SPECIAL BENEFIT: When you deliver results as a specialist you also establish yourself as an expert in your field. Customers will automatically refer other prospects to you. They value what you did for them and they're confident you can deliver same results for others.

3 SIMPLE STEPS TO BECOMING A SPECIALIST

Becoming a specialist is easier than you may think. You can accomplish it in 3 simple steps:

1. Divide your primary market into several narrowly defined markets.

2. Take each market, one at a time, and learn everything you can about prospects in it.

3. Revise your marketing approach and selling materials to appeal to specific needs of prospects in each new market. Use their own unique language and style of communication.

TIP: Existing customers who match profile of prospects in a market you've targeted can help you develop your sales approach for that market. Contact some of them and ask why they bought your product or service. What do they like best about it? Why did they choose you instead of a competitor? They'll give you a lot of information you can use to develop your appeal to other prospects who are like them.

You'll always have competitors. But you don't have to lower your price to compete with them. Instead, become a specialist and cater to prospects in a narrowly defined targeted market. Your understanding and insight into their unique situation will establish you as expert in your field. They'll want to do business with YOU even if you don't offer lowest price.

3. STIMULATE YOUR PROSPECT TO START ENJOYING THE BENEFIT NOW

...by taking immediate action to get it. Three of ways you can persuade immediate action are:

** Make an offer with a short time deadline. (discount, bonus, etc.) ** Provide several easy, fast ways to buy. The more better. (online, phone, fax, etc.) ** Guarantee fast delivery. This is easy if you can deliver your product or service online. Otherwise, offer to ship your product immediately or start providing service immediately after your customer orders it.

IS IT A BENEFIT?

Be sure you're promoting biggest benefit your customers get from your product or service -- not a feature of it. A feature is what your product or service is. A benefit is what your product or service does for your customers.

For example, an anti-virus software program may include weekly online updates. That's a feature. The benefit is -- a new computer virus will never destroy any data on my computer. That's result a buyer wants. People never buy something to get a feature. They always buy to get benefit produced by feature.

WORKS FOR A SMALL AD TOO

Including all 3 methods of promoting a benefit in a small ad can be challenging because of limited space available. Here's an example of how one business did it with only 18 words.

"Take more profit from your business and enjoy less stress! Find out how - before your competition does."

Customers buy your product or service to gain benefit it offers. Determine what that benefit is. Then use it 3 different ways in all your marketing materials and promotions. You'll be surprised by how it increases your sales and profits.