By Gary Christensen
You know those things you've been taught from your earliest recollections? Things like, "There's no free lunch" and "The most important thing is the bottom line" and, of course, "Have nothing to do with your competition." Well, quite often the truth is just the reverse.
Let me show you what I mean and this is no joke. Many things which you THINK to be true, really aren't.
1. "There's No Free Lunch"--Oh yes, there is! Many things ARE free. I've talked about several of them in my other reports. For example, you can usually get Free Delivery on most purchases. Many companies offer something Free (or something extra) when you buy from them. If YOU can offer your customers something free with their purchase or make it seem like they're getting more than what they paid for, you'll often make more sales.
2. "The Better the Variety, the More You'll Sell"--In some cases, this is true, but very often if you "Do one thing and do it better than anyone else," you'll usually have more customers and more business than you can handle. This is why many businesses sell just ONE product, rather than stocking their shelves with hundreds of items. It's also why physicians usually "focus" (or specialize) in just one area of the body. It's too difficult to know everything about the entire body.
3. "I'm in Business to Promote and Sell my Products"--Actually, you should be in business to meet the needs of your customers. If you'll take the time to build relationships with the people you know and forget about "making the sale," you'll usually make more friends and build better customer trust, which will then lead to more sales, just as sure as the "harvest follows the sunshine."
4. "Have Nothing to do with Your Competitors"--The reverse is to work WITH your competition, assist your competitors, and they will assist you. Refer people to the guy down the street and he'll refer customers to you. Call that other store to get what you're out of or tell customers where to find what they need. Those customers will remember you (and return) and those referrals will help build better relationships between you and your competitors.
5. "I've Set My Hours. If They Want Me, They Can Find Me"--That kind of attitude will only help to kill your business. If you want life to be easy, comfortable, and convenient, then don't go into business at all. If you aren't eager to serve your customers, then you won't make it in the business world. Making sales and getting orders is only half of it. The other half is CUSTOMER SERVICE. Making just one sale from EACH customer will never make you rich. Winning customers, meeting their needs and developing relationships means you'll need to work at it, maybe more than just eight hours a day. It takes time to do it right and it probably won't be easy or convenient.
So the Truth is usually the Reverse of what you've heard or been told. Think about these things. Better yet, do these things!
Gary Christensen is a freelance writer and self-published author of eight books and more than 100 original reports, like this one. Gary's newest report, HOW TO TRIPLE YOUR RESPONSE RATE FROM EVERY AD YOU PLACE, is yours FREE, via email from Garch6@aol.com
Gary's articles are yours to read at:
http://www.webmasters-pub.com/articles/gary_c/
His "Writer's Connection Newsletter" is also free via email (Garch6@aol.com). View a Text List of 600+ Free Subscription E-zines at his e-zine website:
http://www.site-city.com/members/e-zine-master/
You may also write Gary at:
Gary Christensen P.O. Box 2411 Corvallis, OR 97339-2411
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