A great looking website, a smooth sales-page with sharp copy and extra bonuses, can sell anything! Even if it’s not really worth it. You’ll only know if it IS worth it, when you give it a go for yourself.

PLUS – by doing this, you will certainly avoid any complaints from disgruntled buyers, if you have sold them something which under-delivers and over-promises.

I read a fantastic article a few years ago. It was advertising a Do-It-Yourself Swimming Pool Kit. It had fantastic pictures of glorious hot summer days, with crystal clear waters gently rippling inside a pool…… with sales copy which grabbed your attention….

“Don’t spend $10,000 - $100,000 or more with professional pool installation…. Create your own with our very special and exclusive D.I.Y. Swimming Pool Kit. For just $299 (with free shipping)….. “

On and on sale copy went, drawing reader in… getting them excited on how they could save a fortune by doing it themselves….

This company was receiving lots of enquiries from interested people wanting to become affiliates for their Mail Order program….. it was all going ‘swimmingly’ well! (please excuse pun!)

But behind scenes, it was all going wrong. Horribly wrong….

For customers. The sales copy had been so carefully and cleverly written that no-one spotted two fatal things… Firstly, there was no offer of a guarantee, or money-back refund policy. But hey… with an offer this good, there wouldn’t be any need… or would there??!!

Next, nowhere in sales material did it actually mention what D.I.Y. Swimming Pool Kit consisted of….. and here lies problem.

Surely enough… customers orders were placed, checks cashed, and product shipped…..

So what was in shipment when it arrived at front door?

The D.I.Y. Swimming Pool Kit contained… a garden spade and a hose-pipe.

Technically, company hadn’t broken any rules at time. And they were under no obligation to make refunds. However customers were not happy!

You see, people just like you and me, were promoting, marketing, advertising this in order to make a sale / commission….

But without knowing exactly what it was.

So, moral of story is…….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Copyright © 2004 Gary Durkin All rights reserved worldwide. Gary Durkin is owner of http://www.247-Profit.com And creator of Serling Combination® package. You are free to distribute this article, providing it remains unchanged and with this box attached.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5. You will not have to start out from scratch should you have a similar need to re-apply for funds, tender an invitation to a partner, or supply data for experts should you consider 'going public.' The evidence of before-and-after progress is helpful as a contribution to a 'for sale' proposal, or for a sudden and urgent offer to buy. Plans for expansion, mergers, spin-offs, or cooperative alliances can start with your collected data.

6. Your business plan, with its appendices, is a convenient repository for company data and records, equipment details, floor plans, measurements, maps, contact details for legal and accounting consultants, general historical information, industry descriptions including your historical SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis of past, current and future at time of its writing.

7. Create in-house displays of your mission statement, organizational chart or photographs and biographical sketches of your benefactors and supporters.

Don't have a business plan in your files? Begin preparing portions today as an investment for that day when you will need one. It's quite probable that when that need arises you will be too pre-occupied to devote required time and energy on an appropriate plan.

Now, you have a greater incentive to do a more thorough business plan today, knowing it is going to serve several useful purposes in future.