In today's economy more and more businesses are struggling just to keep their doors open. Because of that, businesses are looking for additional ways to grow their business. The old way of doing business isn't working anymore. The Internet is being seen as the savior for many businesses.
Cynthia Alexander, partner in the Los Angeles, California, direct response marketing firm Mediadyne Marketing says business owners are being taken advantage of when it comes to taking their business online. “This economy has brought out even more vultures. There are website designers charging thousands of dollars for websites that don't bring in a single customer. There are so-called marketing experts who don't even understand basic 'Marketing 101.' They don't care about you or your business. They only care if your check is good,” she says. “It's no wonder that business owners all across the country are wary and confused when it comes to using the Internet to grow their business.”
Alexander offers four surefire tips to grow your business during this recession, whether you have a website or not:
1) Determine what differentiates your business from the competition. Ask yourself, “why should a customer choose me over my competition?” What do you have that no one else does, what do you do better, what makes doing business with you special? Let the public know about it.
2) Suggest up-sells or cross-sells immediately after a customer has made a purchase. The easiest time to get more money out of someone is immediately after they've spent money with you. For example, if you are a dentist and just finished a cleaning, a root canal, etc., when the patient is about to pay, up-sell them to your tooth whitening service. If they can't afford it, cross-sell them the less expensive tooth whitening kit.
3) Ask for referrals. Your existing customers are a great source of referrals. And if your existing customers are happy with your service, take advantage of that fact. The easiest people to sell to are people who have been recommended to you. They trust you because their friend trusts you. Trust is the hardest thing to earn from someone who has never done business with you.
4) If you have a website, make sure it's geared toward the visitor. Most people come to your site with some sort of problem. They don't care if your website cost $10,000 and has won numerous awards. They just want a solution. Give them what they want right away, and don't make them jump through hoops to get it.
There are so many more strategies to grow your business than could possibly fit in this article.
Go to www.MediadyneMarketing.com to get a free report on the #1 secret to growing your business in a bad economy.
Mediadyne Marketing also offers workshops to business owners who would like to better understand how the Internet is supposed to work for them...instead of against them.
Contact Cynthia Alexander, Mediadyne Marketing at (323)960-1640 for more information.