Strategy

Create an affiliate or referral program.

Make it worth other people's time to help you and your clients. The goal of an affiliate or referral program is to create revenue (or simply incentive) for those who help you reach more people. With referral programs, there is usually a shorter term to the payment (i.e. a one-time finder's fee.)

Example: Dreamscape Multimedia offers a referral program free to anyone who wants to join. The Prosperity web hosting referral program earns participants a steep 50% ongoing monthly commission on any web hosting accounts referred to Dreamscape Multimedia, for as long as those web hosting accounts are active.

[Learn more about the Prosperity referral program.]

More information, please.

One of the best ways to stay in front of your audience or market is to provide value first. One of the best ways to provide this value is to deliver great information, especially important in today's information-based society. Pulling together information and knowledge for people accomplishes a few things:

1. First, it helps you clarify your thoughts. Taking even a small amount of time to write on matters important to your industry will greatly assist you in those instances where you're called upon to speak on such topics.


2. Secondly, in providing useful information to others, you make yourself a resource which is paramount in gaining credibility.


3. Third, in writing or compiling information, you are furthering your own education.

There are a number of ways you might deliver valuable information to others:

• Write an instructional brochure.
  
• Start a quarterly, monthly or weekly newsletter.
  
• Submit an article to local newspapers or business magazines.
  
• Produce and distribute an audio or video presentation on a topic in your industry. Deliver this valuable information through an interactive CD or via the Internet.
  
• Publish a book.

Take credit cards.

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Why is it, in this day and age, there are still some stores and restaurants that don't accept credit or debit cards? This is the epitome of making it difficult for your customers to do business with you. There is nothing worse than to make it through an entire meal only to discover they won't accept your credit or debit card and only accept cash. At this point, you will either end up washing dishes or hunting around the neighborhood for an ATM. This is ridiculous. If you're in business, find a way to accept credit cards. The ability to collect on funds immediately will pay dividends in the long run.

Tip: Some entrepreneurs are deterred from processing credit cards because of things like a 3% processing fee, et cetera. Rather than telling your clients you're charging them extra for paying via credit card, just raise your rate or your price to cover the cost. You shouldn't penalize a client for paying you in full and quickly, but you don't have to eat the cost either.

Be brief in your e-newsletter.

In your weekly, monthly or quarterly e-newsletter, don't place entire articles. Instead, place only the first few sentences—just enough to generate interest and give an idea about the content. Then, place a link back to your website where they can continue reading the entire article. This serves two purposes: First, you're able to save your precious newsletter real estate for packing in more articles, news or offers. Second, you'll be able to track the interest in each article (and therefore, each topic being presented) as people click through to your site.

Tell your story.

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Tell your story. Oftentimes, in our attempt to appear as consummate professionals, we may be leery of telling our story (why you do what you do, what makes you tick, what ticks you off, et cetera.) As any seasoned public speaker will tell you, stories have a way of intimating us to our audience. A good story can work wonders for an ailing brand.

Tip: Story is often sacrificed in lieu of political correctness, making it stale and dull. You can help your employees tell those inspiring, though slightly-off-center stories, by encouraging a culture that assumes the best intent.

Example: Family values win. By the cash register, the store owners show a picture of their three beautiful children grinning back at the customer. Below is a handwritten note that says, "This is why our hours are what they are." The story is brief and clear, tells the customer about the values of the owners, and inspires loyalty through this intimacy. How can you accomplish the same through use of story?

Seek strategic partnerships with your competition.

Seek out your competition and look for opportunities to play off each other's strengths. In making your competition strategic partners, you will be adding to the repertoire of products and services you are able to offer your customers. You may seek special pricing or a commission for driving business to one another, but ultimately, your goal is to help the customer.

Match your competition’s prices.

Offer to match your competition's prices. Bargain shoppers thrive on being able to bring in your competition's ads to have you beat the prices. There are a few things that work to your advantage here:

• Your regular patrons will be less likely to be swayed away from you because of price,
  
• The hunt for the lowest price is a process that engages the public and draws attention,
  
• You never have to worry about keeping a tab on the competition's price strategy (but you do have to worry about being able to maintain the same price strategy.)

Make sure your customers can order from you online.

Make sure your customers can order from you online. If they can't order from you online, make sure they can order by phone. You're in the business of making it easier for your customers to do business with you!