SIX STAY-AT-HOME BUSINESS SUCCESS ESSENTIALS
By Gary Christensen
If you're operating a home business, you've no doubt discovered that your day is busy with a myriad of things to do. But which things are most important for your success? Let's look at a few essentials.
1. Send Them Something Free--The word FREE is usually the first word in every ad I place. Many readers won't read past the first word of each ad. Offer a Free ad, a Free report, a Free listing, a Free mailing, a Free service, or a Free sample. You want people to respond and no other word will work better for you than FREE. That's what I want: responses. I don't want orders, and I don't want inquiries. I just want people to write, or phone, or email me for what I'm giving away free. It's the best way to get LOTS of responses flowing into your mailbox.
2. Simplicity is the Key--One of the first things I learned about writing ads was the "K.I.S." phrase--Keep It Simple. I was told never to use a big, long word when a short one worked just as well. I read lots of articles and most of them are good, but some writers used words that even I never learned the meaning of...and I'm a college graduate.
One writer said, "Building a business is greatly facilitated by identifying your own power niches." My apologies to that writer--can you tell me what that string of words means? Don't make your readers break out the dictionary to try to figure out what you're trying to say. Keep it simple.
3. Self Should be Second, Others Should be First--It's difficult today to put others first. T.V. ads tell us we need to better ourselves, to exercise, to lose weight, to get a face lift, to buy a better car or a bigger house, to improve ourselves, etc. But try to focus on the other guy--your customer, your dealer, your downline. You'll be helping others AND helping your own situation at the same time.
If they are built up and made to feel better, encouraged, and taught how to do business, they will be better off and you will benefit, as well. It works! Do what you can for the other guy first. Seek him out and help HIM to succeed, and YOU will succeed in the process.
4. Satisfaction is Vital--If you make it your objective to satisfy your customers, they will feel that you care. They'll tell others, and that can lead to more contacts and more sales and more people coming to you to obtain what you have. If you do your best to satisfy every customer, to offer a money-back guarantee, to make sure they have your phone number, that you are there to meet their needs, they will feel that you are "going the extra mile" for them. And it WILL be appreciated. They WILL tell others about you.
5. Service After the Sale--Part of this has just been said--doing extra things for your customers and being available to meet their needs. It's also about following up, calling your customers, checking to see if they got their order, checking to see if they are satisfied, even mailing them a thank you card. I bought a new software program from a local computer store. They took down my address, filled out their order form, gave me a copy of it, and thanked me for purchasing it from them.
Within a week, I received a card in the mail from them. They sent me a thank you card, saying they appreciated by business. Have you every gotten a "thank you" card in the mail from a store because you shopped there and bought something from them? Have you ever SENT a thank you card to one of YOUR customers, or to one of your dealers, or to your downline?
6. Send a Response Quickly--Mail can be slow, sometimes. Things do get lost in the mail. But have you noticed that the mail is getting faster? I often get letters from people in New York or Florida within a day or two (I live in Oregon). It used to take four or five days. Phone calls (during off times) are quick and inexpensive and email is...well,...instant. I fill their request, hit "send," and it's there within minutes. I know that because I often get an email right back, thanking me for what I just sent them.
If at all possible, fill your orders quickly. Send the information right away. These are hot prospects. Get back to them immediately, before they cool off or lose interest.
Your list of "success secrets" might be longer and/or different from mine. This is NOT meant to be an exhaustive study--just a few thoughts on things we ALL need to be reminded to do each day in our home businesses. Do your best to keep customers satisfied and happy. Do a little bit extra for each one, answering and filling orders quickly, offering a strong guarantee, offering something free to get lots of responses.
It all works to your benefit. Remember--help the other person be successful and YOU will be successful, too!
Gary Christensen is a Freelance Writer and Self-Published Author of eight books and more than 100+ Original Articles, like this one. Gary's latest, HOW TO USE THE WORD "FREE" IN EVERY AD YOU WRITE, is completely Free for the asking from Gary, via email: Garch7@peak.org
You can also get that report and many others by purchasing Gary's 88 SHORT CUTS TO MAILORDER PROFITS for only $15. Write to:
Gary Christensen 946 NW Circle Blvd. Box 200 Corvallis, OR 97330
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