Want to create a big surge in profits?
Create instant cash flow?
Sometimes the big answers are the obvious ones.
The ones that sit right in front of our faces.
Take for instance the time-honored retail practice of: having a sale.
I’ve written copy for (probably) thousands of sales, most of it while I was in the radio business.
I’ve seen many sales that worked very well… and many that failed miserably.
And I have identified some of the key common elements of successful sales. Successful sales:
1. Have a reason for being. “After Thanksgiving Sale” works as a reason.. but telling the story of why you’re so thankful for your customers and how to you want to give them a substantial discount works better. And stories that are not tied to “traditional” sale days (Christmas, New Year’s Day, Back to School) work best.
2. Offer true value. Either the price is enticing enough to motivate your customers to act..or you’ll need to add something that will motivate them (additional bonuses, etc.)
3. Are time-bound. They have a definitive start and end date. The shorter and more immediate the better.
Coming up with a reason for your sale shouldn’t be tough. Just think about what your actual reasons are (beyond “I want to make more money”) and build on that story.
The best way to get your sale done – and putting money in your bank account – is to set a date in the immediate future and commit to it. Put a stake in the ground.
Let’s say you have an online business, and your sale is going to be a 3-day sale. You’ll want to send an email the day before (to grab a little attention and “get on the radar” of your customers), one each day of the sale (to drive mores sales), and one “thanks for your business” email the day after (provides a proof element and teaches your customers that when you say it will be over… it will be over).
If you do this, it will be like strapping a rocket to your profits. So… go have a sale!
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