So you have a website, whats next? Most likely you have a Web 1.0 site that is basically a Business Card and a Brochure cupboard with limited feedback via email forms. You could up the anti to a Web2.0 or even a Web3.0 when it comes or is it here now!). Later for more on that.
But you can sell more stuff via your website without setting up a shop. Have a look at Amazons Associates and EBay Affiliates programs.
See how easy it is to embed something on your website that, if clicked and purchased by somebody, earns you money.
How do you earn the money? Well you have to attract people to your sites. That requires marketing. You could try SEO, you could try Blogging (sound familiar) or you could purchase Adwords
Another way is to become a reseller of services and advertise that on your site. Unashamedly WeeklyBizWiz is a reseller of service from Netregistry
Have a look at reseller programs and affiliate programs. You will be surprised that it can be done so easily.
Oh, what has this got to do with the Credit Crisis? Selling more stuff pays the Credit Card. Using a title like this in your blog attracts people looking for information. They may even buy this book.
The BizWiz
www.boulterassociates.com.au
www.informgroup.com.au
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Worlds Best Sales Tips #2
Over the next few weeks I will add a few Sales Tips from a really good book. "The World's Best Sales Tips by Ciaran McGuigan is a quick toolkit for improving your sales techniques.
Back to the Cold Call, our long term friend. Once you have worked out you are speaking to the righter person what are you going to do? Are you going to say "the reason I cam calling you is to let you know....touch base.....was wondering....was in the area"
The reason for your call has to be a reason for THEM not you. The only way to do that is to tell them how you have helped similar businesses, tell them how you have reduced pain from problems and how you have increased the gains in their business.
Please dont ever say: " So tell me, what keeps you awake at night?" The answer is probably along the lines of ways to stop people asking that question !
So lets look at pain. If you havent figured it out yet, there is a lot of work to doing effective Cold Calling. You have to research the business before you call. Look for announcements, press releases, reorganisations and any other information you can get. You will find out who the people are you need to talk with. You will figure out what is happening and you can figure out how your products and services can help that company reduce pain and increase gain.
A good tool is Google Alerts. Just pug in the company name or any other criteria you want to search on and an email will be delivered each day with all references. Use this over a period of time to build a picture of the Suspects you have in your Pipeline and come up with ways to convert them to Prospects.
You wont waste time on dumb cold calls. You will bring more value and knowledge to your customer and your products and services should be a better fit.
TheBizWiz
www.boulterassociates.com.au
www.informgroup.com.au
Back to the Cold Call, our long term friend. Once you have worked out you are speaking to the righter person what are you going to do? Are you going to say "the reason I cam calling you is to let you know....touch base.....was wondering....was in the area"
The reason for your call has to be a reason for THEM not you. The only way to do that is to tell them how you have helped similar businesses, tell them how you have reduced pain from problems and how you have increased the gains in their business.
Please dont ever say: " So tell me, what keeps you awake at night?" The answer is probably along the lines of ways to stop people asking that question !
So lets look at pain. If you havent figured it out yet, there is a lot of work to doing effective Cold Calling. You have to research the business before you call. Look for announcements, press releases, reorganisations and any other information you can get. You will find out who the people are you need to talk with. You will figure out what is happening and you can figure out how your products and services can help that company reduce pain and increase gain.
A good tool is Google Alerts. Just pug in the company name or any other criteria you want to search on and an email will be delivered each day with all references. Use this over a period of time to build a picture of the Suspects you have in your Pipeline and come up with ways to convert them to Prospects.
You wont waste time on dumb cold calls. You will bring more value and knowledge to your customer and your products and services should be a better fit.
TheBizWiz
www.boulterassociates.com.au
www.informgroup.com.au
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Balloons and other advertising gadgets
What is it with balloons and Car Sale Yards?
I know I am a sad case, but today I noticed each car yard I went past had balloons tied to their cars. Was it balloon day for the cars? Obviously, the tactic worked. I saw the balloons moving all over the place and as I sat at traffic lights, I secretly hoped some would blow away in the strong wind. But the funny thing is I never noticed any of the cars for sale. I can see a session at the next Car Sales Manager Conference: "100 places to tie balloons to Cars".
At one yard, I noticed the now required balloons but then my eyes were taken to the giant "person" waving in the now stronger wind. Once again I never noticed the cars. Worse still I don't think I can tell you the name of the car yard.
This got me thinking about other promotional devices used in business. Ask any PA or Administrator in a business about conferences-events-promotional items and I can guarantee they will pull out at least one 50 page plus, full colour, catalogue of items that profess to keep the business name in front of mind.
A quick count on my desk shows four pens with obligatory website and phone contact details, one post it note pad with catchy logo and website(again) and one A4 notepad from another conference (with the sponsor's name and website). All of this things are very handy and I am more than happy to receive them. But do they make me come back to their website again or buy their products?
It is one of the conundrums of marketing, how to measure the response to a promotion or advertising campaign. Who knows, the subliminal message of using the pen each day may influence a purchase at some future time. More likely the pen will run out and I will be left with a remnant memory: " I used to have a pen with a website for that photocopier reseller, geez I wish I had it so I could buy a photocopier from them.......oh well fire up google again."
Next time I see the balloons, I promise to make a conscious decision to look at the car dealers name. I promise to pay more attention to the websites on the pens I use. And next time I write a note on my pad I will look at who the company was that kindly gave me the pad.
I hope you do as well.
the BizWiz
www.informgroup.com.au
www.boulterassociates.com.au
I know I am a sad case, but today I noticed each car yard I went past had balloons tied to their cars. Was it balloon day for the cars? Obviously, the tactic worked. I saw the balloons moving all over the place and as I sat at traffic lights, I secretly hoped some would blow away in the strong wind. But the funny thing is I never noticed any of the cars for sale. I can see a session at the next Car Sales Manager Conference: "100 places to tie balloons to Cars".
At one yard, I noticed the now required balloons but then my eyes were taken to the giant "person" waving in the now stronger wind. Once again I never noticed the cars. Worse still I don't think I can tell you the name of the car yard.
This got me thinking about other promotional devices used in business. Ask any PA or Administrator in a business about conferences-events-promotional items and I can guarantee they will pull out at least one 50 page plus, full colour, catalogue of items that profess to keep the business name in front of mind.
A quick count on my desk shows four pens with obligatory website and phone contact details, one post it note pad with catchy logo and website(again) and one A4 notepad from another conference (with the sponsor's name and website). All of this things are very handy and I am more than happy to receive them. But do they make me come back to their website again or buy their products?
It is one of the conundrums of marketing, how to measure the response to a promotion or advertising campaign. Who knows, the subliminal message of using the pen each day may influence a purchase at some future time. More likely the pen will run out and I will be left with a remnant memory: " I used to have a pen with a website for that photocopier reseller, geez I wish I had it so I could buy a photocopier from them.......oh well fire up google again."
Next time I see the balloons, I promise to make a conscious decision to look at the car dealers name. I promise to pay more attention to the websites on the pens I use. And next time I write a note on my pad I will look at who the company was that kindly gave me the pad.
I hope you do as well.
the BizWiz
www.informgroup.com.au
www.boulterassociates.com.au
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
World's Best Sales Tips #1
Over the next few weeks I will add a few Sales Tips from a really good book. "The World's Best Sales Tips by Ciaran McGuigan is a quick toolkit for improving your sales techniques.
One of the classic problems is Cold Calling. Let's face it nobody likes rejection and Cold Calling has quite a bit of this.
In Chapter 1 of this book Ciaran talks about the initial greeting. A BIG mistake is not qualifying that you are talking to the person you expect. Don't assume that the person answering is the person you expect to be talking to. You could have been put through to the wrong extension number or another person may be answering the phone for that person.
A really funny spin on this is: Show up & Throw Up from the SalesRoundup Podcast team. This is extreme but Ii think we have all seen elements of this.
What has been your experience? Heard any good stories?
TheBizWiz
www.boulterassociates.com.au
www.informgroup.com.au
One of the classic problems is Cold Calling. Let's face it nobody likes rejection and Cold Calling has quite a bit of this.
In Chapter 1 of this book Ciaran talks about the initial greeting. A BIG mistake is not qualifying that you are talking to the person you expect. Don't assume that the person answering is the person you expect to be talking to. You could have been put through to the wrong extension number or another person may be answering the phone for that person.
A really funny spin on this is: Show up & Throw Up from the SalesRoundup Podcast team. This is extreme but Ii think we have all seen elements of this.
What has been your experience? Heard any good stories?
TheBizWiz
www.boulterassociates.com.au
www.informgroup.com.au
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