One eternal question in business is, “How can I make more sales with less outlay?” It is only natural to have this desire. Who wouldn’t want to invest less money to have greater sales?

One of the best ways is to sell more to your existing customers.

It takes five to six times more money, time, and effort to sell a given amount of goods or services to a new customer than to a customer you already have.

I know that may sound like a large ratio, an excessive amount, but I assure you it isn’t. Once a person has already “met” you, so to speak, he or she has allowed you to begin the relationship building process, the process of getting to know, like, and trust you. This is the sequence of a successful relationship building effort.

First your customers have to get to know you. Then, they learn to like you. Finally, they develop a trust in you and your advice, products, services, etc. They come to accept whatever you have to say or the products you recommend.

It is VERY important that you NEVER violate this trust! To do so means that it will take up to 10 times the time, energy, effort, and money to recover . . . if in fact, it is ever recoverable.

Remember that the relationship building process is what you are truly in the business of doing regardless of how much we may believe we are in a other businesses.

No matter what you have to offer, first, offer it to your existing customers. Since they have already contacted you or purchased from you, they are somewhere on your “know-like-trust line.” Therefore, they are much more likely to purchase from you.

Imagine the other situation–selling that same amount of goods or services to someone whom you’ve never met.

Let’s simplify the process. You have to reach the potential customer; you must make a sales presentation of some sort, whether in person, by phone, by mail, or via the Internet. That presentation must effectively solve the customer’s problem, and he or she must quickly develop enough trust in you to risk time and money on you and your presentation.

That process takes time, energy, effort, AND money–5 times more of each.

I recommend you begin any marketing effort by presenting it first to your established list, whether they be customers who have previously purchased from you or simply visited your place of business or website, before presenting it to people who don’t yet know of you or your business. It simply makes sense, doesn’t it?

To your business success!

Paul Elliott

Marketing With Unbelievable Guarantees!™
http://www.MarketingSuccessBlueprint.com/blog

© 2008, Paul Elliott, All rights reserved world wide.