Once you know exactly who your prospects are, you can start advertising to them. Here are 10 golden rules to help you:
- It is easier to sell to the customers you already have than to get a new customer. Therefore, 70 percent of your advertising dollars should be spent on re-selling to your existing customers, and only 30 percent on getting new customers. Use direct mail to send newsletters with offers to your customers.
- Sell only to those who want what you have to sell and have the money to pay for it. Do not lower your prices, simply add more value. For example, sell a service and give some physical products for free or sell a package of complementary products. This way, your customers think they are getting a bargain.
- The best way to get new customers is to give away a sample of your product for free. Instead of paying for advertising, put that money into creating free samples for prospective customers.
- Learn the reasons why your customers will buy your products. They should be emotional, compelling reasons. Remember, people don’t need a drill, they need a hole. This is why it is important to find the result your product or service will produce for your customer. Sell the sizzle, not the sausage.
- The more information you give in your advertisements, the more sales will result from it. Research shows advertisements that look like articles are 500 percent more likely to be read than those that obviously look like ads.
- Always monitor the response to your advertisements. In fact, always measure everything you do in your business. The results will tell you what works and what doesn’t.
- Don’t try to make your ad look beautiful. It is not about beauty, but about the content – the words you use. Your words should be persuasive and emotionally-compelling, with an attention-grabbing, benefit-driven headline.
- Always use client testimonials because they increase credibility. Greater credibility leads to more sales.
- Make different advertisements and headlines and test them first. Use flyers and e-mail for this, then measure your results. Only after you are sure the ads work should you pay for advertising.
- Don’t listen to the opinions of others. People may mean well, but have they achieved success? Only consider the results you are getting through your testing and monitoring.
Hannah du Plessis