First of all - keep in touch with your customers! One of the best ways to do this is with a newsletter. Today it's easier than ever to have a newsletter ? use email. If you don't have your customer's email addresses already, start asking for them when they pay for something at the cash register. Give them an incentive for signing up for your free newsletter ? maybe a free gift or a small discount or even a prize draw they can be entered into.
Use your newsletter to let customers know about sales in advance, extend special invitations to past customers only and open the store during non-regular hours. A popular sporting goods store where I live does this twice a year - and the lineups to get in weave through the store parking lot and people talk about the sale for weeks ? before and after it happens!
This is a GREAT publicity AND sales tool. Add other incentives in the newsletter like: a 10% discount for past customers on a new product line, or offer an old customer a 5% discount on their next purchase if they bring a new customer to a special sale. Give customers a gift for every referral they send to you.
Can you team up with other businesses in your area to offer a "package" promotion? If you are a make-up artist can you team up with the high end dress shops in your community to offer a "bonus" make up package for prom or other special events? By combining services both businesses win and customers love it because they save time since they don't have to run all over town!
This would work well if you gave manicures, pedicures or did hair as well. Professional photographers can also find unique ways to team up with all of these businesses as well. Think "strength in numbers"! If you save the customer time and effort running around THEY WILL BUY FROM YOU and very much appreciate you.
Can you offer a "deal of the month" package? Let's say you own a restaurant on a beach and October through February are always very slow ? and so is your cash flow! Due to construction delays you didn't open until September which means you are going to be struggling this winter unless you get an influx of cash and FAST! How about selling a twelve month package of meals? Set a price for a 3 course dinner (starter, entrée and dessert), multiply by twelve and then take off a small percentage since the customer pays all at once.
Selling these packages allows you an instant influx of cash. You can encourage people to use them as gifts (one gift certificate at a time or the whole book) or they can keep them for themselves to use when they're low on cash.
This idea can be used in many industries, not just food. How about for pet grooming, house cleaning, yard care, car detailing, hair cuts, manicures ? any product or service that is bought more than once!
Is there a time of day, or day of week that is slowest for your business? That's when you have a sale! In the area I live Tuesdays are "cheap movie nights" and all tickets are half price ? it's because historically Tuesdays are the slowest nights at the theatre. Now most Tuesdays the theatres are full!
Think about ways you can make this work for your business. I've heard of tax accountants who offer a discount to people who bring their taxes in to be done before February 1. This gives the accountant some much needed cash after slow season, and helps ease some of the crazy rush around tax time.
Open up your mind ? see what other industries are doing to generate quick cash ? DON'T just look at what's been done in your industry before ? try something new ? become an innovator in your industry. When you do something different you'll stand out ? by being unique your business can really grow!
Wendy McClelland is a motivational speaker, marketing innovator and Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach who specializes in teaching people to "think without boundaries!" She is a past nominee for "Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year" and her clients have included software developers, an Olympic athlete and a wide range of business organizations. She has spoken to 10,000+ conference attendees, about Marketing, Internet Business and Motivation. You can contact her through her website ? http://www.thinkwithoutboundaries.com
![]() Google News Updated : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:05:39 GMT Partisan Reception Greets Palin as VP Pick - ABC News
ABC News - Sarah Palin is receiving a highly partisan reception on the national political stage, with significant public doubts about her readiness to serve as president, yet majority approval of both her selection by John McCain and her willingness to join the ... Video: Joe Biden On Palin's Speech Obama Camp Turns to Clinton to Counter Palin Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:18:50 GMT Thai PM buys time with referendum plan - Reuters
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CNNMoney.com - Unemployment surges to 5-year high as employers cut workers for eighth straight month, bringing '08 job losses to 605000. By Chris Isidore, CNNMoney. Unemployment Rate Hits 5-Year High As Economy Continues to Shed Jobs Unemployment Rate Rises to 6.1% Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:05:45 GMT So What If Sarah Palin Used a Speechwriter? - FOXNews
FOXNews - By Betsy Newmark Disdaining Sarah Palin’s speech last night because she had a speechwriter is one of the lamest criticisms of her performance last night. Video: Inside the Tent: Reactions to Sarah Palin's speech Part 4 Panel Reviews Palin, Previews McCain Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:03:46 GMT McCain honors NH soldier in convention speech - Boston Globe
Boston Globe - ST. PAUL, Minn.—In his speech to the Republican National Convention, presidential candidate John McCain paid tribute to a New Hampshire soldier killed in Iraq. Video: "Change is coming," McCain tells convention - 05 Sept 2008 US media mixed on McCain speech Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:43:54 GMT Haiti doubles hurricane death toll; US extends storm watches and ... - International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune - AP WILMINGTON, North Carolina: Tropical storm watches and warnings in the United States were extended from Georgia to areas just south of New York City on Friday as states along the Atlantic braced for Tropical Storm Hanna, which killed at least 137 ... Southeast states brace for Tropical Storm Hanna Hanna heads to Carolinas; Ike not far behind Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:14:26 GMT State falling way behind No Child Left Behind - San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle - California schools, required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act to lift more students over a higher academic hurdle this year, instead stumbled and slipped back, as nearly 1400 fewer schools met test-score targets. Only 48% of California high schools meet federal standards, even ... Middle schools lead county's API scores Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:41:11 GMT Increased Web Site Traffic |
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