ProBizTips Newsletter
** ISSUE #249 **
June 30th, 2003
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Hey!
Good Day to you and I hope your day is going well so far! :)
Welcome to all our new subscribers this week and I hope you grow
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Nothing much to talk about today ... just very busy getting my plans together. If you've emailed me, I promise I will get back to you by tomorrow. I took the weekend off to rest from all my hard work and to prepare for the much more hard work to come!
The plans for ProBizTips are coming together and I hope to launch them by next month ... stay tuned --- :)
In the meantime ... sit back, relax and enjoy today's issue!
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Diane Hughes
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| ProBizTips Feature Article |
Understanding the Buying Process Can Increase Your Sales
by Karon Thackston
Most marketers don’t give a lot of thought to the buying processes of their customers. That’s a shame. Lending due attention to the buying process can have a dramatic effect on your sales.
What is the buying process? Where does your customer fall within it? How can you use it to help bring your customer to the point-of-purchase? Follow me as we take a look at the decisions customers must make before deciding to buy.
Each and every one of us goes through some sort of buying process when we make a purchase. At times the process is long and labored – as when buying a new computer. At other moments it happens almost without thought – when buying a box of your favorite cereal, for instance. But make no mistake ... it does happen.
Generally speaking, the buying process consists of five steps. Those products/services that are new to the market, are new to your customer, or are very expensive will require a longer period of consideration in each phase. Products/services that are familiar, that have market longevity, or that cost very little will require a shorter (even instantaneous) process.
Step One - Need/Want Recognition
During this step, buyers realize they want or need something. They recognize that they have a problem or a desire, and they choose to find a solution. If this need or want is something along the lines of lunch, the buying decision can be made relatively quickly, without much thought of the actual buying process. Hunger is a quick problem to solve, most options are familiar to buyers, and the cost is usually low.
If the need or want is a new car, however, the actual buying decision can take weeks or months. There is a greater risk, new models and features come out all the time, the cost is high, and the possibility of making a “mistake” when buying is great.
Step Two - Information Search
Once the choice has been made to fill a need or want, your customer begins to search for information in order to make a quality decision that is in his/her best interest. Web sites may be visited (in which case you should offer some way for the customer to remember you, such as printable versions of information, downloadable brochures and catalogs, a way to bookmark your site, etc.). Brochures may be gathered (be sure to offer your contact information). Phone calls might be placed (check to ensure you or your call staff has the information they need to answer questions). Free samples, test drives, and other means of “trial” work wonderfully to guide your customer through the information search stage and onto the evaluation and purchase stages.
Step Three – Evaluation
After your customers have collected all the information they feel is necessary, they begin to evaluate their options and narrow their choices until they finally pick the one thing that they are comfortable with, and that they can afford. This is the time to follow-up with your customers. Is there additional information they need in order to choose? Did they have problems with the free sample that can be corrected? Your “presence” during the evaluation stage is important, so do your best to retain customer contact information in order to “gently” offer any additional details the buyer might need. (Nobody likes a hard sell, or to be pushed into buying.)
Step Four – Purchase
Once all the information has been evaluated, a purchase is made, and your customer walks away happy… right? Well… not always.
Step Five - Cognitive Dissonance (Post Purchase Anxiety)
While customers may have thought they chose the best solution when they purchased, many times customers later experience cognitive dissonance, a.k.a. buyers’ regret. They second guess their decision and begin to feel uncomfortable about their decision. This is where trial periods, guarantees, and/or warranties come into play.
Customers will have more confidence in their decision, even after it is made, if they know they aren’t “stuck” with their purchase. Having a guarantee to fall back on gives them the comfort to know that – should something go wrong – they won’t be left stranded. Generally speaking, a guarantee is a psychological support rather than a literal one. Most customers never take advantage of guarantees... they don’t think they need to. However, if a guarantee wasn’t offered, the anxiety of feeling "all alone" would overcome many buyers and persuade them into asking for a refund.
Understanding each step in the buying process can help you structure your selling process and your marketing materials to cater to the customer. Take the time to consider what your customer goes through when making the choice to buy, and alter your business accordingly. In doing so, you’ll increase your chances of making more sales, and landing more satisfied customers.
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Most buying decisions are emotional. Your ad copy should be, too!
Let Karon write targeted copy and ezine articles for you. Visit her site
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BizTips by Dr. Kevin Nunley |
Write a Headline For Your Press Release
People often send me their press release to get my opinion. More often than not, there is a problem with the headline.
In the press world, that's a BIG problem. Most editors get dozens to hundreds of press releases every day. They tend to glance over the headline (or subject line for email) and immediately decide whether to read further.
Your press release headline needs to do two things:
(1) give the editor an idea of what the press release is about
(2) show how the release relates to a topic the media is interested in
Many releases use a short, cute headline that frustrates editors. "MyCompany.com Gets Serious" might be a title for a magazine article, but it doesn't tell the editor enough about what is in the release to make her want to read further.
I believe so deeply in this strategy that I use TWO headlines. The first spells out the jist of the story while the second adds one or two important supporting details.
For example:
DRNUNLEY'S BIZ TIPS GIVE THOUSANDS OF INTERNET USERS FRESH MARKETING IDEAS. (note: All caps is shouting on the Net but very common in traditional media.)
Recent issues have covered everything from marketing with post cards, to handling lots of email, to promoting a lonely website.
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Kevin WRITES your professional copy--web site copy, sales
letters, ads, press release and more! See http://DrNunley.com.
Reach Kevin at kevin@drnunley.com or 801-253-4536.
Confessions Of A Dumb Monkey
by John Colanzi
Sometimes I'm so dumb it amazes me. I know that I should never fall in love with a program and I should never get complacent with how I market.
I guess that makes me a dumb monkey.
So what do I mean by that?
There are some countries where monkeys are a delicacy. More specifically their brains.
One of the methods they use to capture the monkeys is to take a large jar and place a nut or fruit in the bottom. Anything that the monkey likes to eat.
The top of the jar is just big enough for the monkeys open hand to reach in and just heavy enough that the monkey can't run with it.
When the monkey reaches in and grabs his little goody, he finds he can't get his hand out. No matter how hard he struggles, he can't pull his hand out.
Now this dumb monkey doesn't realize, that if he let go of the prize he's clutching in his hand, he could easily get his hand back out.
The same thing happens to online marketers. They find a product or service and fall in love with it. They promote it to the high heavens.
But no matter how much they promote, they can't seem to make a sale. Just like that monkey that won't drop the nut, they just keep pouring good money after bad and refuse to let go.
The same thing happens with their marketing methods. They fall into the trap of using an advertising technique or marketing method that doesn't bring any results.
It doesn't matter how bad the results are they just keep throwing more money into the pot, hoping this time it will work.
Man alive, they've become just as trapped as that little monkey. They don't know when to let go. They've fallen in love and keep spending money like a drunken sailor on shore leave.
Do yourself a favor, don't be a dumb monkey.
If a marketing method isn't working, let it go and find something that does.
If a product or service doesn't sell, let it go and find something that will.
Smart investors know that secret. Many times the only difference between a successful investor and a losing investor is, the successful investor knows when to cut his losses.
Your business can be the best investment you ever make, but like any investment, you have to know when to pyramid your profits and even more importantly when to cut your losses.
Learn that lesson and you're on your way to success.
---------------------------------
John publishes the "Street Smart Marketing" newsletter.
To subscribe mailto:streetsmart@rapidreply.net
John wants to show you how he's helping ordinary people
acheive extraordinary incomes. Get you fr^^ report at:
at: http://www.internet-profits4u.com/simple.html
ProBizTips Tip of the Week |
Discover Your Blueprint to Domain Name Profits
by Alexander Teo
In my column, I'm here to help you understand and appreciate the value of domain names. And to help you profit from domain names.
Send me any question about domain names and I'll answer one by one in this column. Please email it to: domainanswer@dotrich.com. Subject: 'Domain Question'.
Every issue will have a few tips to show you how. We'll start with the basics and go step by step to more complicated issues.
What is a domain name? The short answer is, it's a unique address on the Internet. Our home address points to a geographic location on earth, likewise a domain name corresponds to a location on the Internet. DomainBlueprint.com is a domain name, so is AlexanderTeo.com.
For a detailed answer, please go to http://www.dots.reviewinc.com. You'll understand what terms like URL and IP got to do with a domain name. The good news is, you don't have to know all the technical mumbo jumbo to cash in on domain names.
OK, now that we know what a domain name is, let's move on to the next question.
Why do you want to register a domain name?
Not only you want to, but you need to - if you are in any way serious about starting your own Internet business. Even for a kitchen-table, part-time Internet home business, getting your own domain name is a MUST.
When you have your own domain name, you're establishing yourself a business identity. You mean business as a real company.
When a person starts a retail store, he gets his own business phone number, not an extention number from someone else's company. In a similar way, it's best to use www.yourdomain.com for your website, instead of www.somecompany.com/somespace/somepage/10001.html. It's also much easier to remember www.yourdomain.com.
Another reason for having your own domain name is, it's FREE advertising. Everytime you email, you can use an email address like yourname@yourdomain.com. It projects a professional image as well - you're not using a free Yahoo or Hotmail email address 'everyone' is using. Besides, why advertise for Yahoo or Hotmail when you'd be promoting your own business?
Plus, you can use your own domain name on your business cards, flyers, letterheads, envelopes and more. Free advertising. Professional image. Easy for people to remember your website.
You can set up different names with your email address for organization and tracking, too. For example, you can use info@yourdomain.com for handling general inquiries. Advertising@yourdomain.com for people interested in running ads with you.
In summary, getting your own domain name is the first essential step for starting your Internet business.
In the next issue, I'll discuss how and where to register your domain name. Going for the lowest price is not necessarily your best choice. As a result of my research and experience, I'll show you several excellent options.
We'll also look at how to quickly and easily find a list of available domain names for your consideration.
------------------------------
Alexander Teo, Marketing Architect and Internet Columnist,
helps beginners start and build their business on the
Internet. Visit http://www.HypnoticProfit.com to subscribe
to his free marketing newsletter "PHENOMENON" for
valuable how-to information and resources.
**We're interested in your comments, questions, and suggestions.
Do you enjoy this ezine? Do you have an Internet marketing or
e-commerce related question? If so, feel free to submit it to us.
We may publish your question and response in the next issue.
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An artist asked the gallery owner if there had been any interest in his paintings on display at that time.
"I have good news and bad news," the owner replied. "The good news is that a gentleman inquired about your work and wondered if it would appreciate in value after your death. When I told him it would, he bought all 15 of your paintings."
"That's wonderful," the artist exclaimed. "What's the bad news?"
"The buyer was your doctor."
