Here are 5 successful marketing techniques you can use to increase your sales. All of them are simple to use. And they're effective for building any businesses.

1. KEEP ADDING SOMETHING NEW

Every time you add something new to your business you create an opportunity to get more sales. For example, something as simple as adding new information on your web site creates another selling opportunity when prospects and customers visit your site to see new information.

Adding a new product or service to list of those you already offer usually produces a big increase in sales. The added product increases your sales in 3 different ways:

** It attracts new customers who were not interested in your current products and services.

** It generates repeat sales from existing customers who also want to have your new product.

** It enables you to get bigger sales by combining 2 or more items into special package offers.

2. BECOME A VALUABLE RESOURCE

Look for ways you can be a resource for your prospects and customers. Supply them with free information. Help them do things faster, easier, less expensively. You get another opportunity to sell something every time they come back to you for help.

3. SEPARATE YOURSELF FROM YOUR COMPETITION.

Find or create a reason for customers to do business with you instead of with someone else offering same or similar products. For example, do you provide faster results, easier procedures, personal attention or a better guarantee?

Determine unique advantage you offer to customers that your competitors do not offer. Promote that advantage in all of your advertising. Give your prospects a reason to do business with you instead of with your competition and you'll automatically get more sales.

4. PROMOTE THE END RESULT

YOU KNOW YOUR BUSINESS IS FAILING WHEN…

by Joann Marsili © 2001

Over years, we have talked with many different types of businesses. The businesses having most difficulty being successful inevitably have same type of issues.

YOUR BUSINESS IS FAILING WHEN YOU....

Assume Everyone Already Knows What Your Business Is -- Just hang out your shingle and everyone will come running, right?

Wrong! People won't notice you unless you take time to interest them in what you do. Consumers or businesses are very busy just trying to go about their business. Tell everyone what you are doing, give everyone your business card, and volunteer to give presentations in your specialty. In addition, don't qualify people indiscriminately -- tell EVERYONE! The bank teller may have a brother who is looking for exactly your product. You never know where or how networking connections are made.

When people do express an interest, get their name, address, and phone number and start a database of potential clients. These people have pre-qualified themselves and you need to find out how to sell your product to them. If you sell to consumers, you might gather names through business- card drawings, guest books, etc. If you sell to other businesses, you might run promotional seminars or sign up to display at a trade show.

DON'T PUT TOGETHER A MARKETING PLAN –

Who needs to market a business?