Marketing by Stealth! - 49 Steps to market your Business

TO SELL PRODUCTS THAT DON'T COME BACK TO CUSTOMERS WHO DO - WITHOUT INVESTING LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY SPECULATIVELY!

When it is pouring with rain and there is no-one about, it is easy to blame the weather! If the sun is shining, everyone's at the seaside, so blame the weather!

Both situations provide an ideal opportunity to plan your next promotion or to find your next group of customers. Here are 49 Steps to assist you in attracting more customers buying more often from you, visiting you more often and telling friends, neighbours and relatives how good you are.

After all, you want to be first choice or preferred choice in the mind of your customers - nowhere else counts.


1 BEING NOTICED - HOW DO CUSTOMERS FIND YOU?

1.1 Advertising
1.2 Directories
1.3 Recommendations
1.4 Targeting
1.5 Referrals
1.6 Chance
1.7 Being faster/better than the competition

Ideas to implement

Try putting 2 labels on some selected items, one for the purchaser and one for the user to give to a friend. Word of mouth endorsement and the spread of good news can then continue beyond the initial purchase!


2 PROMOTING YOUR BUSINESS

Think of your town as the library. Therefore:

2.1 Your shop is the story.
2.2 The sections of your shop are the chapters.
2.3 The product range is on a paragraph.
2.4 The selection is the sentence.
2.5 The item is the word.
2.6 The impressions concern the sale.
2.7 Purchase satisfaction prompts the customer to buy the next "book" from the author - your shop!

Is it easy for your customers to read the "story" in your shop and be attracted to the items you wish to sell?


3 COMMUNICATION ACTION CHECKLIST

3.1 External impressions.
Does your shop invite the customer to stop and take notice?

3.2 Initial impressions.
Does your shop invite the customer to enter it?

3.3 Approaching the range of merchandise.
Is your shop laid out in anticipation of likely customers' preferences?

3.4 Making selections.
Can the customer absorb what is on offer from one standing position?

3.5 Exercising choice.
A selection leads to a choice, a variety confuses and often loses the sale.

3.6 Making the purchase.
Does your service area and till area support and enhance the reputation of your business?

3.7 Leaving satisfied - Telling Friends!
We are in business to sell products that don't come back to customers who do!


4 CAPITALISING ON CUSTOMER BEHAVIOUR

4.1 Appeal to right handed customers.
87% of the population prefer this. Is your door hinged on the right so as to encourage customers to walk into your shop to the left?

4.2 Customers prefer to walk clockwise.
Is your layout encouraging the customer rather than irritating them?

4.3 Appeal to average height customers.
Is the merchandise within eye level and within easy reach.

4.4 Attract the majority of customers to a natural focal point.
Is there clear separation from one part of your shop to another?

4.5 Make self selection easily available.
(To get a conviction, you need an arrest!)

4.6 Use colours that confirm customers' impressions.
Do your colours attract and confirm or do they confront and oppose customers?

4.7 Provide a positive atmosphere.
Every aspect of the atmosphere needs to work on your behalf.


5 SALES

5.1 Offer assistance to the customer early on.

5.2 Qualify their likely requirement.

5.3 Ask open questions, "who", "what", "why", "where", "when" and "how may I help you"?

5.4 Offer a general suggestion.

5.5 Escort them to the location.

5.6 Assist them in finding their requirement.

5.7 Reassure them they are making a good choice.


6 SUPERIOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

6.1 Relate to their child's requirements.

6.2 Mirror the customer attitude.

6.3 Enhance the positive aspects of the situation.
6.4 Reinforce what you say with how you look.

6.5 Remain enthusiastic - it's infectious.

6.6 Under promise, over deliver.

6.7 Always do what you say.

Develop your reputation in the mind and comments of your customers - they become your unpaid sales ambassadors.


7 MEASUREMENTS - IF YOU CAN MEASURE IT, YOU CAN MANAGE IT

7.1 Footfall.
How many customers enter your shop per hour, per day, per week, per month?

7.2 Enquiry Conversion Ratios.
In relation to how many enter, how many buy?

7.3 Incidence of Purchase.
What proportion of customers buy each range of merchandise?

7.4 Average Transaction Value.
The value of the bill.

7.5 Purchase Multiple.
The number of items making up each purchase. (If it's less than 1.5 - the customer's purchasing from you. If it's above 2.5 - you're selling to them!)

7.6 Revenue and Profitability.
Is each transaction a profitable transaction?

7.7 Revenue per Square Foot of Space Invested.
Are you making best use of your space?

Effective communication enables you to measure results and improve them!

< Ends >

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