Here are three steps your customers want you to get right, before they'll make up their mind to buy from your company.

1. Welcome them.

Make them feel wanted. People will gravitate like magnets to a company that makes them feel important and appreciated. There is a whole range of subtle signals that tell customers whether you're happy to see them. Your tone of voice, your facial expression, your posture, even way you're dressed - all these things send powerful messages.

2. Understand them.

Show empathy. Don't just understand from head; understand on a feeling level also. Look for clues in their tone of voice and body language. One customer may be afraid to ask a question because they don't want to appear ignorant? Well, your job is to give them information in a non-threatening way. Another customer may use aggressive behaviour as a way of getting some attention? You should recognize this and massage their ego in a way that will calm them down and redirect their focus.

1. Use a PS and PSS after your signature. In PS, summarize key benefit. In PSS restate bonus or reason for ordering right now. Only your subject line is more important than your PS!

2. Vary your subject and medium. If you send out a monthly email promotion, vary subject line. One month, your subject line could read 'Hi! It's Jake.' The next month it could read $1.99 special for first hundred responses. With your 'Hi! It's Jake' subject line you could send an article with tips that will help your customers with common problems. Your '$1.99 special' could be a direct ad. By altering format that you send, (article one time, ad next) you will get more prospects past subject line and into your email.

3. Mail your customers on a more frequent basis. If you send your customers a promotion once a month, double it. Send them a promotion every two weeks.

4. Use add-on sales. The best place to get an add-on sale is just before your prospect places their order. Include two buttons or links at bottom of your order form, one for ordering just product and one for ordering your product with an add-on. Here's a quick example. You are selling an ebook you have written called Marketing. Your add-on is a Lifetime upgrade.

a. At bottom of order form you include a text link that says 'Click here to order Marketing for only $19.95.'

b. Directly underneath, you place a second text link that says 'Click here to order Marketing, including your Lifetime Upgrades for only $29.95.

c. Place a short paragraph after button, explaining all benefits of ordering Lifetime upgrades as well. After paragraph, place Lifetime Upgrades order link again.

5. Upsell to a better product. If you are offering free autoresponders, upsell your customers to a better version of your product. Quick example. You offer a free, quality autoresponder which sends a single message. If your customer upgrades to a 'Gold' autoresponder for only $2.95 per month, they get an autoresponder which can send up to ten, time delayed messages.

6. Use current events to propel your sales. If inflation figures have just risen again, offer an 'Inflation Buster' promo.