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BREATHE AND STOP

Having Difficulties With Your Business? Maybe it's Time to Take a Deep Breath and Ask Yourself a Few Questions.

By Aaron L. Artis

Do you feel like pulling your hair out yet? Yes, I know how it is. You were going to be one of the exceptions. You were going to be one of the five percent who actually succeeded. You weren't like those people who thought that mail order was going to be easy. You were going to hang in there and treat this like an actual business. Then it hit you. Your expenses had really piled up and hardly anyone ordered from you. You were so deep in the red ink that you thought it was profit.

Yes, things in the mail order biz get rocky at times. That's to be expected with any business. But don't get discouraged--instead, take time out for a few seconds and relax. Now take a deep breath and stop. Take another deep breath and think. Collect your thoughts and reconstruct your marketing plan. Ask yourself a few questions. Are you mailing enough of your offers to the right prospects? Are you advertising enough? What new publications have you tried lately? What other advertising mediums could you try? Are you regularly adding new products to your line?

When sales are slow in coming, it's because owners haven't experimented with different ads and sales circulars. If you're confident in your product and have received pretty good response from your ads, then advertise more, not less, and also do more direct mailings.

Many dealers select only a few publications to advertise in, but usually not on a regular basis. When they receive only a few orders, they repeat the same process over again. When they don't rake in the dough, so to speak, they complain and give up. If you're getting a pretty good response for an item (meaning a 1 percent to 3 percent response), then continue doing what gets the results. If your customers are happy with their purchase, they'll probably buy from you again. That's the importance of adding additional popular products to your line, then letting your previously satisfied customers know about it.

If you're experiencing a slow period, then mail more! Advertise more, not less! Consider your marketing strategies and try different ways to sell your products and services. If you came into this business with dreams of prosperity and little effort on your part, you're already a failure. Let customers know what you have to offer, but don't overwhelm them with 100 different items. The only way this works is if they requested a catalog of your company's products and services. Otherwise, give them what they asked for originally, or no more than one or two related items. This can produce additional profits for you, but remember not to overdo it. You're trying to make a sale, not kill the desire to buy the offer that originally interested them.

Remember, when business is slow and your profits are low, breathe and stop. Examine your marketing strategy, then change whatever needs changing. Do repeat mailings to your customer list about once each month. Advertise more, mail more, and regularly get your circulars into the hands of new customers.

The old saying still rings true: "If you don't tell, you won't sell."

Aaron Artis is the owner of PNC Enterprises. His company offers a wide line of products and services. He also publishes the well-respected advertiser/newsletter, OFFERS UNLIMITED. For an info pack containing information about his Home Business Package and FREE Bonuses (including a sample copy of OFFERS UNLIMITED), Rush $3 to:

PNC Enterprises
P.O. Box 2604
Wilson, NC 
Email: pncent12@hotmail.com

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