’t forget to include your newsletter subscription link in your handouts. I do this whenever I speak at Chamber of Commerce’s in my state, and also whenever I speak at a seminar.

4. Promote your newsletter in your 30-second commercial. Many organizations, such as your Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Clubs, give members a few seconds at the beginning or end of meetings to introduce themselves and their businesses. End your "commercial" with an appeal to visit your website and sign up for your newsletter. Remember to tell them how valuable it is to them and how they will benefit from it.

5. Offer a free gift – If it’s on your website, make it downloadable of course, so you have no delivery charges — to those who sign up for your newsletter. To simplify the delivery process put a link to your freebie in the thank-you note you send to new subscribers. And, just in case any of those new subscribers pass on the link to their friends who haven’t subscribed, put a subscription box on your free offer page, too. Lead it off with a note that says "Not a subscriber yet? If a friend sent you a link to this page, sign up for your own copy of (your newsletter name.)" If your business is offline, you can also offer a coupon as an incentive for them to visit your establishment.

6. Get a friend in your industry to promote your newsletter to their mailing list — then promote the friend’s list in yours. This is called a JV, Joint Venture.  It works for both of you.

7. Send a postcard mailing to targeted mailing lists you’ve built from collecting business cards or from the newspaper. I have found post cards to be the lowest-cost way to build my list.  Use the mailing to solicit newsletter signups. To get the recipients to take action, offer a free gift (a downloadable product) to people who subscribe by a specific date, or offer a coupon for when they visit your establishment.

8. Never stop soliciting subscribers.  This is the most critical step of all.  I’ve found over the years that individuals quit too soon.  Keep at it and you will succeed. Also, email addresses change, and people’s email addresses become undeliverable. People’s information needs or product needs change, and they unsubscribe. Keep your list fresh and growing by continually promoting your mailings.

I hope these additional suggestions help you grow your list and make it very profitable.

Technorati Tags: build email list, customer list, grow email list, Growing your business, postcard marketing

Here are a few ways I’ve used to make my competition irrelevant. 

Focus on the moment of truth, the place or position that your products or services will be offered to the customer.  For example, if you have a retail establishment, this may be a wall display or a counter display.

On the internet this may be an on-line store, E-bay if you have an account with them to offer your products, or your own personal web site.  Sometimes the moment of truth may be in the form of a bid or proposal after several months of working to convert your prospect into a client or customer. 

The moment of truth is the moment that the customer has an option to make a purchasing decision, to buy your product, or to invest in your services.  This is the moment you need to put your best foot forward.

Each time you present something to your prospect or customer, provide a value proposition to them.  Your value proposition should be something that can be conveyed in three to five precise and succinct statements. 

A value proposition should contain the essential elements of feature, advantage, benefit, and offer.  This is a reference to a specific important feature of your offer, the advantage as compared to the competition and what’s in it for your customer. 

The other thing you can do is to differentiate yourself from the competition.  Common examples of differentiation for products may be size, speed, color, or accessories.  Examples of differentiation for services would be performance, quality, availability, or ease of use.  Show how your product or service is better than the competition.

In today’s world, our clients and customers are bombarded with so much information, advertisements, and commercials that it is sometimes impossible to keep the attention of your prospects focused on what you are saying to them. 

If you focus your methods on the Moment of Truth and create a differentiation, you will leave your competition in the dust.

Technorati Tags: differentiation, differentiation and positioning, differentiation of products, differentiation of service, value proposition, winning against competition

Here’s an interesting question:

“I’m a personal lines insurance agent, and I would like to be able to have a 95% closing ratio, high retention, and a great system for getting my clients to give me referrals.”

All I can say is WOW.  When I was in the insurance business, I created ways to prospect that were not normally done within the industry.  Of course, back then, we also did not have compliance departments breathing down our necks, as most of the insurance agents have today.

Any of my readers can massage the suggestions I’m going to give here to fit their own industry or business.

The first thing I did was to create a prospect list.  I started with 100, and then increased it to 1000 individuals whom I wanted as clients.

Then I accumulated articles and any other free information I could locate, and kept in touch with them over a period of at least one year.  My thoughts were that if after one year, they still didn’t want to do business with me, then color me gone and out of their life.

By doing this, I developed a relationship with them.  Of course I also created unique letters to send them with various forms of GRABBERS.

For instance, I created a letter like the following where I sent a shoe with the letter.

Jeff…Now You Can Increase Your
Net Worth By $1,000,000.   Effortlessly!
            (Include one Right shoe with your Letter)

Dear Jeff,

As you can see, I’ve sent you a “right” shoe with this letter.

I did it for two reasons:

First, because what I have to share with you is so important, I needed some way to make sure this letter got your attention.

Second, because I want us to start off on the right foot, I thought sending you the shoe was a good way for me to get my foot in your door.

Anyway, here is what this is all about…

(Continue with the rest of your offer)

Think of ways to adapt this letter to the product or service you are selling.

Another thing you can use is to offer my book, “10 Marketing Mistakes That Steal Your Cash” to your prospect and clients. Go to www.kenvarga.com/report.php and take advantage of the free book offer.  It’s free and will bond you with your customer.

In prior blog posts, I gave you suggestions to the last two items of your question…high retention and a referral system.  Refer back especially to the last post on “How To Create Lifelong Customers”, and to the post on April 26, 2008, “Growing Through Referrals”.

Technorati Tags: Closing Ratio, Getting Referrals, growing referrals, Referrals, retention, retention rate