Turbocharge New Sales with a Marketing Database

What is the most valuable asset your company owns? Inventory? Equipment? Employees? If you've got customers, your number one asset is your customer list.

You've heard the old adage, "It's 5 times easier to sell an existing customer than to find a new one." Selling an existing customer is easy because you've got the right message at the right time going to the right customer. There are two proven ways to do this. First, you position yourself as the obvious expert and ask for your deserved referrals and for the next sale. Second, you practice solid customer relationship management and mine your database for all that it's worth. The first way is passive and takes a really long time.

The second way actively places you on your customer's radar and keeps you top of mind for his next buying decision. But if your customer information resides in 10 different places, like your accounting software, Excel spreadsheets, little Post-It notes on your monitor and a PDA, you've greatly diminished or erased your ability to "be there" for your number one asset when he's ready to buy again.

Take this 12-point true/false quiz to see if you're prepared to profit from your database. Give yourself 1 point for each "true" answer:

1. I collect complete contact information (name, address, phone numbers and email address) on every customer who buys from me

2. I collect complete contact information (name, address, phone numbers and email address) on everyone who inquires about my services

3. I keep all my contacts in a single database

4. I keep track of how each customer or prospect found me so I can duplicate my successes and thank my referral sources

5. I have an easy-to-use automated response tool to follow up with prospects before, during and after the sale so I never lose an opportunity because it fell through the cracks

6. I have an easy-to-use system to cross sell my customers on my other services because I track what they bought previously

7. I have a system to track opt-outs to my email campaigns so I can stay in CAN-SPAM compliance with my e-marketing

8. I can forecast my sales for the next week, month or quarter based on opportunities in my sales pipeline

9. I have a customer database clean-up plan to update my contact information at least once per year

10. I have an effective system for tracking open and closed customer service issues

11. I can download leads from my website and schedule a call back for myself in 1 hour or less-everyday!

12. It takes me one hour or less to launch an important email campaign to my customers.

What Your Score Means

If you scored a 7 or less, you're working way too hard for business and leaving money on the table. Most likely, you're developing one account at a time instead of creating a sales process that can run on auto-pilot until someone is ready to buy from you. While that's certainly the way most of us were taught to get more business, and it's been done like that for decades, it's not a very efficient use of your time, or a very profitable way to spend your day, or much fun.

If you scored an 8 or above, you're doing a great job of marketing to and reselling your existing customers. You should look for new sales opportunities with a targeted prospect list or try online advertising. Redouble your efforts with existing customers. Customers think of you as a trusted friend and treat your communications as information, not advertising. A good customer contact program includes 12-18 "touches" per year.

Lori Feldman is president of Aviva, a mailing list and database marketing and Internet consulting firm and an ACT! Software Certified Consultant. She is this year's Direct Marketer of the Year, awarded by the Direct Marketing Assn. of St. Louis. Reach her at http://www.aviva-aviva.com/act.html

---

Google News Updated : Sun, 07 Sep 2008 08:08:09 GMT 'Home: A Novel' by Marilynne Robinson - Los Angeles Times Washington Post 'Home: A Novel' by Marilynne Robinson Los Angeles Times - 1 hour ago Drawing on the characters of prize-winning novel 'Gilead,' Marilynne Robinson revisits an Iowa town. By Emily Barton UNLIKE novels that delight in plot twists and structural play, Marilynne Robinson's Pulitzer Prize-winning "Gilead" is seemingly ... Back at home, troubled siblings look for refuge Boston Globe Their Father's House Washington Post The Oregonian - OregonLive.com - Austin American-Statesman - News & Observer all 7 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 07 Sep 2008 07:04:58 GMT Gates outacts Seinfeld in Back To The Future - CNET News Seattle Times Gates outacts Seinfeld in Back To The Future CNET News - 8 hours ago Which is why Crispin Porter Bogusky, the agency responsible for the otherworldly new Microsoft TV spot featuring the clowning Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld, is already happy. Microsoft's Renewed Vista Strategy PC World Journals week in review: news from One Microsoft Way Ars Technica InformationWeek - New York Times - MacMod - CRN all 522 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:01:52 GMT 'Wrestler' wins Golden Lion - Hollywood Reporter Hollywood Reporter 'Wrestler' wins Golden Lion Hollywood Reporter - 2 hours ago By Eric J. Lyman ROME - Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler," which set the Venice Lido abuzz after its world premiere Friday, won the festival's top prize Saturday. Video: Mickey Rourke Pinned in 'The Wrestler' AssociatedPress Will victory at the Venice Film Festival help 'The Wrestler' in ... Los Angeles Times Variety - Reuters - Monsters and Critics.com - Washington Post all 445 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 07 Sep 2008 05:36:04 GMT Tim Tebow leads Florida past Miami - Los Angeles Times OnlineSportsHandicapping.com Tim Tebow leads Florida past Miami Los Angeles Times - 1 hour ago * at No. 5 Florida 26, Miami 3: Tim Tebow threw two touchdown passes for the Gators (2-0), who ended a six-game losing streak against the Hurricanes with their first win in the on-again, off-again series since 1985. Tebow's maturity key to Gators' win over Canes - College Football ESPN Marve's debut gives Miami (Fla.) reason for hope SportingNews.com Orlando Sentinel - Seattle Post Intelligencer - CNN International - Independent Florida Alligator all 590 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:58:47 GMT Sarah Palin may have women flocking - to Barack Obama - New York Daily News Times Online Sarah Palin may have women flocking - to Barack Obama New York Daily News - 13 hours ago BY KENNETH R. BAZINET and MICHAEL McAULIFF WASHINGTON - If John McCain wanted to poach the women's vote from Barack Obama, he shouldn't have tapped a running mate who dubbed herself a "pit bull with lipstick. Sarah Palin's appeal to working-class women may be limited Los Angeles Times A feminist's argument for McCain's VP San Francisco Chronicle Boston Globe - Newsweek - The Associated Press - Richmond Times Dispatch all 1,109 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:10:33 GMT Health Buzz: Immunosuppressive Drug Warning and Other Health News - U.S. News & World Report eFluxMedia Health Buzz: Immunosuppressive Drug Warning and Other Health News U.S. News & World Report - Sep 5, 2008 The Food and Drug Administration has asked the manufacturers of Humira, Cimzia, Enbrel, and Remicade—which belong to a class of medications known as tumor necrosis factor alpha blockers (TNF-alpha blockers)—to strengthen the warning for risk of fungal ... FDA urges more caution over TNF blocker infections Reuters Arthritis Drugs Linked to Risks From Infection New York Times WebMD - eFluxMedia - Scientific American all 622 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:23:08 GMT Yes, the mosquitoes were nasty this summer - Yakima Herald-Republic Yes, the mosquitoes were nasty this summer Yakima Herald-Republic - 1 hour ago by Ross Courtney PROSSER - Cody Jansen sloshes through a pasture, his rubber boots squishing in muddy puddles as he goes. He dips a ladle into a tiny pool and looks closely. Rockland resisted West Nile virus query Lower Hudson Journal news Aerial survey being conducted to find mosquito breeding grounds San Jose Mercury News San Francisco Chronicle - Shelbyville News - Atlanta Journal Constitution - dBTechno all 362 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:47:33 GMT RSS feeds Increase Website Traffic

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Promotional Magnets: Promotion that Sticks

Some people are happy with just a business card. For... Read More

Four Keys For Successful Foundation and Corporate Fundraising

Earlier in my career, I worked for a training and... Read More

Take the Logo Litmus Test

Here is your C.I.T.T. (pronounced "kit")[Color ? Illustrate? Type ?... Read More

Use The Neglected Weapons In Your Marketing Arsenal

Business marketers have a lot of weapons in their arsenals... Read More

How to Avoid Giving Away Free Consulting

After spending 30 minutes in a coffee shop with a... Read More

If You Can?t Answer This Question Your Business is Doomed!

How do you answer the seemingly easy question, "What do... Read More

Loyalty Cards Systems ? Beware, Some Should Be Avoided

Recently, I discussed a loyalty card system with a vendor... Read More

Let It Ring

Telemarketing has its place in the marketing arsenal. But telespammers... Read More

Turning The Casual Scanner Into A Buyer

The world is full... Read More

Educating Your Customers

One of the biggest marketing mistakes businesses make today is... Read More

Making the Intangible Real

How do you make the intangible real? How do you... Read More

Web Site Marketing: 10 Little Known Upsell Strategies That Will Magnify Your Profits

What is Upselling?It means pre-selling any additional features of your... Read More

The Marshall Plan -- Or, Customer Aftercare: How To Spend Less & Sell More

My wife likes to shop at the local Safeway. Is... Read More

Why Smart People Dont Know How to Market

As an educated professional, your success is based on what... Read More

Direct Mail Response Devices and How to Craft Them

Successful direct mail packages contain three things: an attractive offer,... Read More

Voice Mail Can Be Your Buddy

Voice Mail is a classy name for "answer Machine". Problem... Read More

How To Recognize Your Niche Marketing Agenda

Starting a business, whether it's retail products or services, must... Read More

Has the Internet Killed Off the Direct Mail Baron?

Over the past 30 years, direct mail has been responsible... Read More

Insiders Secret to Selling Mailing Lists

If you've got a mailing list of at least a... Read More

Online Advertising Versus Traditional Media Advertising

Before I compare today's online advertising with traditional media advertising... Read More

The Beginners Mail Order Business Guide

No claim is made that the steps outlined would be... Read More

Getting New Clients - When Only a Few is More Than Enough

Many of the business owners I speak with are looking... Read More

The 7 Commandments of Marketing

Marketing is the key to success with any business, online... Read More

Successful Surveys: 10 Tips for Better Results

Why would you use an email or online survey when... Read More

The X Factor

So you've invested more time than you ever believed possible... Read More