Five Ways To Increase Retail Sales Without Being A Marketing Guru!

Isn’t it amazing, “how” much continuous effort and money, your average, local  retailer will invest in the cosmetic side of their business, but virtually ignore and or  neglect altogether, the actual mechanics of systematically growing their business.

Case in point: tons of extremely dedicated entrepreneurs, will try and  increase retail sales by investing in bright company T shirts for their team. Or they  will create beautiful looking multi color brochures.(Gotta have those!)

Or they’ll go the extra mile  and a half when it comes to color coordinating the  inside of their stores.All of which is great BTW!

But my friend, rest assured, once a potential customer/client takes the time to  physically visit your bright,well lit store.

It’s what happens between the time they  decide to buy something and what happens after they do, that is going to have a  far more lasting impact, on whether or not, in five short years or less, your business  is part of the 88% that (for any number of reasons) simply doesn’t make it!

Or part of the remaining 12% that does!It cost (on average) an outrageous fortune just to capture and or generate that all important, very first customer and or client, using traditional means.

In which case, you may not even break even on your very sale or two!(Believe it or not!) That’s “why” it’s simply imperative, that you not just work in your business, but on growing it as well!

The following five incredibly simple, (yet) battlefield tested marketing strategies, will definitely help you do so!

So How Do You Increase Sales Without Being A Marketing Guru?

First and foremost, don’t ever forget this; right now another profit seeking entrepreneur is already servicing the potential customers and or clients you’re currently pursuing!

Meaning: they’re already (in some form and or fashion) another entrepreneurs customer and or client.

So part of your (our) marketing purpose, is to systematically persuade them to become part of your – our long term customer/client base as well!

And the proven processes and or strategies and tactics that you and I consistently use, in order to accomplish that, is the major difference between merely working in your business, as opposed to systematically working on growing your business!

Following these five proven strategies will definitely help you accomplish the latter.Of course it goes without saying (entrepreneur), none of these market tested strategies, are of the “magic bullet” variety!

Meaning: you don’t stick them in the marketing microwave for 2.5 minutes and “poof” instant business success! 😎 If only! Keep in mine, in order to truly be successful with regards to successfully implementing these (and or), any other potential marketing strategies you may wish to employ.

You’ve got to follow the same basic proven marketing fundamentals, of inexpensively A/B split testing and monitoring etc.It’s just when you do so with regards to implementing these particular marketing strategies and tactics, you’ll find far less of your major competitors consistently doing so!

1.) Business building strategy #one: This first long term (potential) marketing strategy is huge!So please pay close attention!

Entrepreneur, you “who” else (besides) your local banker (and or) well meaning friends and family members, that originally loaned you money, desperately wants see your business and or service do extremely well?

Any ideas?Your local vendors that supply and service your account!That’s who!

So you might actually take the time to “ask” if they happen to have an information library of some kind, (how to) stuff if you will, on “how to” better grow you business!

Seriously! The owner(s) may very well be the types that are all about growing their business, in which case they may have (and or) are currently invested in (either) (A.) attending actual live “how to” improve and or grow your business type of one or two day marketing/ closing more sales workshops etc!

Or (B.) they may actually be paying members of some type of advanced marketing/sales training learning info they can and more than likely, would be glad to turn you onto!Because your ultimate success is there’s as well!

This might include DVD’s, ebooks, how to courses, recorded tele- and or online webinars etc!It doesn’t hurt to continuously ask!

 2.)  Business building strategy # two: Next, according a recent study conducted by BigbasketCo.com, companies including Mom & Pop small local retailers, can help their customers/shoppers, on average spend up to 25% more and remain in your store an additional 15 minutes longer!

Simply by providing shopping carts of some kind!Pretty basic,right? 😎

It’s Not A Matter Of If You’ll Increase Retail Sales When You Follow A Proven Blueprint! (Don’t You Agree?)

 3.)  Business building strategy # three: This next really gets um constantly talking!Both on and offline.Inexpensively test providing a “first five (or X) number of customers that enter your store daily award of some kind!

In other words, create (and or get) some type of  really cool, but not necessarily expensive,“thank you for stopping by today gift” incentive coupons of some kind, and have your best cashiers/associates hand them out (on a daily basis) to the first five (and or X) number of customers that enter your store every day!

And again, it doesn’t have to be something over the top or even outrageously expensive! Quite the contrary!In fact, you may even get them from other local (non competing local vendors!)

For ex: let’s say your store is located in a mini mall, along with seven other stores. And let’s say one of those stores is (either) a pizza shop and or Mom & Pop  bakery.

In the summertime, why not arrange to give the first five (or X number) of customers that enter your shop, a one day only coupon that entitles them to one large soda, large lemonade (and or coffee or cocoa during the winter) at  50% off or “free” with any purchase of a large pizza, courtesy of (the name of the participating pizza shop and or bakery and or mini mart etc.)

And it’s got today’s date, so they either use it that day or it expires! And you might do the same with the bakery. Find out “what” the bakery wants to offer as an “irresistible” discounted offer and or coupon, in order to attract potential first time customers, and let your customers choose which coupon they want!

 4.)  Business building strategy # four: Now as a proven “piggybacking” strategy off of that last, powerful word of mouth and mouse generating marketing strategy.Since word will quickly start to spread about your first X daily customers to visit your store (rewards) marketing strategy.

Make an arrangement with any of the vendors you’re successfully implementing this strategy with, and get them to also include one VIP coupon  each that entitles the holder to 80% off their purchase of anything over say $10 dollars!Huh?

(And if they spend less than the stated “market tested” amount, they only save 20%!)

It creates a “giant” ongoing on and offline positive word of mouth buzz for both of your businesses!The customer remembers “where” they originally got the coupon and they also “brag”, tweet, text, post on Instagram and FB their friends and family members about the actual savings as well!

And it systematically builds long term “goodwill”  for literally pennies on the dollar people! And it’s so cost effective at doing so!And it certainly beats the outrageously expensive alternatives!

Don’t Let The Size Of Your Business Determine The Size Of Your Determination!

 5.)  Business building strategy # five: And “finally”,if you happen to have any type of wall directly behind your counter. You can and should inexpensively “test” at least a couple of potential marketing strategies!To make effective use of that prime marketing space

(A.) Have a  really “big” sign announcing your blank “contest” of the week and or month!(B.) Periodically “announce” any new products and or services you will introducing shortly! And advice them to go to a special lead capture page on your mobile responsive WordPress blog for all the exciting details!

And BTW, your contest could (and definitely) should be things like, “the number one suggestion of the week and or month to improve our business contest!”

Reward every body that participates in some meaningful way, but your top three or five suggestions, that you and your staff decide on! Do something really cool for them entrepreneur and they’ll keep over delivering for you as well!And spreading the word like crazy! 😎

That’s just a really small sample, of “how” you can (and definitely should) systematically go about increasing retail sales! Don’t you agree?

Now as is customary during this part of our show.

Please share your extremely valuable comments (in the comments section below) that you can apply to your business, product or service in the next 30 days or less!

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