Business

It’s a great time to be an entrepreneur—in the last decade, technology has leveled the playing field and propelled an entrepreneurial revolution. As an entrepreneur, you now have more access to information that enables you to make intelligent choices quickly. You have an advantage over big businesses in that you’re lighter, more flexible, and faster on your feet. You can target new markets more quickly, and you can turn on a dime. 

But being a successful entrepreneur requires that you look at the big picture and follow a plan through from beginning to end. Here are some practical guidelines that can help you when beginning your own enterprise:

1. Don’t Quit Your Day Job Just Yet 

Consider starting your business part-time, especially if it’s online, while you’re working and have a steady income. It usually takes six months to a year to get a business going and you don’t want your ability to make your house payment to hinge upon your company being an overnight success. Start with what you can manage, financially and time-wise, and scale up as your business grows.

 

2. Find Your Niche 

The days of general stores are over. Particularly online, consumers are looking for stores that specialize. You have to find a need—something a specific group of people want, but can’t get at the big chain stores—and fill it. You can’t compete with the big guys, so you have to find where the big guys aren’t and go into your niches.

 

3. Have an Online Presence 

Even if you’re not planning to start an online retail business, consider that the internet can still play a valuable role in your company. Having an online presence eliminates the limitations of physical location and broadens your customer base by, literally, millions. It’s also a great tool for promoting yourself and letting people, even in your own area, know that you’re there, and what you’re doing.

 

4. Refuse to Quit

Successful entrepreneurship requires creativity, energy, and a drive to keep going when you fail. Few people realize that before Bill Gates created the extremely successful Microsoft 3.0, he created a Microsoft 1.0 and 2.0, both of which flopped—but he kept at it. And that determination and refusal to give up is what will separate successful entrepreneurs from unsuccessful ones. Arm yourself with optimism to get beyond the ‘No’ or the trouble. There’s nothing wrong with failure—just don’t repeat the same mistake!

Every copywriter's nightmare. We write a beautiful copy for a client, who takes one look and says, "You can't be serious! This is too sales-y...or too simple...or too different..."

In response, I tell my own clients, “You may not like this copy. But you’re not the target market, even if you think you resemble your clients.” 

Here are 3 reasons why.

1. Customers Live on a Different Planet.

If you hang around the Internet, you develop a unique lifestyle. For instance, some of my best friends are people I’ve never met. We exchange emails and phone calls for years. My favorite web designer is an American living in Brazil.

And you hear the same promises over and over. “Bring traffic to your website.” “Attract all the clients you can handle.”

But if you’re targeting ordinary people (i.e., those who have actually met their best friends in person), many of our ho-hum phrases will seem fresh and exciting.

“Hype-free marketing? I like that,” purred an earth-dwelling prospect recently. “That’s a whole new way of looking at marketing.”

Your world may not be the Internet. Maybe you live fitness, coaching, cooking, or finance. But chances are your familiar phrases will seem fresh and exciting to your target market.

 

2. Customers Want to Be Sold.

 

They know you’re not putting up websites and creating brochures so you’ll feel good and collect gold stars for your Permanent Records.

And if they want your service, they’re looking for reasons to say “yes.” Think of all those Madison Avenue ads with the theme, “You deserve it.” Or, “You’re worth it.” They’re giving us permission to spend our money.

 As long as you’re tasteful and – drum roll – meeting their real needs, your customers will actually appreciate learning about what you offer.

 Recently I was pitching my services to “Frank,” a prospective client who sells fitness services. Hesitantly, I referred him to a website I’d written for “Tom” – a financial professional who was terrified we were selling way too hard.

 Frank was impressed. “This isn’t the least bit pushy. It’s so warm and friendly! Tom sounds like such a nice guy.”

 We’re still talking. But when Frank sees his own fitness site, I bet he says, “Um – do you think we’re selling too hard?”

 Also Read: 3 elements that your Ad succesful

3. Customers Don’t Want to Stop and Think.

 Some words and phrases slow us down. For some good examples, pick up your college textbooks and maybe a couple of academic journals. You’ll see words like “moreover,” “counterintuitive,” “although,” and more. (I know. I wrote many.)

 How did you read your college textbooks? I bet you read slowly, made marginal notes and hung on tight to your yellow highlighter pen.

 Alas, website visitors don’t study our copy the same way. We have to help them create highlights and move along fast.

 Which gets read more:

 (a) “Although you can work very hard, you may not see results for a long time.”

 (b) “But you can work really hard and wait forever for results.”

Are you looking for a copywriter? He is here. 

 

When was the last time you bought a car?  Did you really NEED a car?  I mean REALLY need a car?  Chances are the one you were driving was still running when you bought the car you have now.  Yep, people rarely buy because they need... they buy because they want to experience the feeling that comes with buying.

 We enjoy new purchases.  Sure, we can convince ourselves that we really needed a new one, but if we're totally honest we'll have to admit that we could've got by without it.  What does this mean to your advertising campaign?

 

1. State The Benefits Of Your Product or Service

Capitalize on the ways a customer will improve his lifestyle by making the purchase.  Will he increase his own business profits by 50 percent?  Say so in the opening statement of your sales letter, or at the top of your Web page.

 Also Read: 3 Powerful tactics that motivates customers to buy

Don't obsess with the features of the product itself or your credibility.  Frankly, customers could care less.  Let's face it... they're a bit selfish when it comes to dishing out their hard earned money.  All they want to know is what's in it for them.

 

2. Paint Word Picture That Let Them Experience the Benefits

 

"Wake up tomorrow, with no boss!  You can spend the day with your family or on the golf course... there's nobody to tell you what to do."

 

A Multi Level Marketer may want his audience to feel the freedom of having no one to answer to if they become successful in the business.  He'll dramatize that desire, and put the listener in the seat to inspire it to take hold until the listener is ready to sign up and get started.

 

3. Inspire Immediate Action

 

Hey, let's face it... the longer a customer lolly gags, the greater the chances he'll never take the plunge.  Don't let him off the hook that easily! 

 

Set a deadline.  Put on the pressure to buy now, or miss out on the deal.  Chances are pretty good that the procrastinator will get with it just to save a few bucks.

 

What about your sales materials?  Have you taken a good look at the things you are advertising?  Make sure you are focused on the benefits the consumer will experience from the purchase, and not on the features of the product or service.

Are you looking for an expert to take care of your Ads? This is the one

Wooing customers is a little bit like dating.  No, you can't present the engagement ring on your first date!  There's a two-way relationship that grows one step at a time before it leads to the church doors.  You can't rush it... you can't skip it... if you're looking for the satisfaction of a life-long commitment.

 

Getting to know your date, or getting to know your customer takes a little time and effort.  The personality, likes and dislikes of each date are different, but customers share some commonalities that you, the marketer, can grab onto.  Give them what they want, and they'll become the loyal, life-time customers that make your business prosper.

 

1. Forget About Selling... Put The Emphasis On Buying

 

People like to think that all of their buying decisions were reached due to their own great ideas and skillful shopping.  Hey, no one is fond of a pushy salesman.  A salesman who "HELPS" them discover the best buy for their buck on the other hand, is a hero. 

 

Really, when a person walks into your place of business, they are most likely thinking of making a purchase before they get there.  You don't have to persuade them to buy.  You can take it easy, and simply help them decide what the best purchase is.

 

Keep your focus on the customer and his needs.  Think... what benefits would he be most interested in?  What is the price range he can afford?  Basically, keep in mind that you are there to serve his needs, not persuade him.  Ah, the pressure's off!

 

2. Make Purchasing  A "Sure Bet"

 

Buying is a "risky" business.  The higher the price tag reads, the higher the risks are!  Yep, a customer is just looking for a product that satisfies the needs he purchased it for.  The question they ask themselves is... "Is it worth it?"

 

Hey, it's a legitimate question.  The world is full of scams where you spend your hard earned cash and end up with trash that doesn't last and that you can't get serviced.  A few tough lessons leave customers wary about off-the-cuff purchases.  They want something they can trust.

 

A money back guarantee alleviates a great amount of concern in the mind of the consumer.  There's peace in knowing that if the product doesn't live up to its claims, they aren't stuck footing the bill for a piece of junk.

 

Customer testimonials also clearly tell "would be" buyers that you really do deliver customer satisfaction.  No one can say it better than a satisfied customer, but don't carelessly use testimonials.  You need a method to your madness.  Pick clear and specific testimonials to use, and include as much about the customer as you possibly can to lend credence to his testimony.

 

3. Let Them Know That It's An Easy Process

 

Simplicity... ah, it makes life so much easier.  Yeah, your harried customers are busy and tired.  They don't want to mess around.  Most of the time, they just want to make the purchase and head home.  Convenience stores testify to the fact that quick and easy often overrides a better price!

 

Make the buying process as simple as you possibly can.  Remember that not everyone prefers the same method.  The more options you have available, the more customers you will please.

 

When you're planning your marketing campaign, don't forget to point out the quick, fast, and easy benefits of your product.  Remember that value isn't everything. It's pretty easy to charm your customers when you know what they like!  Keep these 3 tactics in mind as you go about the daunting task of growing your business and expanding your customer list... and watch your profits go through the roof.