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* Always try to upsell to all your customers. Sell add-on products, deluxe products, extra parts, related products, add-on services, etc. You could offer your customers add-on products before or after they reach your order page. Just make sure the upsell products are complementary to the main product you're selling.
* Place your ad in targeted ezines. Ask the ezine’s owner if you could place your ad in a higher position in exchange for a percentage of the ad's profits. Try negotiating a lower ad price in exchange for your giving them affiliate commissions or an ad in your ezine.
* Try permission marketing to increase your sales. You simply ask people to sign up to your emailing list. They'll already be interested in your messages or ads because they’ve already visited your related web site. You might also offer them incentives for signing up - freebies, discounts, expertise, content, etc.
* Always inform your audience about the kind of support they'll get after they buy. It could be free consulting, tech support, free servicing, etc. This will also answer some of their buying questions ahead of time, and make their purchase decision easier. People don't want to buy products without knowing you will be there to help if they have problems.
* Ask people at the end of your copy why they decided not to buy. This will give you new ideas for producing ad copy that’s more profitable. Have a web form or email link in place so they can answer you on the spot. You may find out they don't like your guarantee or graphics. It could be anything. The point is to know why.
* Brainstorm ways to get your site or business in the the news. Sponsor a fundraiser, break a world record, hold a major event, etc. Simply write a press release about what you’ve accomplished; then send it to media outlets that cater to your target audience.
* Hold a contest on your web site. Give other web sites the option of offering it to their visitors. This'll multiply your advertising all over the internet. It would become a viral contest. Naturally the contest must either be ongoing or held regularly so you could allow other online publishers to offer it to their visitors or subscribers.
* Let your potential customers know that your ordering system is highly secure. Always reassure them that you take every effort to protect them. People want to feel they are safe online. They want to know that you care about their well-being. Tell them all about what you currently do for them to make them feel more secure.
* Take business cards with you wherever you go. Have your web address printed on them. You can hand them out to anyone you meet. Just think of all the people you meet on a regular basis: grocery clerks, post office workers, bag boys, family members, friends, salesmen/women, etc.
* Contact national radio stations to ask them if they are looking for guest speakers. Tell them your area of expertise; maybe they'll book you for a show. Naturally you would want to contact only stations and shows which would want to know more about you and your area of expertise.
* Become a member of clubs related to your area of business. You could trade leads with other businesses. Learn new ways to run your business and sell your products. You could also create your own online business club. You could provide private chat rooms, message boards, articles, etc. Network, network, network...
* Come up with a domain name for your web site that's easy to remember. It should be related to what your business does, sells or provides. If there aren’t any business names available, use your actual birth name. You could at least brand yourself. Your own name will give you credibility too.
* Keep your web site positioned at the top of pay-per-click search engines. You will only pay your set amount for each click-through you get to your web site. Just make sure your profits will pay for your advertising cost. If they won't, maybe you could share a web site with another related business and split the costs.
* Let your visitors and customers help you increase your traffic and sales. Ask them how you can improve your business, web site or product. You can ask them on your web site, in your ezine, on your message board, in your chat room, in your guest book, in your product packages, in your blog, etc.
* Form a joint venture with other ezines that have the same target audience. Combine subscriber bases and then publish one ezine together to increase subscribers. You could all include your ads and announcements in the ezine. You could also take turns for the top advertising space.
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