Herman School of Business
Where can I get more sales?
Geez…if only my sales would go up fifteen percent I could make it. Or, if sales would just climb a little my income would get a sharp rise. Once the hard costs of your business are covered like rent, insurance, heat light and power then additional sales means larger margins on this incremental numbers. More money falls to the bottom line.
But, how do you get more sales? Ahhh…therein lies the rub.
Most business people would tell you it is easier to sell to your existing customers than it is to find new customers. OK, but right now those customers are strapped for cash and won’t increase their buying…in fact, they are cutting back. Your workforce can’t take any pay cuts and the landlord isn’t giving you a decrease so you better find a way to keep that top line number, sales, steady or growing. But where can you find those sales.
I wanted to make a hundred thousand dollars a year selling books. That was eighteen months ago when the first book came out. Book sales grow at glacier speed. Which means, that even when they double every six months I would be eating crackers and drinking water if this was my only source of income. In the book world you pray for exposure. And you PAY for exposure too. Campaigns to get reviews, hold book store signings, send out materials for interviews, hire PR people to get you on the radio all are designed to create the wave of interest that will propel sales of books. Less than 5 percent of all books published annually sell more than 5,000 copies ever. People writing books are not getting as rich as people playing the lottery. Publishers are crying about the free stuff written on the Internet stealing interest in buying books.
As exposure seems to be the key to most successful writers in order to increase my sales I sent hundreds of copies to bloggers, newspapers and radio and TV stations to get noticed. A few radio spots came along. Then more and even a few national TV interviews. I volunteered to speak at colleges and that gave me exposure to other opportunities. One of my PR people hit pay dirt with a SPIRIT magazine article. And that writer has just asked me to participate in another article he is writing for INC MAGAZINE which will appear in the July issue. Exposure. Which has given me speaking opportunities which in turn add to my income and also sells more books.
Today, as you read this, I am speaking in Austin, Texas before more than 100 professionals who are Business Advisors to over 50,000 Texas business owners. Exposure that will surely lead to something else happening.
And that is my point for your business. I didn’t go from novice writer to speaking at a major convention in one step. And your sales in your business will not leap forward fifteen percent…without you taking smaller steps to give your company the exposure you need to get more sales. Have you written an article lately about your business and how the economy has affected it? Even if it is negative, that sales are plummeting…the exposure will create sales for you. Have you considered merging with or taking over a competitor? When you are down, so is he and his company will never be easier to take over than right now. Perhaps even a mini price war would cost you a few bucks now, but get exposure to new customers…his customers…who can then keep buying from you.
Years ago when gas had long passed one dollar a gallon I offered gas at my station for eighty-nine cents. It was noteworthy…and the cameras came so they could show on the six o’clock news that one gas station owner cared enough to give his customers a break for one day. It cost me a few hundred dollars. A three minute spot on the six o’clock news was priceless.
Exposure. The way to increase your sales now is to increase your exposure to new people who have never tried your business. Exposure to new customers in any way you can get it will enhance your sales and help your bottom line. Start thinking of how to get more exposure.
- Posted: 19 May 2008
- Comments: 0
- Category: Business success
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