I often talk to business owners who let me know how excited they are about a cool product or service they are offering …or a new business they’re launching. Their comments usually include something similar to, “Everybody needs this. I understand I will create a lot of money by using it.”
They sincerely accept is as true is going to be easy to generate hordes of paying customers for his or her startup company. Unfortunately, it will not happen that way. Creating a profitable business is hard work …and most of this work needs to be devoted to finding customers.
Finding the number of paying customers essential to meet the financial goals of the business could be a tough challenge. To get it done successfully, you have to follow a proven, detailed strategy.
By trial and error over a long time, I developed the next simple 5 step process that enables me to successfully launch something new or service nearly every time. You can copy this same proven process to ensure that you launch your own start up business activity.
Step 1: Identify Your Market
Determine who gains the best benefit from your products or services. Focus on reaching them rather than trying to reach a broadly defined general market.
Begin by defining your ideal customer or client on paper. List all of the characteristic s you would expect to find in good customers. Be sure to include qualities that make your product or service especially valuable to them.
Analyze this list to identify your market …and define it in writing.
Step two: Find Your Most Appealing Customer Benefit
What is the most compelling problem you are able to solve for prospects in your targeted market? Exactly why is your product or service the very best solution to their problem? The answers to these 2 questions reveal the customer benefit(s) you have to stress in your sales approach.
Step 3: Create a Few Motivating Offers
Develop 2 or 3 offers that motivate prospects to purchase immediately. For example, do you need a special discounted price offer having a deadline? Are there bonuses you can include if prospects order or sign up before the deadline? Are you able to combine both right into a “special price plus bonus” offer?
Choose which offer on your list is easily the most powerful. Utilize it inside your sales material and/or your selling presentation.
Tip: A special offer providing obvious value automatically boosts profits. It is a proven way to overcome buyer resistance and procrastination. It also supplies a logical reason within the buyer’s mind to warrant what may actually be an impulsive decision to buy.
Step four: Select how to Publicize Your company
How will you introduce yourself to the prospects inside your market? Will you use classified or display ads in publications publications or on the web? Are you going to use direct mail? Is broadcast media for example radio or TV appropriate …and cost-effective?
What networking can you participate in locally or on the web to draw attention to your company? Are there ways you can some unpaid publicity? What other methods of promotion can you use?
Prioritize each method in your list and develop an action plan with deadlines for implementing them.
Step 5: Begin a Plan to Promote Customer Loyalty
Decide what you will caused by cultivate customers so they continue to do business with you …and give you referrals.
For example, write or call your visitors or clients soon after a transaction and thank them for their business. Question them if they are pleased with what they received. Most will express their satisfaction. (That’s a perfect time to request referrals.)
Tip: Don’t be afraid to discover unhappy customers. When you do, take whatever action you have to to ensure they are feel great. Most dissatisfied customers won’t contact you regarding their problem. They just place their business elsewhere …and tell as many others as they can regarding their negative experience – costing you a lot of future business.
This 5 step marketing process replaces guesswork with proven procedures that get results. Utilize it next time you need to successfully introduce a new product or a new service. You may also use it to successfully launch a brand new business …in order to revive a current business that is not growing.