TED – Ernesto Sirolli – September 2012

There are so many takeaways from this 17 minute presentations. Listen to it several times, and take notes.

Here are just a few…

1. Become a servant of people.
2. As a consultant, your #1 sales skill… Shut Up and Listen!
3. 3 Things every company must be capable of doing beautifully, and no one person has all three skills. You cannot build a fantastic company alone.

• The product must be fantastic
• Must have fantastic marketing
• Must have tremendous financial management

4 Explosive Tips To Dynamite Your Sales Volume

Some of the most effective things in life are the simplest. Marketers spend a lot of time trying to understand the psyche of consumers, discover ways to predict economic trends and a million other aspects of business that can determine success. Hey, it pays to remember that some things are just basic, common sense and as easy as pie. Let's look at some tactics that just might be the key to the success you've been pining for.

1. Keep An Eye On Your Best Customers
Yeah, wouldn't be great if all of your customers were just like them? …easy to please, loyal, and ready to tell a friend about your wonderful service. Just maybe you can develop more customer just like them!

Think about it… what makes them so great? What are the traits they have in common? Direct your marketing campaign to people who are just like them. Focus on their niche! You'll net new consumers and higher profits for your efforts. Also you can try to enhance your sales team with SalesHub.

2. Hurry It Up!
What's the hurry? Todays customers are busily running helter skelter from work to day care to home to an event back home… They're rushing through life, but trying to save a buck as they go. How much do you think they would appreciate the ability to do both in your shop?

Revise your advertising campaign to stress the time they'll save and the money they'll keep in their pockets while enjoying all of the wonderful benefits your products have to offer. Chip in a few specials where they can save even more moeny (with a deadline, of course). Deliver! Immediately! Let them save money and time… and hey, watch your sales explode!

3. Make it Easy to Buy
Convenience it the key to attracting buyers in today's fast paced society. What will be the fastest and easiest for them… credit card, phone, fax, Internet, or cold hard cash? They say there are different strokes for different folks… your customers don't all use the same methods to buy. It just makes sense that if the method they prefer is available, they'll be more likely to take advantage of it.

Simplicy… ah, it makes life so much easier. Yeah, your harried customers are busy and tired. They don’t want to mess around. Most of the time, they just want to make the purchase and head home. Convenience stores testify to the fact that quick and easy often overrides a better price!

4. Follow Up
Following up with a customer who didn’t buy can be the determining factor between and “almost sale” and a satisfied, loyal customer. Simply contact them afterwards and let them know the product is still available or offer them further information they may find valuable.

One of my favorite catalog companies always closes out the sale with a special buy that is available only at the time of purchase. I'm not an impulsive shopper by any stretch of the imagination, but it stops me in my tracks every time. I know it's a one-time shot, and I really consider whether I want or need it before I hang up the phone.

Expoding your current sales volume and profit margin may not be as difficult as you've been making it! Give these 4 tips a shot, and see what happens!

The Cutts Group, is a marketing company located in the Lehigh Valley, PA. We have been serving local, regional, and national companies for more than 12 years, we have a vast knowledge of *What's Working & What's Not*. There is a tremendous opportunity for businesses today… Since only 26% of businesses have invested any time or effort in online marketing, the market is wide open for those businesses that take the time to discover what the Cutts Group can do for them. These days, since 97% of consumer's research local companies online before making a buying decision, it is critical that businesses have an outstanding online presence and reputation, and are prepared when their prospects reach the zero moment of truth.

Contact Information:
Cutts Group, llc
www.CuttsGroup.com

(800) 250-9510 | phone
(610) 441-7390 | fax

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

Four Sure-Fire Ways to Keep Your Customers Happy

How much value do you place on your customers?  Let's face it…without customers you have no sales…no profit…no business.  Yeah, they're the keyplayers in the marketing game.  In other words, wise marketers keep their finger on the pulse of their clientelle.  The know what makes them tick and how to keep them coming back time and time again.  Here are a four ways you can keep your customer's happy and loyal.

Make Customer Satisfaction # 1

Hey, forget about how many sales you make in a day, and look at how many customers you satisfied today!  Every satisfied client means repeat sales.  Yep, it might be a product that they purchase over and over again, or it may mean different products they pick up every time they walk through the doors.  Heck, it might mean both repeat products and added impulse products as well.

Happy customers talk to their friends, and friends trust what their friends have to say about a business.  Yep, even though it's an opinion…they'll take it as the gospel and set a lot of stock in it.  Keep your customers saying good things about your products and services…it'll pay off.

Deliver…Don't Promise More Than You Can Handle

No one likes to be let down.  Yeah, that means your customers will be happier if you promise less, but deliver more.  Think about this…happy customers tell 3 of their friends about you, but disappointed customers gripe to 11 friends about what you didn't do right.  Yep, it pays to keep your word!

What about those unhappy clients?  Deal with them as quickly as possible and do what it takes to keep them happy.  Yeah, you might lose a little profit today, but think of it like this…if you keep them on your side they'll come back again and again – and so will their friends.

Keep an Element of Surprise Alive

Have you ever gone shopping and at the counter discovered the item you purchased was on sale?  Yeah, it feels great to save money you weren't expecting to save!  Along with your advertised sales, slip in some unadvertised specials.  Your customers will look forward to the unexpected savings they encounter at the cash register.

Think about this…would you rather shop at the new store across town where the clerks are unfriendly and you're not sure of the quality of the product when you've already got a good thing going on somewhere else? We all have a zone of comfort and are creatures of habit.  When your customers are in the habit of smiling every time they walk out of your door, they'll be less likely to experiment with an uncertain competitor.

Tell Your Customers You Appreciate Their Business

We all enjoy the warm fuzzy feeling that comes with being appreciated.  Yep, a smile…a thank you…a pat on the back…they all leave us feeling great.  How can you send your customers out of the store with the knowledge that they are valuable to you?  Just say it…I  appreciate your business!  Say it with a special sale…by letting them in on a new product or service your are adding just for them…or simply with a smile and heartfelt thanks.

Think about this…how do you feel when you know your opinion counts?  Yeah, we all like to think people respect our thoughts and ideas. When your customers know you put a lot of stock in what they think of your business, they'll be more likely to talk it up to their friends and family.  Reward them every time they share their opinion about your business.   Set up a special referral reward program and watch the news travel.

Invest in your customers…the dividends are great!

The Cutts Group, is a marketing company located in the Lehigh Valley, PA. We have been serving local, regional, and national companies for more than 12 years, we have a vast knowledge of *What's Working & What's Not*. There is a tremendous opportunity for businesses today… Since only 26% of businesses have invested any time or effort in online marketing, the market is wide open for those businesses that take the time to discover what the Cutts Group can do for them. These days, since 97% of consumer's research local companies online before making a buying decision, it is critical that businesses have an outstanding online presence and reputation, and are prepared when their prospects reach the zero moment of truth.

Contact Information:
Cutts Group, llc
www.CuttsGroup.com

(800) 250-9510 | phone
(610) 441-7390 | fax

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

Full Chemion Glasses review here!

Ten Phenomenal Marketing Tactics You Don’t Want to Miss Out On!

1. An Ounce of Prevention…

How often do fads come and go?  Sometimes they're here today and gone tomorrow…other times they're here to stay.  Yeah, the problem is that it's pretty darned hard to predict exactly what will happen in the market place this year, much less for the next decade.  Just look at the Internet…how much has it impacted marketing techniques in the last decade?  Yep, you need to safeguard against unexpected whirlwinds that sweep the market when you are planning your marketing strategy. Don't get stuck on any one product or marketing technique…be flexible.  You never know what's coming down the pike!

2. A Foot in the Door…

How about it…do you mentally check customers who walk through your doors off your list of prospects?  You may be short-changing yourself at the end of every day.  Hey, it's a heck of a lot easier to sell to someone who's already loyal to you than to a complete stranger!  Keep in contact…let them know about your upcoming sales…sell more to them, and watch your profits add up.

3. Keep it Believable…

You don't want customers looking over the tops of their glasses with raised eyebrows at you.  No, you want them to believe what you say as the gospel truth.  Now, I didn't say not to be colorful and descriptive…just to keep it within believable bounds.  No one trusts the exaggerated.

4. Convert Fractions to Decimals…

Yep, you thought you got out of that when you walked out the school doors for the last time, didn't you?  Let's face it…18.6 percent has a ring to it that rounding up to 20 percent just lacks.  Fractional numbers presented in decimal form just sound scientific…and believable.  Get the calculator out and start converting your way to copy and advertisements that have an impact.

5. Stack Them Back to Back…

Blow out or steady stream? Rather than have an all out sale one weekend in the month, have one sale each weekend.  Hey, what will happen when a customer comes into your store two extra times this month?  Yeah, he'll probably make a few impulse purchases that he wouldn't have otherwise made…and add a few extra bucks to your monthly profit to boot!

6. Ready, Aim…

Are you shooting for the right target?  Yeah, I'm talking about the audience you target with your ads.  Here's a quick check – can your customers afford your product?  If you get a lot of window shoppers and no real increase in sales volume… it's time to set your sights somewhere else.

7. One of a Kind…

It's tough to stand out in a competitive crowd.  Yeah, the key to being in the spotlight is to have something no one else does.  Be creative…hunt for that little extra benefit that no one else offers.

8. Get Personal…

Everyone likes that special one-on-one attention.  Think about it…does your advertising copy address the group, or does it speak to each and every individual who reads it?  Yep, you'll start seeing more response when you chuck formality, and let a little personal style show through!

9. Invest in a Filing Cabinet…

Let's face it…you're not likely to make the sale the first time with every customer who comes through your door.  Unfortunately, all shoppers don't buy on impulse.  Let me ask you what happens to the customer who goes home to think about it?  If you have no record of them kept on file…who knows?  Did they buy from a competitor who contacted them in the meantime?  Did they change their mind?  Yeah, getting organized and keeping track of the smart shoppers may be your key to higher sales this month.

10.  Be Irresistible…

Is the deal just too good to pass up?  If not, try combining a set of valuable products with a special discount price.  Packaging makes the difference between a sale and no sale in many cases.  Wrap it with value and put a discount tag on it…they'll think they're getting a steal of a deal, and you'll be raking in the profits.

The Cutts Group, is a marketing company located in the Lehigh Valley, PA. We have been serving local, regional, and national companies for more than 12 years, we have a vast knowledge of *What's Working & What's Not*. There is a tremendous opportunity for businesses today… Since only 26% of businesses have invested any time or effort in online marketing, the market is wide open for those businesses that take the time to discover what the Cutts Group can do for them. These days, since 97% of consumer's research local companies online before making a buying decision, it is critical that businesses have an outstanding online presence and reputation, and are prepared when their prospects reach the zero moment of truth.

Contact Information:
Cutts Group, llc
www.CuttsGroup.com

(800) 250-9510 | phone
(610) 441-7390 | fax

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

11 Proven Ways to Skyrocket Sales and Put Money in Your Pocket

1. Advertise Smart

Nothing risked nothing gained… Wise marketers understand the good sense in trying new advertising methods, but don't go out on a limb to experiment.  Are the advertising campaigns you've been using working, but not setting off the explosive response rates that you are looking for?  Try this… experiment with about 20 percent of your advertising budget, and let the remaining 80 percent continue to do its job of keeping a steady stream of customers coming in.

2. Reduce and Multiply

Big isn't always better, sometimes quantity is more effective.  Try reducing the size of your current advertisements and run more.  Surprisingly, short ads often generate more response than long ads.  Yep, keep it short and sweet, and watch the results.

3. Liven up Your Ads

Take a look at your current advertisements.  Are they full of active, lively, colorfully stimulating phrases?  Yeah, get rid of all those boring words and replace them with phrases like…it's as easy as 1, 2, 3… hurry! Don't miss out…Save, save, save!…Act now!…  That's right, keep things hopping and full of action for effective advertising results.

4. Give 'em the Warm Fuzzies

People buy products for the feeling they get from the purchase.  How do you feel when you get a new car?  Yeah, excited, proud and anxious to show it off a little bit.  Keep in mind these feelings, and draw word pictures with your advertisements that will stimulate them.  Yeah, you'll be surprised at the results you'll get from encouraging and dramatizing the desires of your readers.

5. Send Them a Postcard

It only takes a minute to read the back of a postcard.  Most people are just like you – busy, busy, busy.  Regardless of how busy we are, all of us automatically read postcards that are short, clear and concise.  Send postcards with short ads to your target audience, and watch the flood of response sweep in.

6. Pay Your Customers to Advertise

Nothing is more effective than word-of-mouth advertising.  That's right!  Your customers can say it better than you could ever say it, so why not let them?  Yeah, implement a reward program for referrals and watch your sales climb.

7. Say Thank You

It only takes a minute to put a thank you card in the mail to a customer, but the effects of your thoughtful act can create a loyalty that will last a lifetime.  Yep, we all like to be appreciated…your customers do too.

8. Sell to Your Current Customers

The idea that sales growth comes from new customers isn't always true.  Yeah, you can increase sales with the customers you already have!  Have you tried offering them a product that will complement the item they are buying?  What about follow ups?  It's a lot easier to sell more to your current customers than to get new customers through the door.  Don't overlook the potential that's in your store today!

9. Combine Items for Special Sales

Buying in bulk is ALWAYS cheaper…or is it?  Consumers tend to feel that buyer in larger quantities is saving them money.  Take advantage of that feeling.  Group a few products together and advertise a special sale.  Yeah, customers will feel pressured to shell out the dinero before the deal expires!

10. Surprise, Surprise!

Who doesn't like a pleasant surprise?  Yeah we all do, especially after we've made a purchase that our conscience is telling us we shouldn't have.  Do you want to get rid of those after purchase guilt trips for your customers?  Give them a surprise at the register!  They'll leave feeling like it was their lucky day, rather than struggling with the after-the-sale blues.

11. Count the Losses

When we look at sales, we often focus on what will be gained by the purchase.  What about the loss that results from failing to purchase?  Most of us are more affected by losses than by savings.  Let your customers know what they'll be losing by failing to take advantage of your offer.

How many of these techniques are you using?  Try implementing some new strategies and watch for new results!  Yeah, nothing ventured… nothing gained.  Sometimes it pays to take another look at what we're doing, and take it up a notch.  Give these 11 tips a try, and watch your sales skyrocket!

Four Marketing Myths That Steal Sales

How many times has bad advice gotten you into trouble?  Yeah, everybody's saying and doing it, so you jump on the band wagon… and guess what… you get the same results as they get.  Maybe it's a comfort to know that you're not the only one who played the part of the fool, but when it comes to marketing…you may not have enough leeway to count the loss and go on.

Yeah, there sure are a LOT of ideas out there about what will and what won't skyrocket sales numbers and profit margins!  And to be truthful, a lot of those ideas are just a bunch of bunk.  Yep, you've got to be on your toes and know the truth about marketing tales.  Here are a few of the lines of misinformation that you've probably heard before…

You've Got To Have The Cheapest Prices In Town To Be Competitive

Let me ask you this…Do you always buy the cheapest product on the shelf, or always shop at the store that has the lowest prices?  No, I don't either.  What you and I know that these people don't is, that value counts for a lot.  Oh yeah, sure… there are a few people out there who only buy the cheapest things in town, but most of us understand that the cheapest isn't always the best buy for our buck.

How does this apply to you?   Here's something you can try…make it a little test to see just how true this myth is.  Find a low-cost way to enhance the perceived value of your product or service, then raise the cost a little.  See what happens!  Don't be surprised if your sales and profits shoot up!

Advertisements Need To Be Changed To Keep The Public From Becoming Bored 

This one reminds me of one of my cousins.  He's famous for breaking things that are fixed.  Yeah, he'll go out and buy a perfectly good running car, but every time you see him, he's under the hood tinkering with something.  Before long…you guessed it…the car won't run and has to go to the garage for repairs.

It makes no sense to run a business like Cousin Jim and his cars.  Hey, if it's working why try to fix it?  Think about it…what's the goal for advertising?  Yeah, to attract new customers.  Once the new customer comes through the door, the advertisement has effectively done its job.  Does that customer need to be affected by the same ad? No, so let the ad do its job for the rest of the people out there who haven't seen it yet.

Now, I'm not saying that you should never change your advertisement… just never abandon a winner midstream.  A good rule of thumb is to spend 80 percent of your advertising money on proven methods, and to risk 20 percent on experimental advertisements.  Keep the tried and proven working for you, while you test the waters for new ideas that might work even better.

The More Choices A Customer Has, The More Likely He Is To Buy 

Yeah, yeah…they say variety is the spice of life and all that, but too many choices can lead to procrastination.  We all know what happens when we procrastinate.  Yep, we never get back to it!

Do you know what happens when a customer can't decide?… you lose a sale that you already had in your pocket.  Yep he came in to get it, saw more options, stopped to make up his mind, then walked out still thinking about it…maybe to never return.

A tip for the wise marketer – limit your customer's decisions to either yes or no.  Let them decide either yes I'll buy or no, I won't buy.  Don't risk confusing them and losing the sale.

Everybody Needs My Product/Service So I Don't Need To Advertise 

Hey, building a business is a lot of hard work!  There aren't many free rides along the way.  Chances are, your potential customers need to be convinced that they NEED to choose your service/product.  Yep, finding the customer, convincing him to use your service/product, then closing the deal is a process that can't be easily bypassed.  Don't be fooled into thinking you're any different!  It could be hazardous to your profits.

A friend of mine owned the only dog grooming shop in her town.  Hey, no competition means you don't need to advertise…right?  After an initial anouncement of her grand opening, this lady did no advertising.  Business slowly trickled in and barely covered the overhead.  Finally in a desperate attempt to get business off the ground she began putting flyers in all of the local veterinarian clinics and ads in the local newspaper.  Bingo!  Business began pouring in… and most of the people said, “I didn't even know you were here!” or “Fifi's been needing groomed for quite some time.  When I saw your ad, I decided to go ahead and get it done.”

Let's face it, people are often….well, lazy.  They don't always go out of their way to find the phone number to contact you, even when in the back of their mind they know they need to do something.  Yeah, advertisements are often the little prod they need to get motivated.  Don't shortchange yourself by neglecting to advertise.

How about you?  Have you ever driven by a business for a long time without even noticing it?  Yep, we all get too busy to pay attention sometimes.

Hey, you've learned a few of the misguided marketing myths that many people are fooled by…now you can apply the REAL marketing concepts to your own advertising campaign and watch the results!