Work Backward And Make More Sales!

It goes against the grain, especially for those of us used to "business at the speed of light." But bear with me. I'm not trying to teach you Zen philosophy. But I am going to show you how working backward can move your business forward.

Let's start with a purchase. That's a great place to be, isn't it? The moment when your prospect has become your customer. When money changes hands and your widget or service finds a new home. It's beautiful.

But what got your customer to this point?

I can actually hear a few of you saying, "Who cares? All that matters is that she's here." Well, that attitude may work for a garage sale. Or even a going out of business sale. But if you want more customers, and more moments like this one, it really helps to know what got us here.

So you can do it all over again.

Go ahead and ask her some questions. Get her to fill out a survey. Analyze your web logs. Act like a secret agent if you have to and find out what brought her to you. Find out things like:

How did you hear about us? You absolutely have to know what methods of promotion are working, and what isn't. Otherwise you waste money.

Of course, there are ways to track responses to your marketing without asking. If you're using direct response. If your ad/ commercial/ sales letter asks your prospect to call, use a different number for each ad. Then see which ads bring in the most phone calls. Use coupons, and put a code on each one that tells you where it ran. Have special landing pages on your web site for each and every ad or commercial you run, and track the traffic.

Now you can see what marketing messages are working, and should be increased. And, what isn't working. That you can cut out.

What made you choose us over our competitors? You both know competitors exist, so there's no point in denying it. But your customer has rejected them in favor of you. Why?

Use what you discover here to differentiate yourself in your marketing. That doesn't mean attacking your competitors. It just means calling attention to your more favorable aspects.

What put you in the market for a widget? Find out what problem your product or service is solving. Don't just guess, get the facts. You may be surprised at what you discover. Use this powerful information to craft sales messages that speak to the needs of your prospects.

There are all kinds of ways to get this information. If you have a retail store, you can train your employees to strike up a conversation and ask. You can always give out surveys, and a few customers will fill them out. Offering an incentive, like a discount on their next purchase, is a great way to get more.

Finding out what led your customer to your cash register takes a bit of time and effort. But once you know where the journey started, you can meet others there. And you'll have a much better idea how to guide them to a purchase of their own!

Does your marketing forge an emotional connection with your prospects? It can. Lisa Packer delivers persuasive, targeted copywriting that dramatically increases your business. Unleash the power of words on behalf of your business by visiting http://www.dramatic-copy.com today.

---

Google News Updated : Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:25:40 GMT Aid agencies scramble to help flood victims - CNN CBC.ca Aid agencies scramble to help flood victims CNN - 39 minutes ago (CNN) -- The grinding misery triggered by the massive floods in a downtrodden part of northeastern India and across the border in Nepal persisted Friday, with government and aid agencies swinging into action to help the 2 million-plus people fleeing ... India: Up to 2000 feared dead in Bihar floods guardian.co.uk Millions displaced in Bihar floods PRESS TV Reuters India - CNN International - New York Times all 551 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:45:57 GMT Microwave baby killer convicted - BBC News BBC News Microwave baby killer convicted BBC News - 3 hours ago A US court in Dayton, Ohio, has convicted a mother of murdering her one-month-old daughter by burning her to death in a microwave oven. Video: Prosecutor: Ohio Mom Killed Baby in Microwave AssociatedPress US jury convicts mom in microwaved-baby case International Herald Tribune ToTheCenter.com - WZTV - NBC6.net - Dayton Daily News all 689 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:30:22 GMT Boeing union leaders recommend strike - MarketWatch Washington Post Boeing union leaders recommend strike MarketWatch - 1 hour ago By MarketWatch Leaders of the International Machinists and Aerospace Workers on Friday rejected Boeing's third and final contract proposal and recommended its workers vote to go on strike. Union Leaders Reject Boeing Contract Offer Wall Street Journal Boeing Union Urges Workers to Reject Offer, Setting Up Strike Bloomberg Bizjournals.com - guardian.co.uk - The Associated Press - TheStreet.com all 1,041 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:15:15 GMT US Economy: Spending Slows, Inflation Accelerates (Update1) - Bloomberg Washington Post US Economy: Spending Slows, Inflation Accelerates (Update1) Bloomberg - 6 hours ago By Shobhana Chandra Aug. 29 (Bloomberg) -- US consumer spending grew at a slower pace in July as the impact of the tax rebates faded and a pickup in inflation eroded Americans' buying power. Bonds fall on mixed economic reports CNNMoney.com Consumer spending flags, but confidence rises Reuters Wall Street Journal - New York Times - MarketWatch - AHN all 520 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:25:06 GMT Earwax: Too Much of a Good Thing? - WebMD eFluxMedia Earwax: Too Much of a Good Thing? WebMD - 5 hours ago By Kelley Colihan Aug. 29, 2008 -- The body is a miraculous mechanism. Consider the once-lowly earwax. People used to try to remove it. Leave That Ear Wax Alone Washington Post National Guideline Against Ear Poking eFluxMedia MSNBC - RedOrbit - MedPage Today - eMaxHealth.com all 36 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:32:14 GMT Protests Rise in Thailand In Challenge to Regime - Wall Street Journal GulfNews Protests Rise in Thailand In Challenge to Regime Wall Street Journal - 1 hour ago By JAMES HOOKWAY and STEPHEN WRIGHT BANGKOK -- Waves of antigovernment protests spread beyond Thailand's capital Friday as clashes between police and demonstrators intensified, forcing the closure of several regional airports and disrupting rail ... Thai protest alliance not so happy with democracy The Associated Press US asks Thailand to end crisis through democratic means AFP New York Times - BBC News - guardian.co.uk - Reuters all 2,421 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:33:23 GMT Obama’s Plane Palin Problem - FOXNews BBC News Obama’s Plane Palin Problem FOXNews - 2 hours ago by Major Garrett Reporters covering Barack Obama heard the news aboard Obama 1 (the campaign for the first time chartered a second plane for the swelling press corps), just before takeoff. Video: Raw Video: Schwarzenegger Praises Palin kcratv “Tougher in Alaska” host Geo Beach discusses Sarah Palin Christian Science Monitor CBS News - Chicago Tribune - The Star-Ledger - NJ.com - Seattle Post Intelligencer all 5,468 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:07:29 GMT RSS Parser Increase Search Engine Traffic

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

Adsense websites

Think Creatively While Reinventing Your Marketing and Selling -- Its For Your Survival!

We live in a world that for many has become... Read More

Writing Sales Letters That Sell

The most important part of any marketing you do is... Read More

Marketing: Can I Trust You?

We live in an unprecedented era of communication. Because of... Read More

The Secret to 100% Success With Your Marketing

There's a secret to marketing, which is so simple, yet... Read More

Importance of Endorsements And How To Use Them

Customer endorsements are an inexpensive and easy sales tool, particularly... Read More

What IS the Difference Between Marketing and Sales?

There seems to be a never ending argument among marketing... Read More

A Great Marketing Model ? Utilizing the Power of OPM

Staying ahead of the marketing curve seems to be a... Read More

Lessons From a Six Year Old

My 6 year old daughter Emily knows exactly what she... Read More

Postcards Work

What's the fastest, simplest and cheapest way to promote just... Read More

Why Target the Matures

The "Matures" are the generations that came along between 1909... Read More

Marketing 101: The Power of Marketing

When you hear the word "marketing" what comes to mind?... Read More

Market Research ? How Good is the Data?

"Make money for taking surveys"," Cash for your opinion", "Make... Read More

Laws of Marketing ? The 10 Immutable

Most marketers believe that anything is achievable if you are... Read More

19 Ways To Attract Higher Paying Clients

Some people have little difficulty attracting and maintaining clients who... Read More

People Do Business with People They Like

People do business... Read More

Baby Boomers - Marketing to the Me Generation

Unless you've been in a dimly lit cavern for the... Read More

Devious and Deceptive Packaging

Have you read anything in the news lately about childhood... Read More

Effective Use of Promotional Products and Ad Specialties

1. Determine the goals of your promotional products program. Do... Read More

Helping Your Prospects Overcome ?Buying Fears? By Using Testimonials

You DO use direct marketing for your small business? right?... Read More

Looking for Sky In All The Wrong Places

Ever sit with a single puzzle piece of clouds and... Read More

Building Credibility for Your Business

Small companies that rely on business-to-business sales often find it... Read More

Why Market to Generation X?

Generation X"--the 40 million or so people born between 1965... Read More

Guerrilla Marketing in Action

Guerrilla Marketing is using time, energy and imagination to market... Read More

Digital Printing vs. Press Printing ? A Comparison Guide

When it comes time to print your brand identity materials,... Read More

Ten Ways to Market Your Business by Doing What You Love To Do

Most business owners get so involved in the work of... Read More