May 13th, 2010 
Maria Helm 
So you’ve come up with a hot product and a great business model. However, like many small businesses, the recession has left you with less than stellar sales results. And when sales are down, more often than not, profits are too.
So what are the keys to revitalize your business? How do you stand out from the competition? Here some are ideas:
1. Quality is job number one. For a perfect turnkey experience, focus on customer service even prior to the sale by understanding their problem/need, providing solution, and articulating your core difference. Keep your customers satisfied at all times and turn them into partners. Happy customers are retained customers.
2. Utilize YouTube. Think visually. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a narrated video is priceless. YouTube can be your ultimate sales tool. You can parade your inventory around the world using brief walk-round videos that give your e-transactions a nice “brick and mortar” feel.
3. Consider other social media. Find the social media tools that are right for your business. Ignore the rest. A killer web site is vitally important, but customers still must be driven to it. To generate enthusiasm, turn your salespeople into bloggers, producing content mainly for your target audience and to pull their readers to the company’s website.
4. Make buying easy. Your customers may never set foot in your office or showroom. They’re too busy, too far away, or doesn’t really have a need to. To avoid a potential sticking point, include shipping and handling with offered prices. Make sure that your website is an e-commerce site and can take online payments. Be clear about your return and exchange policy as well as an FAQ page for your customers. And most importantly, your website must have a phone number and an email address so customers know how to reach you.
Any other ideas? Feel free to comment.
Posted in 
Tags: 
