“Don’t think so much about what you want to say as about what the prospect wants to hear - then the response you will get will more often be the one you are aiming for.” Elmer Wheeler

If you’re not an Early to Rise subscriber, here’s one of the business-building gems you’re missing.

This week, I suggested to one of my clients, a computer retailer and repair business, to try this line when they answer the phone or greet someone who shows up at their store:

“What computer challenge may we help you solve today?”

Think that might help ‘em convert more prospects into sales?

What does your prospect want to hear from you?

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• Solve the Problems and Assume the Sale - Part 3

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What’s one of the most powerful, yet inexpensive, small business marketing tools?

Online Video!

Check out these REAL-life examples of REAL small businesses using video

Here’s an idea presented in the video:

Give you clients a Flip Video Camera, or carry one yourself, and record testimonials.

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Here’s a snippet from Dr. Robert Cialini’s new book that I stumbled upon in Reader’s Digest:

“Instead of “Please call if you have to cancel.” a restaurant reservationist began asking, “Will you please call if you have to cancel?”

The no-show rate went from 30% to 10%.

Getting a commitment that’s “voluntary, active, and publically declared” works in all areas of life.

From: Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive by Noah J. Goldstein,PhD, Steven J. Martin, and Robert B. Cialdini, PhD

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Today Jennifer Haubein shares a couple simple, yet effective and efficient, marketing tips for using your website as a basic database.

Use a contact form that you create in your auto-responder program to collect prospect names, email addresses… and yes… ask,capture,and store those mailing addresses too.

If you’re considering tools to manage your online and offline contacts, check out the tools jennifer recommends.

Setting Up Your Website For Offline Marketing

If you’re ready to take your marketing efforts offline, your website can help you! That’s right direct mail is a great way to add to your online marketing. The combination of online and offline marketing you will knock your competition out of the water. Your main goal online is to easily collect and store your potential customers mailing addresses for use in direct mail campaigns and follow-up.

Why should you add direct mail to your online marketing or use your website to help your existing offline marketing campaign?

You might be already sending out direct mail campaigns and wondering how you can tie your website into your offline marketing. Or this might be the first time you’ve thought about mailing something to your potential customers. Whatever stage you are at it is best to do both online and offline to get maximum results. Email deliverability is getting trickier, so it’s best to collect both emails and mailing addresses if possible.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Use a contact form- Set up an online contact form which collects your potential customers mailing addresses and email addresses. This is the easiest place to start letting your website do the work. Your contact form can help you build a list of qualified prospective clients. Then you can follow-up with postcards, gifts, and much more. They contacted you for a reason, so if you use consistent follow-up you’ll hear “you’re hired” very soon.
2. Mail a free irresistible offer- I highly recommend developing a free irresistible offer your potential clients won’t want to pass up. If this irresistible offer can be mailed rather than emailed, it’s even better. For example, you can create an audio CD and then mail this audio CD to everyone who signs up on your website. If you charge shipping then you are only out the fee of creating a CD. You will then have a mailing address of a very qualified prospect. Most likely they will be very impressed with the audio CD you sent them.
3. A separate webpage for your newsletter or free tips- If you publish a newsletter, I would suggest creating a separate page outlining the benefits of your newsletter and possible free offer. On this page you can add fields requesting a website visitor’s mailing address. But make sure to set these fields as optional fields. 60% of the time people will go ahead and provide you with this information even if it’s optional.

What’s next: So you would like to implement one or all of the ideas above, what’s next? I recommend signing up for my personal recommendations for autoresponders: www.JennifersAutoresponder.com or www.JennifersCart.com. These tools make it easy for you to add these forms to your website and start collecting mailing addresses. Then when you’re ready you can start with a small direct mail campaign using the database your website has built for you.

If you would like to put these strategies into place on your website, call 713-429-1854 to schedule a “get to know you call”.

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Jennifer Haubein publishes “SiteNotes” a FREE bi-weekly ezine for small business owners who want a website that actually works. If you’re ready to start making more money online, get your FREE tips now at www.BestBizWebsiteSolutions.com/newsletter.html

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Image via Wikipedia

Yesterday, Caroline Melberg shared her thoughts about the importance of online branding for the local small business.

Today, here’s another tip from eMarketing and Commerce about online marketing tactics and how to position your local small business to attract propects from the Internet.

“One way for you to take advantage of these local search trends and appear in local natural search results is to create or enhance your online business profile. Most search engines and online directories use a business profile to determine the relevancy of your Web site to each search query. A basic profile is free on many search engines.

However, the more detailed your profile, the more search queries will be deemed a match for your business. A comprehensive business profile that includes details such as products and services offered, primary and secondary business categories, and Web site URL will make your site much more visible to local customers.”

And, if you’ve been reading my series of posts on your Unique Selling Proposition, your online business profile must include your USP.

Does your “difference” attract the prospects you want to your business?

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Spot on for the busy, small business owner, looking to gain control of his/her advertising:

Check out Dan Kennedy’s March/April blog snippets on gaining the edge on your print advertising.

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My posts are about to rocket.

No more… “Hey Walt, why don’t you mix in a couple pics… kinda make things a little more interesting?”

Well, you see, the thing is, I really didn’t know how.

But…

“Dazzlin’” Donna made my day!

“Dazzlin’” Donna Fontenot takes you step-by-step through how to use the Flickr Firefox Plug-In, Greasemonkey.

Donna that is Dazzlin’.

I’m no longer a “Picture Challenged” blogger.

Thanks Donna!