Enjoy Visiting Garage Sales

One of my all-time favorite ways to spend a Saturday morning is to visit garage sales, probably because I have so many great memories of going to garage sales with my mother and my grandmother. I remember waking up early and eating my breakfast as quickly as I could so that we could get out and explore the many garage sales that were held around our town during the spring and summer.

Now that I have become an interior designer, I love visiting garage sales even more. I know, it might sound like a strange place to pick up items for customers, but I have found some of the best and most unique pieces for many of my homes at garage sales. The things that some people find useless are a treasure to others.

If you are about to head out to garage sales, it is a great idea to make a list of the items you are looking for before you head out to shop. Having a list will help you to focus your searching and will make for a more enjoyable time. It is too easy to wind up with a car full of things you do not need after a day of going to garage sales. So prepare ahead and come up with the few things that you need and even think about a budget for those items.

Another great thing about heading out for garage sales is that you can do it with friends. I love spending a Saturday morning with my closest friends and their daughters. We grab muffins and coffee and then enjoy an entire day of garage sales together. So gather other friends that want to purchase great things for their homes and go! The wonders of garage sales await you.

If you are feeling like you have a little too much clutter in your own home, consider putting on a garage sale. There is no better way to simplify your life than to get rid of unnecessary stuff. Once a year I make every member of my family go through all of their belongings to see what they do and do not need. We then throw a weekend long garage sale to sell our items. My children are in the habit of living simply and having yearly garage sales has been a great way for us to work together on something as a family and to bond together.

So whether you are headed out to purchase new things at garage sales or if you are ready to throw one of your own, be encouraged that garage sales are great. They are one of the best ways to reuse great things.

Do It Yourself Sales Tools

After falling in love with the Hipster PDA and Levengers Shirt Pocket Briefcase,I started becoming more and more dependent on 3" by 5" index cards. They are great for note taking on the go and keeping organized at my desk, so I naturally started thinking of ways to use the cards to automate my sales process. From this, the "3X5" was born. I may not be the first person to use index cards in this way, but I do think a lot of salespeople will find the system easy to use and very effective.

You will need the following items to create your own 3X5 sales tool. I found everything I needed at my local Staples and everything cost me around $25.00.

  * A box to store the index cards
  * Monthly 3" by 5" index tabs
  * Daily (1-31) 3" by 5" index tabs
  * Alphabetical 3" by 5" index tabs
  * A ton of white ruled 3" by 5" index cards
  * A bunch of colored 3" by 5" index cards
  * A small case to carry cards in your pocket

Once you have purchased the required supplies, you can organize your 3X5. For the sake of simplicity, let's assume that you are assembling your 3X5 on January 1st. If this is the case you would first organize your tabs in the order below (front to back):

  * January tab
  * Daily tabs 1-31
  * February - December monthly tabs
  * A-Z alphabetical tabs
  * Blank index cards - white and your favorite color

All of your cards should now be in the file box and the first thing you should see is the January tab.

Next, you should start creating cards for your leads. In the beginning, this is going to take some time (assuming you have a lot of leads). I use white cards for leads and colored cards for my customers. You can do whichever you prefer, but I think it is helpful to break down leads and customers.

The system works like this.

Let's imagine it is January 1st. and you attend a networking event where you meet a potential client. You get this lead's business card at the event and you want to contact him/her on the 2nd., so when you get to your office, you staple the leads business card to a white index card and drop it behind the "2" tab and then go home for the day. After all, it is new years day and you have been working hard to create your new sales system and you attended a networking event.

So, you arrive at work on January 2nd. and open up your 3X5. The first thing you should do is move the "1" tab back behind the February tab. You will always be rolling the system forward like this, so that the first tab you see in the box represents the most current month, then the most current day.

Now, you go to the tab for today (Jan 2nd.) and find the card for the lead that you met at the networking event yesterday. You call the lead and learn that he/she is out of town until January 6th. so you make a note which says, "1/2/05 - Mr. Lead is on vacation till 1/6". Now you drop the card behind the "6" tab for the month of January.

You will continue to roll this lead forward in the system, making notes at each step, until the lead either turns into a customer or asks you to leave them alone.

When the lead turns into a customer, I staple their business card to a colored card and place it behind the appropriate alphabetical tab. If their is another opportunity with this client, I move the colored card back to the dated section and move them through the process again.

Of course, as you add more people to your pipeline, you might not get to contact everyone on the day you have them slotted for. Just move them to the next day's slot at the end of the current day so you contact them tomorrow.

You will not want to carry around a huge metal box full of index cards, which is why you want to have a small index card wallet or box, so if you are going to be on the road or out of the office, you can simply grab your cards for the day and go.

Not just for salespeople.

While the system is great for salespeople, it also is a great tool for those of us who are focusing on networking. I actually use three different colored cards and use white for leads, blue for clients and red for my networking contacts (patriotic, I know). On the red cards, I write either 7, 14, 30, 45, 60, etc in the upper right hand corner of the index card to remind myself how frequently I want to contact the person, so I simply move the card forward based on the number on the card. If I want to contact someone every seven days, I move the card ahead a week after I make contact.

This really ties in well to Keith Ferrazzi's book Never Eat Alone, which recommends you regularly ping your network. By the way, if you have not read the book, you should. You can get book notes for free from the Never Eat Alone blog.

Options / Enhancements.

I have been considering adding daily tabs to each month so that I can move people ahead to a any specific date (IE. August 11Th.) in the future.

You could also keep some sticky tabs handy so you can add a tab to the top of any index card for the contacts birthday. If you do this, you could just put an August tab on the card for every contact whose birthday is in August so you could quickly compile a birthday list each month. Again, this is probably overkill and you could probably just add the contacts name to a calendar and keep it separate, but what fun is that?

Converting Your Website Leads to Sales

Your website exists either to sell products or generate leads that can be later converted into paying customers. In the former case, unless you sell inexpensive commoditized widgets, it takes several interactions with a prospective customer before you can close the sale. Therefore, a top priority of almost every online business is to gather, organize, and convert website leads to sales.

1. Gather leads

Most of website visitors who are interested in your products or services aren't ready to buy just yet, but they sure have some questions and would like additional information (if it's not too hard to obtain). Don't make them search for it -- put your contact information right in front of them. Every page of your website must have call for action and contact options that are impossible to miss. Some examples include:

- Ask a question via email
- Call your sales phone number
- Request an instant call-back
- Sign up for special offers
- Contact for a price quote
- Download product brochure
- Submit an inquiry form
- Chat live with a sales representative
- Subscribe for a newsletter

When gathering leads, stick to the KISS principle. Don't ask for more information than absolutely necessary. For example, if you only need to know your potential customer's state of residence, don't ask for a full mailing address. If you do all your sales via email, don't require a phone number, or at least make it optional.

Be sure to provide a clear, concise statement about how the information you collect will be used. Assure your prospects that their contact data will not be shared with other parties and they can stop receiving communications from you at any time.

2. Organize leads and prospects

Leads are useless unless they are properly organized. First, you must establish the systems and processes for recording all pertinent information for leads collected via different channels, such as website, incoming phone calls, trade shows and so on. Aside from the contact information, each prospective customer record should date and source, products and services of interest, subscription and contact preferences, and any other relevant data.

Your lead management system must also be able to record the history of all communications with a lead, such as incoming and outgoing emails, phone calls, voice mails, faxes, and items sent via postal mail. Each lead must be assigned to a sales representative, and categorized by the level of interest, size of opportunity, and sales pipeline status (more on that later). Sales reps should also be able to enter internal notes and comments about the prospect, and set reminders for the future follow ups.

Last, but not least, your lead system must be centralized. Every person involved in a sales process should have the ability to instantly access and update the information, without the need to upload, download, and synchronize the data. This is especially critical if members of your team are geographically dispersed or telecommuting.

3. Convert leads to prospects to customers

This is where the rubber hits the road. There is a number of distinct steps in any sales process. Below is a typical example of a sales process. You can easily adopt its stages and definitions to your situation:

Lead - a contact that has expressed an interest in your product or fits the target profile of a potential customer.

Prospect - a lead that continues to express interest in your product or service after a two-way information exchange.

Qualified prospect - a prospect that has participated in a discussion with a sales representative and confirmed their need.

Confirmed prospect - a qualified prospect who has the info they need to make a decision and budget to go with it.

Committed prospect - a qualified prospect who has reviewed your price quote or proposal and has indicated that she is ready to move forward with you – but haven't yet.

Customer - ka-ching!

You can use your sales pipeline status report to not only organize and monitor the effectiveness of your overall sales process and individual sales representatives, but to forecast sales as well. To estimate the dollar value of your entire prospect base, multiple the average probability of closing the sale at every stage of the pipeline by the number of prospects currently assigned to that stage.

Establishing and managing your lead conversion process is all but impossible without proper customer relationship management (CRM) tools. You will need a system that captures lead information from your website and other channels, and integrates it with email, contact manager, calendar, and sales force automation software.

The companies that have established the systems and processes for converting leads to sales are already reaping the rewards.

Auto Sales Training

If you're a salesperson whose dealership has recently gone online, you're probably wondering about the best way to handle online customers. This new breed is entirely different, and dealerships everywhere are incorporating internet sales techniques into their existing auto sales training programs as a result.

The internet buyer is much more discriminating than their offline counterpart. They are searching for added value, choice and much more than the best price.
Therefore, being able to turn their enquiries into sales should be the goal of all online dealerships. But how do you, as a salesperson go about this effectively?

To begin with, a good understanding of today's internet buyers is in order. They are much more educated about what can be had online. That's because most auto dealer websites allow them to do just about everything except kick the tires. Internet car buyers have greater control over the buying process. They can access information around the clock, greatly reduce searching time, comparison shop and even obtain financing online. That means that once they've reached you, they are much better informed than the car buyers of old. However, it doesn't mean that the salesperson has been outmoded! Salespeople are as an integral part of the auto-purchasing process as they've always been. Customers still need someone to help clear confusion and finalize the sale.

It should be understood that the internet presents a golden opportunity for auto retailers and sales people to re-evaluate and reinvent their customer image. For example, the online salesperson can elevate the entire dealership's image by assuming a more advisory role with customers. This role is highly important, considering that said customer will already know a great deal about what you have to offer. As well, internet buyers, already being used to the low pressure, self-controlled buying process are more likely to respond negatively to traditional pressure selling tactics.

Internet auto sales training should communicate the benefits of using the internet to engage a customer at the shopping stage and provide superior customer service, something that has always been a cornerstone of the auto industry. Training should also identify the benefits of utilizing internet customer relationship marketing to reinforce strong brand loyalty.

How many internet sales a dealership makes will ultimately depend on the amount of useful information on that dealership's website. Today's internet buyer will not wait for new information to be added; if a website does not have what they are looking for, they will simply go elsewhere. The internet is seen as 'the great equalizer' of all businesses. Dealerships are no longer just competing with companies down the street; they are being compared to dealerships world wide. Therefore, it is even more critical that any auto sales techniques be original and dynamic; something that catches the buyer's eye or ear and leaves them compelled to know more.

Customer service is just as important online as it is offline; the salesperson must be willing and able to follow up with any and all internet enquiries received. According to a recent J.D. Power Autoshopper survey, 22% of all new vehicle buyers said that the internet affected their choice of a dealer, up from 14% in 2002. Therefore, how a dealer or salesperson responds to internet requests is of increasing importance to customers.

Quality customer relationship management software is another way that a net-savvy dealership can manage its enquiries. Incorporating technology into the office has many other benefits as well. Today's salespeople can now communicate from anywhere, whether it via PDA, cell phone or laptop, making them more accessible to customers than ever before. Web chat offers an additional outlet for sales people and customers to connect, giving customers the opportunity to receive real-time answers to pressing questions.

But the tactics and advice is the same: take the time to listen to what customers are saying so that you can tailor services to meet their needs, don't rush the sale and if a problem arises, avoid excuses; instead, explain why the problem has occurred. Assume a courteous disposition, be willing to ask what you can do for them, and showcase the benefits of working with you and your dealership. Internet customers are after the same things traditional customers are; to be heard and be advised.

4 Ways to Use Auto-Responders to Build Sales

Auto-responders, email systems which are built to deliver multi-step messages over time, will add value to your business in four ways: auto-responders can educate customers about your products and services, auto-responders can build rapport with your prospects, and auto-responders can carry much of your customer support and customer training load. These systems are always working for you delivering important and valuable information. Please see several ideas on how to do this below:

1. Communicate with Customers: Enter company data and product information into a series of auto-responders. Messages should be informative for your customers and should include an offer of value which the recipient can respond to. The auto-responder cycle can add value by making your company information more accessible to your clients.

2. Increase New Business Sales: Put a lead management system in place with auto-responder functionality. This will solve a common problem. Sales people will work a lead list, and burn a lead if it does not respond. The multi-step auto-responder system keep your company in your prospects's mind. The AR system spark a low fire into the mind of your prospect and build mind-share touch by touch.

3. Distribute Training: Training is critical to customer adoption and customer retention. Training is expensive and can eat up valuable sales and operation time. Distribute training to customers, new and existing, with an AR. The messages can range from the "Welcome on-board" basics and can evolve to advanced learning. Why not create advanced usage streaming videos and content and load up a 7 or a 10 message AR and put this Advanced Training offer to your customers for a fee?

4. Distribute Support: Set-up an auto-responder with Frequently Asked Questions. Determine what customer queries are asked and put a series of answers into your auto-responder. Put your AR to work for you by distributing your FAQ to your customers and your trial users.

The auto-responder sequences are fluid: work always to improve your messages and your offers. Your auto-responders can differentiate your business by optimizing customer communication and getting the most from your lead generation and marketing systems.

4 Step Dynamic Sales Letters

You, like all marketers have a million and one things to do today! At the top of your priorities is marketing... finding more customers and raking in greater profits. If you’re looking for a simple, proven model to create sales content without spending hours hunched over the computer, try the AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) model. You’ll be amazed at how fast you can create an effective salesletter.

1. Attention
What captures a reader’s attention more than an exciting list of things that will benefit THEM? Think about the affects of starting right off with 6 of the most appealing benefits of your product or service.

A Multi Level Marketer might start a sales letter like this:

* Experience the freedom of ...
* Being your own boss
* Financial independence
* Benefit 3 and so on .....

That gets their attention, and compels them to read on.

2. Interest
Here’s where we sneak in the basic facts that might otherwise be uninteresting. The nitty gritty details of the product features won’t hold the customer’s attention for long, so keep it short and sweet. Hey, it’s great that your swimming pools have filters, etc., but let’s face it... there’s not a lot of excitement going on here!

3. Desire
Whet their appetite, but give them some cold, hard logic to back up their purchase. Most consumers buy on impulse, then ask themselve whether it was the right choice. Don’t make them second guess! Preparing them to face the doubts with a solid logical reason they got the best deal for their buck might include:

* The advantages of purchasing from YOU.

* Testimonials from other satisfied customers.

* An unconditional money-back guarantee.

* A good deal!

4. Action
Order now! Hey it says move it, but it doesn’t pack the wallop of a stronger action statement like this one:

Hurry! Don’t miss out on this LIMITED TIME special offer. Call now to place an order, or visit us at www.....

Be sure to give details of how to order. Make it a part of the command... make it easy to do... provide several options.

3 Hot Tips For Building Trust And Increasing Sales!

How many times has it happened to you? You walk through the doors of a place of busineess and here he comes - perfectly groomed with a smile planted across his face in greeting. Within two minutes he has talked non-stop and promised you everything, including the stars if you purchase his project. You lift and eyebrow, and think to yourself... "Yeah, right!"

The distrust between consumer and salesman is a longstanding feeling. After all, you know they are wanting to make a buck off your purchase. Sure, you don't mind them making a few dollars... everybody has to make a living... but heck, it would be nice if they were at least a little concerned about what your needs are too!

Let's face it... customers aren't likely to buy from you unless they feel confident that you will deliver. There are a few easy steps that you can take to give them the confidence they need to take the plunge.

1. Let Previous Customers Make The Claim
The proof is in the pudding... No one can say that you deliver and make good on your promises like a satisfied customer. It pays to use customer testimonials. Now, we're not talking about blindly pasting testimonials everywhere... a little business sense and organization will be helpful in making the most of them.

Choose testimonials that are exact and talk about specific aspects of your business. "Thank you so much for your hard work!" is wonderful, but "Thank you for spending 2 hours with me yesterday. Your personal attention is greatly appreciated." says a lot more. Yeah, the reader knows that you are willing to take whatever time it takes to help them through the purchasing process.

Be sure to get your customer's permission to use their testimonial as part of your advertising campaign. While you're at it, get as much personal information about them as you can. Their occupation, city, etc., create a more realistic appeal to their testimony.

2. Be Specific In Your Claims
Specific claims are more believable than vague, generic brags. Order today! It's Fast, Easy and Cheap! Sounds much better when you say... Order Today! Take 2 Minutes to Fill Out Our 7 Step Order Form and Save 20% on Your Purchase!

Specific numbers don't always come out even. In fact, readers tend to believe numbers that have decimals are more accurate than whole numbers... even if the real number is exactly a whole number!

3. Be Realistic
Don't alienate customers with claims that sound too good to be true. Yeah, we all know the old saying that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Unrealistic claims steal your credibility and leave the customers with a raised eyebrow.

Think of it this way... what if you do understate the benefits? When your customer finds out the truth, he'll just be that much more satisfied! Marketers suggest that you under promise and over deliver to create the greatest customer satisfaction.

Customers who believe in you aren't afraid to buy from you. That means higher sales numbers and greater profit.

3 Easy Ways To Crank Up The Sales Volume

1. Supersize It!
Okay, okay... the real marketing term here us upsell it, but the word association takes me to McDonalds. You've been there... you pull up to the window, place your order and they always say... "Would you like to supersize that?"

What bugs me is that I instinctively say, "Yes!" After all, for a few cents more I'm getting nearly twice the amount of fries and beverage. We won't discuss the fact that a person with normal size kidneys couldn't possible drink the supersized drink before it goes flat... and that if I were to eat all of the supersized fries I'd be perfect advertisment for an acne medicine company... but hey, I got a good deal!

When your customers have their wallet out and are reaching for their money, they are ripe for shelling out just a few more bucks to sweeten the deal. In fact, about 50 percent will say yes without a second thought. It's the perfect time to offer an upgrade or an extra warranty.

2. After The Sale Offers.
Have you noticed that novel sequels seem to go like hotcakes? Once the author has caught the audiences attention with the first book, they can't wait to get their hands on the follow up.

The same idea carries over with your customers. A customer who is happy with the product and service you provided the first time, is much more open for a second experience.

The backend product you offer doesn't even have to be your own. Affiliate marketers are rolling in proceeds on ebooks that cover material associated with their products. It's an easy and painless process to market this way... the affiliate handles all the sales, while you collect the commission.

3. Reward Referrals
Customer surveys that ask 3 basic questions: What did you like best about the product?, How can we improve the value of the product?, and Who do you know that would benefit from the product?

In a nutshell, you are letting the customer know that his needs and opinions are important to you, and that you want to help someone else fulfill their needs too. You'll gain valuable insight into customer satsifaction, provide material for valuable testimonials, and get tips on potential customers.

Upselling, backend selling and referral selling work together to increase the number of sales you net, without increasing advertizing budgets. Try it... you'll be surprised at how easy it is to increase your marketing effectiveness within your current customer audience.

3 Crucial Elements For Jumping Sales Numbers

Marketers from every niche have common ground when it comes to bills. Yeah, every month there’s a new stack of bills demanding to be paid. Will there be enough profit to slide right through bill paying time without a flinch? Or do you find yourself fretting about whether you’ll even break even? You don’t have to be victimized by envelopes and 8x10 sheets of paper. Implement these 3 techniques to boost your sales.

1. Find More Customers
The first thing that comes to mind when we think of making more money is getting more customers through our doors. In fact, the majority of advertising focuses on doing just that. There are several things you can do to entice more customers to buy from you.

Implement Follow-Ups
Marketing gurus have discovered that follow ups can increase your customer conversion rates by as much as 50%. Now, that’s a whopping improvement! Don’t let potential customers fade away.  Keep the doors for future communication open, and watch the drastic growth in your profits.

Encourage Referrals
Every satisfied customer will tell 3 friends or family members about your business - without encouragement. Imagine what would happen if you start rewarding their efforts.

Get Free Publicity
Nearly everyone keeps a sharp eye on the local news. Hey, it’s funner to know what’s going on when you personally recognize the names and faces in print! Find ways to make your business newsworthy and catch the attention of potential customers without even paying advertising fees.


2. Sell More Per Customer
Think about it... how can you get every customer that walks through your doors to spend more money before walking back out the doors? Here are 3 sure-fire, profit increasing tips:

Increase your prices.
Hey, that might not be as bad as you think. Along with the price increase, focus on increasing the perceived value of your product. Yeah, we all expect to pay a little more for high quality stuff. Not everyone is bent on finding the absolute cheapest price in town... they may be more interested in lasting quality.

Add some higher end products or services to your business.
It’s never wise to put all of your eggs in one basket. That’s why wise marketers diversify their products and services. Think of it this way... higher priced products may not make as many sales, but each sale will bring in a much greater profit. You don’t need to make as many sales to come out on the best end of the deal.

Upsell
Offer every customer an additional product that accents his current purchase at the register. Hey, maybe they forgot they’d need batteries to go with the toy they're getting for their niece's birthday gift! You can be a hero... a richer hero.

3. Sell More Often
The fact that it’s easier to sell to the people who know and trust you is obvious. Sometimes we get so focused on new customers that we miss the gold mine in our own back yard. Take advantage of the hard work you’ve invested in winning the loyal customers you already have with these ideas:

Create a Special Deal
Show your customers you appreciate them and understand their needs with a special offer catered just for them. You’ll be thanking them, and selling more in the process.

Add New Products
Increase the number of products you already have available - especially products that your customers have asked for. They’ll know that you’re looking out for them, and you’ll take their thanks to the bank.

Communicate
Resell yourself on a regular basis. Don’t forget to let them know about upcoming specials that they’ll appreciate. Most of all... keep selling them on the benefits of the products or services you offer.

11 Proven Ways to Skyrocket Sales

1. Advertise Smart
Nothing risked nothing gained... Wise marketers understand the good sense in trying new advertising methods, but don't go out on a limb to experiment. Are the advertising campaigns you've been using working, but not setting off the explosive response rates that you are looking for? Try this... experiment with about 20 percent of your advertising budget, and let the remaining 80 percent continue to do its job of keeping a steady stream of customers coming in.

2. Reduce and Multiply
Big isn't always better, sometimes quantity is more effective. Try reducing the size of your current advertisements and run more. Surprisingly, short ads often generate more response than long ads. Yep, keep it short and sweet, and watch the results.

3. Liven up Your Ads
Take a look at your current advertisements. Are they full of active, lively, colorfully stimulating phrases? Yeah, get rid of all those boring words and replace them with phrases like...it's as easy as 1, 2, 3... hurry! Don't miss out...Save, save, save!...Act now!... That's right, keep things hopping and full of action for effective advertising results.

4. Give 'em the Warm Fuzzies
People buy products for the feeling they get from the purchase. How do you feel when you get a new car? Yeah, excited, proud and anxious to show it off a little bit. Keep in mind these feelings, and draw word pictures with your advertisements that will stimulate them. Yeah, you'll be surprised at the results you'll get from encouraging and dramatizing the desires of your readers.

5. Send Them a Postcard
It only takes a minute to read the back of a postcard. Most people are just like you - busy, busy, busy. Regardless of how busy we are, all of us automatically read postcards that are short, clear and concise. Send postcards with short ads to your target audience, and watch the flood of response sweep in.

6. Pay Your Customers to Advertise
Nothing is more effective than word-of-mouth advertising. That's right! Your customers can say it better than you could ever say it, so why not let them? Yeah, implement a reward program for referrals and watch your sales climb.

7. Say Thank You
It only takes a minute to put a thank you card in the mail to a customer, but the effects of your thoughtful act can create a loyalty that will last a lifetime. Yep, we all like to be appreciated...your customers do too.

8. Sell to Your Current Customers
The idea that sales growth comes from new customers isn't always true. Yeah, you can increase sales with the customers you already have! Have you tried offering them a product that will complement the item they are buying? What about follow ups? It's a lot easier to sell more to your current customers than to get new customers through the door. Don't overlook the potential that's in your store today!

9. Combine Items for Special Sales
Buying in bulk is ALWAYS cheaper...or is it? Consumers tend to feel that buyer in larger quantities is saving them money. Take advantage of that feeling. Group a few products together and advertise a special sale. Yeah, customers will feel pressured to shell out the dinero before the deal expires!

10. Surprise, Surprise!
Who doesn't like a pleasant surprise? Yeah we all do, especially after we've made a purchase that our conscience is telling us we shouldn't have. Do you want to get rid of those after purchase guilt trips for your customers? Give them a surprise at the register! They'll leave feeling like it was their lucky day, rather than struggling with the after-the-sale blues.

11. Count the Losses
When we look at sales, we often focus on what will be gained by the purchase. What about the loss that results from failing to purchase? Most of us are more affected by losses than by savings. Let your customers know what they'll be losing by failing to take advantage of your offer.

How many of these techniques are you using? Try implementing some new strategies and watch for new results! Yeah, nothing ventured... nothing gained. Sometimes it pays to take another look at what we're doing, and take it up a notch. Give these 11 tips a try, and watch your sales skyrocket!