MAKE YOUR BUSINESS MORE PROFITABLE

Make Your Business More Profitable
Copyright 2005 Bob Leduc
http://BobLeduc.com

More sales and more profit. Isn't that what you want from
your business? It's not hard to achieve if you follow these
4 simple tips.

1. Keep Adding More New Markets

Every new market you open captures a new layer of sales
...and makes your business more secure. The more markets you
serve the less dependent you are on the sales from any one
market.

Tip: You can quickly add several profitable new markets to
your business by sub-dividing your present market into
several narrowly defined niche markets. Then create
customized versions of your current advertising that offers
specific solutions to the unique needs of each niche market.

2. Continually Add Something New

Every time you add something new to your business you create
additional opportunities to close sales. For example, by
just adding one new product or service to the list of those
you already offer you create 3 new selling opportunities:

1) It attracts new prospects who are not interested your
current products and services.

2) It generates activity from existing customers who want to
find out about your new product.

3) It enables you to create attractive combination packages
of two or more items ...which also produces some bigger
sales for you.

Tip: Even something as simple as adding something new to
your web site creates more selling opportunities for you
...by attracting both new visitors and repeat visitors.

3. Find Some Ways to Generate Publicity

Publicity is what you get when somebody else promotes (or
you get them to promote) your business. It creates more
credibility than advertising - and generates sales without
an advertising expense.

Look for some ways you can generate some publicity for your
business. For example, contact non-competing businesses that
serve customers in your market. Offer to publicize their
products and services to your customers in exchange for
their publicizing your services to their customers.

Tip: Don't expect non-paid publicity to replace your paid
advertising. Instead, use publicity to supplement your
advertising. You control where and when your advertising
appears - and what it says. But you cannot control where or
when you get publicity ...or how effective it is.

4. Implement a System to Promote Customer Referrals

Referrals from customers are easier to sell than cold
prospects. And they don't cost you anything. Unfortunately,
most customers don't volunteer referrals. You have to ask
for them.

A simple, passive way to ask for referrals is to use a brief
customer survey. Send it to customers by postal mail, email,
or post it on your web site. The survey I use only asks 3
questions:

1) What did you like best about our (product or service)?

2) What can we do to improve the value of our (product or
service) for you?

3) Who else do you know that wants to (state the benefit
provided by your product or service)?

The first 2 questions focus your customer's attention on the
benefits they got from you. Customers will be more likely to
provide referrals at the 3rd question when you have them
thinking about the value of those benefits.

Tip: Pay attention to the answers you get to the first
question. It often generates a response you can use as a
testimonial (with your customer's permission).

More sales and more profit. If that's what you want from
your business, start by following these 4 simple tips. They
produce results quickly ...and don't require much of your
time or money.

Bob Leduc spent 20 years helping businesses like yours find
new customers and increase sales. He just released a New
Edition of his manual, How To Build Your Small Business Fast
With Simple Postcards ...and launched *BizTips from Bob*, a
newsletter to help small businesses grow and prosper. You'll
find his low-cost marketing methods at: http://BobLeduc.com
or call: 702-658-1707 After 10 AM Pacific Time/Las Vegas, NV