Category: Profitabiity

Lead Generation Made Easy

Posted on by Don Vanpool

Generating leads is a vital component for any business. Unfortunately, it’s often the most difficult and expensive part of owning and operating a business. Let me provide you with the framework you need to begin generating leads for your clients so you can help them make more sales. To begin, consider how professional publications generate leads.

Ask yourself what type of article tends to attract reader attention, bringing more traffic and more eyeballs to their page? Which articles convert, bringing them more customers and more sales? And what’s the secret formula that maximizes the twin impact of attraction and conversion?

Want an easy answer? Just head to your local newsstand. The best attraction and conversion techniques are hidden between the pages of two very different magazines: Cosmopolitan and The New Yorker.

Cosmopolitan articles attract attention. Look at these recent headlines.

75 Crazy-Hot Dance Moves
10 Cheap Fun Date Ideas
117 Style Ideas Already in Your Wardrobe

Seriously? 75 crazy hot dance moves? I’m lucky if I can pull off three in an entire night. But that isn’t what’s actually attracting readers. We find it impossible to walk past anything that gives us seven, seventeen, or seven hundred ways to do or achieve something. As human beings, we’re greedy, and we’re attracted to articles that feed our lust for excess, even excess information.

Most of the articles in Cosmopolitan are just bullet points stacked up against each other that go on forever. Sometimes there’s some meat to the bullet points, but often, especially in Cosmo, it’s just bullet points. This gives you the feeling that you’re learning something, but there’s no depth to the knowledge. Cosmo-type articles are light reading… and we like light reading. Gossip magazines sell like hotcakes for a reason. And just in case you’re thinking attraction is strictly a women’s interest magazine strategy, you’ll find men’s magazines do it too.

Men’s Health and Money always include light-reading articles on their covers like “How to Get Rock-Hard Abs” and “7 Secrets to a Richer Retirement.” In fact, for years, Men’s Health ran essentially the same four covers repeatedly. They figured out the headlines and formats that were the most effective and they just kept running the same ones. Add light reading and a huge list together and what do you get? The promise of a lot of information without putting much work in to get it.

No wonder we find them so attractive. Cosmo-style content gets retweeted, shared on Facebook, and sent around all the other social media channels more often because everyone knows other people are attracted to this kind of format. And by sending it on, it makes the person who posted it seem more attractive by association.

If you create content that offers Cosmopolitan-style headlines and light, easy-reading body copy, you will get the same results that Cosmo has gotten for decades. And those results are very good indeed.

But it’s the New Yorker articles that convert leads into actual sales. The New Yorker produces in-depth, well-written articles that drive home a specific point. When you write content in that

same style, you impress the heck out of your reader. They see that you’re smart. They see that you know what’s going on. And they see that you can tell them something they don’t already know. That impression is so powerful that the reader is compelled to investigate further to see what else you can tell them.

The more in-depth content they find, the more they think you’re a smart person to check in with often, and the harder it is for them to resist your “subscribe” or “buy” offer. This doesn’t just apply to text, but to video and audio as well. An in-depth piece in text, audio, or video drags you in. The more time you spend reading, listening, or watching something, the more likely you are to follow up with the source.

Those of you who have read the back-of-the-magazine articles at The New Yorker might be worried this means you have to write incredibly long articles. You don’t. Being interesting is far more important than going on and on about a topic and even The New Yorker has plenty of short pieces that still offer great insight.

For New Yorker-type content, you need depth, detail, and analysis. Those three things empower your reader a lot more than Cosmo-style fluff. Put more in-depth detail and analysis in your writing and you’ll see your conversion rates skyrocket.

So, which of these is the best strategy?

It depends on your business, of course. Perhaps your free offers or your website, just like some print publications, are driven almost entirely by Cosmopolitan-style headlines and copy. Others are driven by the New Yorker style. But you don’t actually have to choose.

You’ll notice that even Cosmo includes at least one in-depth article per issue. And The New Yorker always has a couple of short, lighter items upfront.

You can use both of these strategies at the same time. And you should. A strategic mixture of both types of content will not only attract a larger number of clients but also get you a much greater conversion. You can also interlink content so that Cosmo-style content leads to more in-depth New Yorker-type content. Or a Cosmo-influenced headline can pull the reader into a piece with more depth than Cosmopolitan ever dreamed of.

In print, magazines normally separate the two styles. The front of the magazine has mostly short, light pieces; the back has longer, more in-depth pieces. Online, you get to be more flexible. You can drive them from light material to deeper, more detailed content so they get a brilliant mix of both kinds of pieces not to mention that you’ll get great SEO benefits as well. They’ll be more attracted to you at the same time they’re inclined to convert and check in with you daily.

If you want to attract more attention, more traffic, more readers, and more social media sharing, go with Cosmo-style articles. At a minimum, make sure you’ve crafted a drop-dead, attention-grabbing headline. If you want conversion, meaning more subscribers and paying customers, lean toward New Yorker-influenced articles with plenty of depth, detail, and thoughtful analysis. And if you want both, give your readers both. Why settle for just one approach?

P.S. Also remember, to determine how likely your marketing is to convert, simply fill out my Conversion Equation Evaluator.

This evaluator has the unprecedented ability to predict the future success of any marketing collateral you develop… as well as predict whether that marketing will be profitable or not. And, it’s 100% free to use!

After calculating your marketing conversion level, I can show you exactly what to do with your website and marketing collateral that could double or triple the number of prospects who respond to your marketing.

Just schedule a complimentary meeting with me

 

How to Raise Prices Without Losing a Single Customer Or How to Dramatically Increase Revenue Over Night

Posted on by Don Vanpool

Here’s the best way to execute this strategy. First, identify your competitors who provide the same or a similar product or service. Although this can be time consuming, it’s well worth spending that time up front. Here are several suggestions to help you get started.

First of all, look around you. Who do you compete with during the course of your normal workday? Most business owners have a good sense who their competitors are. Take notes. Write down their names, what they offer, any special deals they offer, their various marketing and advertising offers, collect their ads, sign on to their mailing lists, visit their stores, walk their aisles, ask them questions and make notes how their staff treats you and so on.

Then ask yourself the following questions. First, what prices do you charge for your primary products and services? Second, when was the last time you raised your prices? Third, how do your prices compare with your competitors? Fourth, how does your product or service compare to your competitors? Fifth, do you provide any value-added services that your customer perceives that makes your product more valuable?

Sixth, is it easy for clients to price shop when they buy what you sell? Seventh, do you know your competitors’ biggest weaknesses or failings? Eighth, do you, or can you, specifically compensate for that failing so that you gain vital market share? Ninth, what would you estimate the impact would be on your sales conversion rate if you raised your prices by just 3 percent? And tenth, what would be your increased profit if you raised prices 3 percent while maintaining your current sales conversion rate?

Obviously this is a lot of research, but if you’re about to launch a business, you would do well to understand this information before you open your doors. If you’re already in a business, then you have to do this research to get yourself in front of your competition. However, most business owners are already swamped with responsibility and have little time to invest. So, try this.

Tap into your local resources. Go to your local community college or business school and either hire a business student to do this research for you, or better yet, offer to host an internship for a qualified student. An internship can help you get this research done for free while providing a valuable opportunity for a business student to gain firsthand experience in an actual business setting. In either case, a business student will learn excellent research skills and if you have to hire them it will be for very little money.

Next, obtain the basic research. Give them your list of questions and have them research the answers for you. Ask them to submit their findings in a typed report or an Excel spreadsheet delivered to you by email.

Ask them to break it down into several categories or columns. Make sure it includes the following, names and addresses, a summary of all competing products or services, the prices they currently charge, their individual strengths and weaknesses and their marketing strategies and objectives.

If possible, obtain more in-depth research. Levels of customer support, cost of delivery, your competitor’s primary Market Dominating Position and how they communicate it, their payment terms or options that make it easier for a customer to buy, their risk-reversal strategies including guarantees or warranties and their marketing and advertising collateral.

The purpose of all of this is to help you decide which of these can help you best increase your probability of success. These will help you to better understand what the impact will be of a 3 percent or 5 percent price increase on your business.

Whoever ultimately does this research, here are the best sources for finding the answers. Start with the Internet. Become a mystery shopper and visit their stores or locations. Order from them. Talk to their customers. Analyze their ads. Attend their speeches or presentations. Go to their trade shows and visit their displays.

Effectively raising prices sends that prices increase directly to the bottom line as profit. And since most business owners have not raise prices in years, the impact can have a dramatic impact on the profitability of your business. This is a cost free strategy to increase revenue over night!

P.S. Also remember, to determine how likely your marketing is to convert, simply fill out my Conversion Equation Evaluator.

This evaluator has the unprecedented ability to predict the future success of any marketing collateral you develop… as well as predict whether that marketing will be profitable or not. And, it’s 100% free to use!

After calculating your marketing conversion level, I can show you exactly what to do with your website and marketing collateral that could double or triple the number of prospects who respond to your marketing.

Just schedule a complimentary meeting with me

Unlock the Full Potential of Your Small Business by Identifying Your Target Market

Posted on by Don Vanpool

Every small business owner wants to build a successful and lucrative business. To do this you must be able to clearly identify your target customer. Let me give you an example to illustrate the importance of knowing and understanding just exactly who your target customer is.

A U.S. based pharmacy chain is testing a new customer rewards program in four markets and according to its web site, promises to roll it out nationwide.

The card offers the typical benefits—it’s free to sign up, customers earn points and get percentages off of brand products, coupons will flow freely in the mail and so on. But one of the new so-called “benefits” involves earning points toward free health screenings.

Here’s the deal. When a cardholder racks up 500 points… or spends $500 on non-prescription products… since one point is worth one dollar… they will receive a certificate that can be used for free health screenings such as glucose and cholesterol readings.

The program also gives 25 points for each prescription filled, but doesn’t include prescriptions paid for in-whole or in-part by state or federal health care pro- grams like Medicare or Medicaid.

But wait a minute. Isn’t it safe to assume that people spending $500 at the pharmacy… or filling 20 prescriptions at the counter… are already screened? Who exactly is this “benefit” supposed to be benefiting?

With the American health care system in a state of disarray and pharmacies like Walgreens stepping up to fill the affordable health care void with inexpensive health care screenings and advice, what is this pharmacy getting at?

Shouldn’t first-step screenings that are so vitally important to customer health come more often than when $500 is spent on toilet paper and a Kit-Kat bar? Rewarding more affluent customers who can afford to spend $500 on non-prescription items… or are constantly filling prescriptions at the store… doesn’t seem like the best way to promote public health. Real innovation here would be free screenings for poverty-line customers… or at least a more realistic point offering.

This is a classic case of putting the cart before the horse as the old saying goes. Here is a major retailer that has failed miserably to even remotely analyze who their target customer is and what it is they want. After all, there’s NO magic to selling. Find out what your customers want… and then give it to them. This retail pharmacy has completely missed the boat here.

Knowing and understanding your target customer… and then mapping out their thought process are two critical fundamentals that must be executed properly if you want to build a successful and profitable business.

The first step in this process is to identify the physical characteristics of the entire universe of customers that could be in your target market. From there you will want to understand the emotional descriptions of segments in your target market and better understand what they want. For example, a consumer looking for child care could want low prices, or a nurturing environment or an educational setting. This would obviously depend on various physical characteristics of the market. Finally picking a niche in your market and the revising the physical description of your target market will complete the process.

P.S. Also remember, to determine how likely your marketing is to convert, simply fill out my Conversion Equation Evaluator.

This evaluator has the unprecedented ability to predict the future success of any marketing collateral you develop… as well as predict whether that marketing will be profitable or not. And, it’s 100% free to use!

After calculating your marketing conversion level, I can show you exactly what to do with your website and marketing collateral that could double or triple the number of prospects who respond to your marketing.

Just schedule a complimentary meeting with me

 

 

 

 

How to Streamline Your Sales Process

Posted on by Don Vanpool

Here is a basic seven-step process that you can follow, or fine tune to suit your unique products and services.

This system will work for every business in every industry, from sales presentations to casual conversations in retail stores. Focus on cultivating your ability to master each step, as everyone builds on the first and is important in the overall process.

  1. Prepare yourself with enough knowledge about your product, customer, and industry.

Preparation is essential – for sales presentations, meetings or the sales floor – and it is the only part of the process you have complete control over. In addition to knowledge preparation, make sure that you, your place of business and your merchandise appears clean, well put together and professional. First impressions are everything, so do everything you can to support and prepare for your success, and it will pay off in closed sales.

Know your product or service.
Continuously build your product or service knowledge, and make sure you understand what you’re selling inside and out. This includes a knowledge of complementary products and services that you can offer as an up-sell, down-sell or cross-sell.

Know your customer.
Review what you learned about your target market, or do some research on the company or person you’ll be presenting to. Establish points of common ground and learn a bit about what they’re interested in to build meaningful relationships.

Know your industry.
Stay current on new developments and trends in your line of work or industry. Sharing this information at relevant points in the sales process will position you as an expert and build your credibility.

  1. Begin to build a long-term relationship based on trust.

The first few moments of interaction with a prospect will set the stage for the rest of your conversation. Focus on casual conversation that will relax your prospect, and begin to develop a relationship. Bring up points of mutual interest and understanding, and begin to establish your credibility.

  1. Discuss the problem, need, want or desire in detail.

Now that you’ve begun to build a relationship with your prospect, you can start to ask open-ended questions to establish what their needs and wants are. You could ask them what brought them into the store, or why they are looking for a particular product or service.

Once you are clear on what they are looking for, ask more open-ended questions to gain a better understanding of the features, price range, and complementary items that would be suit their objectives.

  • Listen to their statements, and repeat back what they’ve said to show you understand
  • Ask questions to clarify their statements, and to show you are listening
  • Ask open-ended questions to keep them talking. Learn as much as you can about their needs and unique purchase motivations.
  • If you are sure the customer will make the purchase, as specific questions about size, color, and price range.
  1. Offer the solution and focus on benefits.

When you have a good understanding of what your prospects needs and wants are, begin to offer the appropriate product or service.

  • Start with an explanation of how your product or service will deliver the results your prospect is looking for, or solve their specific problem
  • Paint a picture of your prospect after the purchase using hypothetical examples
  • Offer the mid-range product, and up-sell or down-sell as appropriate
  • Use anecdotes about other customers who had positive experiences with the same product, or showcase the awards or accolades the product or service has earned
  • Focus on benefits, and support with features and advantages
  • Take cues from your prospect’s body language, and ask qualifying questions as the need arises
  • Give the customer an opportunity to ask you questions or provide feedback about each product or service after you have described or explained it.
  • Ask closed-ended questions (yes or no answers) to gain agreement as you discuss the product or service
  1. Anticipate, then overcome objections with empathy.

While you are presenting your product or service, be aware of body language and the questions that your prospect is raising and use them as clues to potential objections. Try to anticipate objections, and then address them by asking open-ended questions (What do you think about…? What is important to you in…?) Objections will arise, so do your best to prepare for them.

When an objection arises:

  1. Repeat the issue back to the prospect to show you have heard what they said, and to ensure you understand them correctly.
  2. Empathize or show that you can relate to what they said, and then provide a response that resolves their concern.
  3. Repeat yourself to confirm that you have overcome their objection.
  4. Close with confidence and awareness.

This is a crucial part of the sales process, and the step that most people have difficulty with because it’s all about timing. You have to cultivate an ability to sense the appropriate time to ask for the sale. This can’t be scripted; it has to happen in the moment when the customer’s objections have been overcome, and when you feel they are ready to seal the deal.

Here are some questions to ask yourself before you attempt to close the sale:

  • Has the prospect agreed that there is value in the offering?
  • Does the prospect fully understand the benefits of the offering?
  • Does the prospect have any more objections or questions?
  • Are there any other factors could influence the purchase decision?
  1. Make that customer a part of your customer retention program, and don’t forget to follow up.

When you’ve completed the sale, make sure to get your customer’s contact information and set up a follow-up schedule. Your goal is to establish a long-term relationship to help cultivate loyal, repeat and referral business.

You should also be sure to ask satisfied customers to be part of your referral program, or if they would mind providing you with a testimonial. Be sure to do this as soon as possible after the sale.

Integrate up-selling, down-selling and cross-selling into your business.

Up-sell to increase the value of your sale.

Cross-sell to boost your average dollar sale.

Down-sell to avoid losing the sale.

Sales is a system that can be created, improved, taught and perfected.

The important thing to remember here is that everyone needs to enhance and refine their sales skills on a regular basis. A routine review of sales 101 is helpful for even the most natural of salespeople.

Consider creating a poster of the sales process with tips under each step, and posting it in the staff room or on your staff communications board. Visual reminders and passive access to resources can have a lasting impact on your staff’s performance.

P.S. Also remember, to determine how likely your marketing is to convert, simply fill out my Conversion Equation Evaluator.

This evaluator has the unprecedented ability to predict the future success of any marketing collateral you develop… as well as predict whether that marketing will be profitable or not. And, it’s 100% free to use!

After calculating your marketing conversion level, I can show you exactly what to do with your website and marketing collateral that could double or triple the number of prospects who respond to your marketing.

Just schedule a complimentary meeting with me

The Six Interconnected Steps to Digital Marketing Success

Posted on by Don Vanpool

Before you can even venture into the digital marketing world, there are six essential steps you need for success. Once you complete them, you are ready to create a plan of action for digital marketing success and see the results happen without worrying about backtracking later in the process.

1.     Define Your Target Market

Ideally, you will have already completed this task. Knowing your target market is essential to saving you time and money in your marketing process. To help define who exactly your target market is, you need to take a look at who your past customers are, the area around your business, and the digital marketing possibilities for this market.

Once you have a list of who your current customers are, you can think of the reason why they are your customers. These reasons and the attributes of these customers will show you a target market and how to approach it.

2.     Write it Down

Take a few moments to write a paragraph or two about who you will be targeting with your digital marketing. Write down which emotional buying behavior triggers them to make a purchase. Also, conduct research and find out what consumers need and expect from your brand. This way, you can focus on the interests and needs of your customers.

3.     Identify Value Proposition

Why do your customers choose your business for the services you provide? This is an important question to answer! You need to know what makes you unique from your competition. Is it the services you offer? Your products? If you have a hard time identifying these factors, ask several customers. Offer a gift card for a brief five-minute survey and you’ll have the answers you need to identify what is working and what isn’t.

4.     Create Key Messages

Your key messages are the messages you convey when you put together a marketing strategy, online or offline. To put together your key messages, you need to make a list of the benefits you offer that your competitors do not. You can make this list with the information you already have and add in further research from your competitive landscape. Once you have this information, you will be able to use it to build your strategies in PPC (Pay Per Click), your blog, or other avenues of digital marketing.

5.     Scope Out the Competition

The more you know about your competition, the more you can put together a better marketing plan. The most obvious list includes what your competitors offer for services and products. You also need to know:

  • Where they advertise?
  • What are their strengths?
  • What are their weaknesses?
  • How do you stack up against them?
  • In what ways do they market that you should?
  • In what areas do they lack that you could ethically take advantage of?

You may also take a look at the advertising platforms they use and in some cases, and with the right software, even see the details of their advertising campaigns the results they produce. Make a note of these resources to check them out later.

6.     Check Out Your Digital Market

Research can feel like a lot of work. Still, it’s essential to understand better marketing opportunities, your competitors, and how you need to put together a successful digital marketing campaign.

Use search engines with keywords for your business and observe the results. One great way to do this is to use the Google Keyword Tool and generate a list of keywords (with their usage numbers) to find what keywords are the most effective. This way, you’ll get information about the most popular search terms around the topic and how other businesses use them. Keywords are invaluable when putting together a digital marketing campaign.

P.S. Also remember, to determine how likely your marketing is to convert, simply fill out my Conversion Equation Evaluator.

This evaluator has the unprecedented ability to predict the future success of any marketing collateral you develop… as well as predict whether that marketing will be profitable or not. And, it’s 100% free to use!

After calculating your marketing conversion level, I can show you exactly what to do with your website and marketing collateral that could double or triple the number of prospects who respond to your marketing.

Just schedule a complimentary meeting with me.

The Marketing Equation that Will Turn Advertising Dollars into a Revenue Windfall

Posted on by Don Vanpool

At least 90% of marketing efforts by small business owners are completely wasted. The marketing pieces lack the hot buttons and attention grabbers to have any impact on the target market. And often the small business owner has not properly defined a target market and therefore does not know the hot buttons to begin with.

It is really quite simple … make your business unique, create an extraordinary offering and communicate effectively. And to communicate effectively the secret is to use the marketing conversion equation. Finding your core audience and getting their attention is simply following a proven set of principles. That formula is Interrupt, engage, educate and offer.

You MUST be able to enter the conversation taking place in the head of your prospects. Or another way to look at it is to be able address the number one question on your prospects mind at just the right time. The conversation taking place in EVERY prospect’s mind revolves around two major points … There’s a problem they have and they don’t want … There’s a result they want but don’t have.

Interrupt is your headline and is the problem they have and not want. Their hot button issues.

Engage is your sub headline and is the solution you provide that they are looking for.

Education is the information you provide either verbally or in writing that presents evidence to your prospect that you and your product or service are superior in every way to your competition.

The Offer MUST be so compelling and so irresistible your prospects can’t turn it down.

This messaging must be in every piece of marketing material you use and targeted at the niche part of your larger market opportunity. Utilized properly you will have more leads than you can possible address and can often get these leads while you sleep. It really is a simple equation that will turn advertising dollars into revenue. Happy marketing and see you here next week

P.S. Also remember, to determine how likely your marketing is to convert, simply fill out my Conversion Equation Evaluator.

This evaluator has the unprecedented ability to predict the future success of any marketing collateral you develop… as well as predict whether that marketing will be profitable or not. And, it’s 100% free to use!

After calculating your marketing conversion level, I can show you exactly what to do with your website and marketing collateral that could double or triple the number of prospects who respond to your marketing.

Just schedule a complimentary meeting with me.

Key Performance Indicators – The only way to properly delegate in your business

Posted on by Don Vanpool

 

A Key Performance Indicator System is one of the most important strategies you can implement in your business if you desire to experience freedom from the operational responsibilities of your company. A Key Performance Indicator System measures and reports the key activities in your business so that everyone knows how their efforts are either making or breaking the business. Without this, it’s impossible for your team to know how the business is running, how they’re doing, and what they need to change.

 

Here’s how it works. Imagine that you have to spend the next few months alone on an island with your cell phone. You’re allowed to make just one 60-minute call per week to just a few people in your company to direct and coach their activity. What numbers (usually 5 to 10) would you like sent to your cell phone at the end of each day to give you a very clear idea of how the day went, how the team performed, and how the business is running? What numbers will give you the basis for coaching your team to run the business effectively in your absence?

 

Here’s a partial list of common KPIs used by most business owners, as organized by business function:

 

Marketing

    1. Leads generated
    2. Cost per lead

Sales

    1. Inbound calls
    2. Appointments set
    3. Appointments conducted
    4. New sales closed
    5. Average sale value
    6. Conversion rate
    7. Revenue generated
    8. Revenue growth rate

Operations

    1. Units produced per hour
    2. Gross profit per unit sold
    3. Product returns
    4. Inventory turns
    5. Average transaction value
    6. Billable hours per employee
    7. Average hourly rate
    8. Customer satisfaction
    9. Customer retention
    10. Revenue per customer

Finance

    1. Current Ratio
    2. Quick ratio
    3. Inventory Days
    4. Accounts Receivable Days
    5. Accounts Payable Days
    6. Gross Profit Margin
    7. Net Profit Margin
    8. Advertising to Sales
    9. Rent to Sales
    10. Payroll to Sales
    11. Interest Coverage Ratio
    12. Debt-to-Equity Ratio
    13. Debt Leverage Ratio
    14. Return on Equity
    15. Return on Assets
    16. Fixed Asset Turnover

Questions to consider as you’re crafting your KPI system:

 

1.  How often you want to review your KPIs? (Daily, weekly)

2.  What key positions and responsibilities do you want to measure? (Review your organizational chart and position descriptions)

3.  What KPIs are important to you? (Numbers, ratios, percentages)

4.  How do you want the information delivered? (Fax, email, text message)

5.  How often will you communicate the KPIs to your team? (Email, bulletin board)

6.  What indicates good performance in this position? What is the goal? How do you measure good performance?

From there the business owner assigns accountability and creates operating rhythms to coach team members. This is the only real way to delegate to your staff and ensure effort is allocated to the 20% of actions driving 80% of your desired outcomes. Consistent actions will drive extraordinary results … Guaranteed!

Don Vanpool

P.S. Also remember, to determine how likely your marketing is to convert, simply fill out my Conversion Equation Evaluator.

This evaluator has the unprecedented ability to predict the future success of any marketing collateral you develop… as well as predict whether that marketing will be profitable or not. And, it’s 100% free to use!

After calculating your marketing conversion level, I can show you exactly what to do with your website and marketing collateral that could double or triple the number of prospects who respond to your marketing.

Just schedule a complimentary meeting with me.

Your Sales Process Can be the Ultimate Killer App

Posted on by Don Vanpool

Have you documented your sales process and can you quantify how well it functions within your business? The 80/20 rules implies 80% of our success is determined by 20% of our efforts. And this is no different for growing your business through increased sales of your product or service.

There are three key things to measure and improve to consistently grow revenue. Improve your lead funnel, convert more of those leads to sales and sell more at the point of sale. And to determine marketing programs and improvements it is important to use process mapping to determine how to get better at all three.

By simply mapping your sales process, you can get a better understanding of the sales tactics to generate leads and convert those leads to sales, while simultaneously getting a great idea of the costs involved. Imagine that. You can test out your ideas without spending any money and build a scaleable sales engine at the same time.

From there it is relatively easy to develop a marketing plan and schedule to ensure smooth execution of your sales process by product or service. Fortunately, there are only 7 sales channels to concern yourself with and about 20 marketing strategies. All of which become evident when you map your sales process.

No more worrying about the latest fad or new technology. Better to learn the art of process mapping and apply to your business. And develop a killer tactical marketing plan to 3X your leads and double your conversions.

Don Vanpool

P.S. Also remember, to determine how likely your marketing is to convert, simply fill out my Conversion Equation Evaluator.

This evaluator has the unprecedented ability to predict the future success of any marketing collateral you develop… as well as predict whether that marketing will be profitable or not. And, it’s 100% free to use!

After calculating your marketing conversion level, I can show you exactly what to do with your website and marketing collateral that could double or triple the number of prospects who respond to your marketing.

Just schedule a complimentary meeting with me.

 

Create a Market Dominating Position or Perish

Posted on by Don Vanpool

Most businesses are me-too with very little differentiation. They have not created a unique position in the market place, and if they have, are not communicating their uniqueness to the outside market. A market dominating position (MDP) is simply any value-added customer perceived benefit, or a combination of benefits, that differentiates you from your competitors, and does so in a strong enough manner that makes your business the logical choice in the minds of your prospects and customers. One great example is Domino’s Pizza, which built stores in areas with lots of colleges, which was fast hot pizza, targeted specifically for hungry college kids. A contemporary example would be stock trading start-up Robinhood with a hassle-free signup process, a sleek website design and zero fee trading.

Some key ways to differentiate yourself from the competition includes level of service:

Convenience – location, availability, ordering, delivery, and ease of payment

Speed – loan approval time

Education and training – on-line training for 24/7/365 access

Removal of potential risk – what is your guarantee

Quality

Security and safety – are your restaurant strictly following CDC guidelines

Another key category is selection. In Netflix’s case, all they had to do was match their competition in the areas of selection, and innovate int he area of convenience.

And finally, price such as single or fixed pricing. Businesses can differentiate themselves by offering a set price. Fixed pricing can be used for most businesses to establish an MDP when you use a little imagination. What about a divorce attorney that charges a fixed price for a divorce?

Your MDP will never be 100% complete and you will need to continuously innovate your business to stay unique. With the proper marketing you can then communicate that uniqueness to the market and crush your competition.

P.S. Do not leave this blog until you have a plan of action!

PPS. If you’re looking for a proven system to grow your business …. we created business development software and high-end step by step training to support it…

I can find any business owner $100,000 in 45 minutes without them spending an extra dollar on marketing or advertising.

Visit me on optaprofit.com to find out how or book time on my calendar https://optaprofit1.youcanbook.me

Don Vanpool … AKA “The King of Cash”

How to Profit through Time Management

Posted on by Don Vanpool

 

Manage Time Like Money

 

Why did you get into business for yourself? Was it to be your own boss? Choose your own hours? Have more time with the family? Spend more time doing what you love? Chances are, you answered yes to all these questions.

 

These days, you probably wonder where the time went. Why you spent 12 hours at work and barely made a dent in your to-do list. We already know that time is a key resource for you and your business, but it’s also a key resource in your life. Harnessing and leveraging time is the only way to enjoy life and have a profitable business at the same time.

 

Time will never manage itself. The decision to make a pro-active effort to manage your time must come from you. Once you have committed to taking ownership for your own time management, there are a host of tools available to you.

 

The Five Culprits of time Theft

 

  1. Your Email – How many times a day do you check your email? Is Outlook or Mail constantly running on your desktop.
  2. Your Smart Phone – Smart phones have created convenience, security and the luxury of telecommuting, but also the ability to work day and night.
  3. Your Open-Door Policy – If you make it easy for your staff and associates to interrupt you, they will.
  4. Meetings – How many times have you been to a meeting that was scheduled to be an hour, and ended up lasting three?
  5. You! – Every person has daily habits that sabotage their ability to work effectively and efficiently.

 

Simple Strategies for Profitable Time Management

 

  1. Set clear priorities
  2. Use your skills – delegate your weaknesses
  3. Create and keep a strict schedule
  4. Be decisive
  5. Manage telephone interruptions
  6. Keep your work environment organized
  7. Keep your filing system (digital or paper) organized
  8. Say goodbye to perfection
  9. Plan your work, work your plan

 

Choose the top 3 to 5 tips from this article, write them down with corresponding actions and start getting time back tomorrow. For example, if you are going to set a strict schedule, three actions might be to establish the schedule, communicate it to your staff, and re-record your voicemail message.

 

PS. Do not leave this blog until you have a plan of action!

 

PPS. If you’re looking for a proven system to grow your business …. we created business development software and high-end step by step training to support it…

 

I can find any business owner $100,000 in 45 minutes without them spending an extra dollar on marketing or advertising.’

 

Visit me on optaprofit.com to find out how

 

Don Vanpool … AKA “The King of Cash”