Try to expand marketing actions that are working.

What’s Not Working At All?

Pretty obvious what we should do with these, right? Quit doing them. Don’t live on false hope that someday these tactics will surprise you. You don’t have time for that luxury. Concentrate on what’s working now and what can be improved.

What’s Not Working As Well At It Should & How Can It Be Improved?

Many of your marketing tactics may be yielding results, just not to level you would like. It’s time to assess these and determine ways to improve them. Maybe a lot of traffic is coming to your website but your conversion to sales is small. Then you need to redesign website. What would make your site more attractive to potential customers? Don’t know? Ask them! Add a survey form to your site. Ask your customer what they would like to find on your site. Be as ruthless as you can in assessing your site. Ask others to give you candid advice about your website and LISTEN TO THEM!

In this same way, you will look at every marketing tactic which is yielding results but could do better. As you do this, you will be well on your way to improving results of your marketing efforts and freeing up time from those actions that are failing you now.

The hardest part of tuning up your marketing efforts is getting started. The time is NOW! Ready?

Marketing will be key in moving your business to next stage, Troubled Teen Stage. Why “Troubled” Teens? In this stage your business can start to spin out of control. You need to establish systems to help you manage your sales and delight your customers. You need to take a close look at your products and drop low performers. And, marketing once again gets ramped up. Successfully executed, your actions in this stage will lead you to Young Adult Stage.

In Young Adult Stage, you will more firmly establish your selling presence on eBay™ with an eBay™ Store. You will start to shift where you spend your time from auctions to more online sales. You’ll need to add new products and weed out low performing products. At same time, you will continue to increase your marketing activities to include click advertising and an autoresponder.

These activities should take you to next stage, Maturity Stage. In Maturity Stage, your business is firmly established. Sound good? Yes, but it is also second most dangerous stage after your start-up stage. Why? Your business is doing well. The profits are rolling in. You aren’t working as hard because of systems you established. Why is this dangerous? You will have urge to relax and put company on autopilot.

Shouldn’t you be able to relax and enjoy fruit of your labors? Of course. However, remember that each day others just like you are beginning to launch their businesses. And, they are coming after you. They want your customers. Now is time to really assess your marketing efforts. What’s working? What’s not working? Do more of what’s working because one last choice remains. Are you going to renew your business or watch it slowly die?

In last stage, Renewal or Death Stage, you need to learn to look at your business with fresh eyes and start this journey all over again. On second trip, you will have more confidence, knowledge and expertise. You will also have acquired some bad habits. It’s time to shed those and lead your business once more through stages of its life. The beat goes on…