Three creative sales ideas you should probably be using more often!
Does it really make sense to use discounts, when they can (if you’re not careful), turn out to be so darn expensive? creative sales ideas, on the other (when done correctly) can add nicely to your bottom line, without necessarily costing you money.
Case in point: when you constantly use the word “discount” you sort of train (unfortunately) some of your best repeat customers and clients, to wait on you to supply them with an excuse to not pay retail price for your best selling products and services.
Which means (unfortunately) for you, long term profit margins aren’t as profitable as they could be. Ouch. So you wanna be careful with slinging the word discount around so much,agreed?
Let Your Creative Sales Ideas Fuel Your Marketing Efforts!
(And Not Just Your Need To Jump Start Sales Activity Through Discounting!)
For sure there are countless proven ways to generate sales, but if they involve discounting, sooner or later those shortfalls will be reflected in your razor thin profit margins. And let’s face it, it’s those razor thin (or worst yet) non existent profit margins that cause most entrepreneurs to not be able to sleep well!
That said; let’s quickly focus on three incredibly brain dead simple ways, you’re creative sales ideas can and will save the day. Or at least, help you sleep better at night, knowing you can not only make this week’s payroll, but actually turn a profit as well.
1.) Creative sales idea # one: My friend, just in case you haven’t figured it out yet, if you’re not proactively taking advantages of the creative use of ‘contest’ to (both) attract and inexpensively create more business, for literally pennies on the dollar.
You’re missing out big time.
For ex: suppose you own a fairly popular bakery and you’re looking for a really simple way to generate some customer interaction and create a positive word of mouth buzz.
Why not create an in store ‘contest’ entitled: “Who’s got the best tasting, most exotic blank contest!’ For ex: Who’s got the best tasting most exotic chocolate chip cookies!” Or cheese cake etc.
Have have all your contestants submit their samples, and let all your customers, sample them and vote! and your 1st Grand prize winner gets three free cakes of their choice. one for their birthday, Valentines day and Xmas (Thanksgiving) and or their wedding anniversary, if that applies!
It’s fun, and your best customers love to show off their skills and gets your best repeat long term customers involved and interacting! And for sure, you’ll discover a few spin off marketing concepts worth inexpensively testing further!
2.) Creative sales idea # If you do any type of shipping of products, you probably already know how much your best customers love to see the the two power “free shipping” with any purchase over X, correct?
which (simply means) entrepreneur, your best customers absolutely love getting a perceived bargain! That being the case. Why not bribe your best customers. Send them (either) an email and or test, alerting to the fact that on some specific date, the first X amount of customers that come to your store and spend at least X amount of dollars, plus bring at least one person over 18, that’s not currently a customer.
They automatically get a gift certificate worth X, plus you’ll also throw in a matching coupon from one of your best local cross promotion partners! Which means, they’ll get double matching gift certificates, by coming to your store on a certain date, provided, their one of the first X amount of people to do so!
(Note: For ever person that comes in, after the deadline, that’s where you simply give them one of your other local joint venture partners, VIP new customer only, discount coupons that’s not quite worth as much! But still, it will make a nice surprise gift, for those customers, that didn’t receive any advanced notice and totally weren’t expecting it!
Creative Sales Ideas Don’t Have To Be Expensive! (Just Effective!)
3.) Creative sales idea # three: This next marketing strategy really gets your best customers and clients creative juices flowing. If (and only) if it makes sense to do it. Dedicate (or create) a space in your store, that dedicated to your best customers and clients X! huh?
For ex: you create a standing Rolodex where your customers & clients can submit pictures of ‘why I love my pet” category. This one is obviously perfect veterinarian! Or inexpensively test, and have a “who has the cutest X contest!
And have them add their pictures, but dedicate a special page on your WordPress blog and have them submit short 3-5 minute videos! And let your customers vote and decide!
And simply do something really nice for the three finishers! Simple stuff for sure, but these are just some of the creative sales ideas, that can and will make you more money! Any questions?
List at least two simple spin off concepts (in the comments section below) that you can apply to your business, product or service in the next 30 days or less!
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