How to Increase Your Business Sales

When it comes to running a business, your sales are likely to move in one of two directions: up or down. Obviously, you want them to go up. If you simply try to "hold serve" and just remain profitable without actively trying to grow your top line sales figure, you're likely going to see that number drop over time. That's why it's important that you pursue an aggressive strategy that will increase your sales.

Part 1

Promoting Your Business

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   Use content marketing. A great way to promote your brand online is to post useful articles that will appeal to people in your target market. Digital marketers call that content marketing.^[1]

   • Good content marketing attracts people to your website who might purchase the product or service that you're selling.
   • If you're not a very good writer, you might have to hire someone to write and post articles for you. That will require an investment.
   • Be sure the articles that are posted to your website are optimized for search engines. You want people to find those articles when they're searching for keywords relevant to your niche.^[2]
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   Create new demand for your product or service. How can your product or service appeal to people in a way that you haven't thought about yet? Try marketing it with that angle and see if sales grow.

   • The classic case of Arm & Hammer advertising from decades ago is a great example of how to multi-purpose a brand.^[3] The company advertised its baking soda product as a means to deodorize drains once it had outlived its usefulness as a refrigerator air freshener.
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   Raise prices. You might think that, to increase sales, you should lower prices in an effort to attract more customers. While sales and discounts often lead people to purchase your product or service, sometimes raising prices is also the right move.

   • If you keep the same number of customers after your price increase, then you'll definitely raise your top line sales figure.
   • Higher prices often lead to a perception in quality.^[4] That impression could send more business your way.
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   Advertise your product or service. If your customers don't know about your business, you won't be able to sell to them. Build brand-name awareness by reaching people in your target market with messages about how your product or service will benefit them.

   • It's easier to track the effectiveness of online advertising campaigns than it is to track the effectiveness of "old school" media campaigns (such as radio ads). That's because your online advertising platform can provide you with analytics about how many people visited your site from a particular ad, something about the demographics of those people, what kind of ads they clicked on, and more.^[5]
   • Obviously, advertising requires an investment. Be sure to validate the effectiveness of your campaign so that you can determine if you're receiving a good return on investment.
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   Offer (and publicize) special deals and discounts. Customers love great deals, so special one-time offers are a great way to raise your sales in the short term. However, to take full advantage of the sales "spike" a special deal can provide, make sure as many people know about it as possible. This may mean mentioning upcoming deals to your existing customers, distributing flyers or handouts, paying for advertisements, or more. Balance the costs of publicizing your deal with the benefits you're likely to gain from it.

   • Flat or percentage price cuts for certain products (e.g. $20 off all microwaves)
   • Percent discounts for purchases over a certain price (e.g. 10% off on purchases over $70)
   • Buy x, get y free deals (e.g. buy 3, get 1 free)
   • Limited-time bundles (e.g. buy a computer by the end of the month and receive a free keyboard)
   • Free shipping for orders over $50.
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   Make the process of buying your products a safer bet (and publicize this). Customers are more likely to buy from you if they're confident that their money won't be going to waste. Demonstrate confidence in the quality of your products by "insuring" the customer's purchase.

   • Offer a money-back guarantee
   • Have a generous return program
   • Have a "satisfaction guaranteed" policy
   • Use social proof.^[6] One of the best ways to use social proof online is to provide testimonials about customers who've loved your product or service. It's best to include full names and even pictures of the people who've given you rave reviews.
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   Build a presence in the community. One great way to build positive recognition for your business (especially if it's a small business) is to become an active player in the community. ^[7] Look for opportunities to promote your brand by sponsoring or underwriting local events and charitable causes or by participating in gatherings and festivals. As an added bonus, you may even have a chance to sell your products at the events you participate in. Below are some of the types of events and organizations you may want to be on the lookout for:

   • Charitable causes (dinners, auctions, fundraisers, etc.)
   • Non-profits with a large potential audience (college radio stations, etc.)
   • Local entertainment venues or organizations (community theaters, sports teams, etc.)
   • Large outdoor gatherings (street fairs, music festivals, etc.)

Part 2

Upselling

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   Offer an opportunity to "upgrade". Why sell a product for $100 if you have a chance of selling a different product for $150? By offering customers the chance to buy a better version of the product they want to purchase, you boost your sales and the customer gets a better product.^[8] Everybody wins.

   • If, for instance, your customer is purchasing a 21 inch (53.3 cm) television set, you might give him or her an opportunity to upgrade to a 24 inch (61.0 cm) television at the check out, for only a little extra. The customer may or may not take the bait, but you'll never lose the original sale unless you push very hard, so it's very difficult to lose money with this trick.
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   Offer "companion" items. Don't settle for selling one item if you can get away with selling two! When a customer is making a purchase, you may want to offer him or her another item that complements an item in the shopping cart.^[9] Recommend something your customer is likely to need to make the most out of the purchase, like some sort of optional accessory. You can even offer a discount on the second item to sweeten the deal!

   • For example, if a customer's buying toys, you might upsell by offering your customer a pack of batteries. Or, if the customer is buying a printer, you might offer $10 off of a pack of ink cartridges.
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   Offer pertinent services and plans. Another great way to make a little extra money is to upsell optional services or plans when the customer makes his or her purchase. Optional warranties, protection plans, and subscriptions to services or publications related to your customer's purchase are all things you can recommend to make a sale more profitable.

   • For example, if you're selling a customer a car, you might offer a warranty that covers any problems caused by the car's workmanship as part of a package deal.
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   Offer small, inexpensive items for sale near the point of sale. One way that businesses frequently practice "passive" upselling is by positioning small impulse-buy products near the point of sale (cash register, checkout line, etc.) Because these small items are relatively cheap and offer instant gratification, customers will frequently add these to their purchase. Over time, the profits from these tiny sales can add up.

   • You have probably noticed this method of upselling in practice at the grocery store checkout line, where gum, candy bars, and beverages are frequently for sale.
   • If you're running an e-commerce business, you still have a virtual checkout line. Advertise small, inexpensive items within the shopping cart screens so customers can buy additional items they might like.

Part 3

 Using Smart Business Strategies 

 

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   Let your customers try your products before they buy them. If a customer can experience a product's benefits firsthand, he or she is more likely to remember (and eventually purchase) the product in question. If possible, try to give your customers a chance to "sample" or "try out" your product or service for free.

   • This option isn't suitable for every business, though. You can't "try out" a life insurance policy. However, it might be suitable for your business model.
   • For example, if you run a grocery store, you may want to have an employee distribute small samples of new products to your customers. This principle applies to non-food industries, too. Car dealerships are best known for using the "try before you buy" method by offering free test drives.
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   Teach your salespeople how to demonstrate the value of your products. By explaining or showing your customers how your products can make their daily lives better, you can strike a personal chord with your customers and boost your sales in the process. You may want to direct your salespeople to make reference to common uses for hot products in their sales pitches or even have them actually show the customer your products in use.

   • For example, many large department stores like Costco have employees give product demonstrations on the floor. They show customers how to cook with electric grills, how to clean soiled carpet with steam cleaners, and so on.
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   Offer sales incentives to your employees. Finally, one time-tested way to boost sales is to give your salespeople a reason to work extra-hard. Offering incentives to employees who make lots of sales is a good way to maximize the selling power of your company. Below are just a few of the types of incentives you may want to offer to high-sales members of your workforce:

   • Commissions (a small percentage of each sale's cost awarded to the employee who made the sale).
   • Reward packages (e.g. extra time off, gifts, etc.)
   • Promotions
   • Achievement awards (e.g. employee of the month, etc.)