Any layers that can be trimmed in process of getting an item or service to consumer lowers final cost to consumer. That's why I am a member of "Sam's Club." I can buy many items I use every day at near wholesale prices. I am a member of many other buying clubs for same reason.

I'm sure many of you look at cost of goods and services on-line and wonder if you can 't reduce price by getting them wholesale too. You wonder if you can't cut out middleman. The answer to that question is often yes, but path is filled with dangers.

What is keeping you - and me - from buying more things wholesale on-line? When I look at a services such a domain registration or web hosting, answer is either ignorance or fear. I'm very comfortable with my current web hosting arrangement for example. I get very dependable service and a price I am happy with. Yet, like many of you, I often wonder if I shouldn't be using a cheaper service.

Actually, I know that I can host domains on my own dedicated server for as little as $1 each per month, and in some places for much less. I know this because I've been contacted by big web hosting wholesalers. However, this is not an area I want to venture into at this time. An acceptable reason for me right now is that I don't want to get involved in technical end of things. I have a friend in hosting business and he thinks it's a nightmare at times. All of customer service calls for his bargain hosting drives him crazy.

If you'd like your business to sell more, keep reading. Here are 3 simple and effective steps that exceptional businesses use to grow sales.

Step One: Throw out all reasons why you're not selling more.

That's right, those same reasons you just came up with. What if you had to come up with ways to sell more, despite those reasons? What would you do?

For example, many business owners say they can't sell more because of poor economy. That's a good reason, but so what. At same time, some businesses thrive in poor economic times.

What about "no money" reason? Many businesses don't have a marketing budget. There are similarly strapped companies who grow on a shoestring. They don't let good reasons stop them. Don't let good reasons stop your business from succeeding.

Step Two: Start marketing.

Use your reasons as a starting point. Take poor economic times. In poor economic times, what do people want? In general, people are looking for value or fun or both value and fun. How can you add fun to your business? Can you offer discounts for stocking up? Discounts for prepaying? Or instead of a discount, how can you offer more value?