If you’re trying to get more business, promotions is the name of the game. People need to hear about you. They need to know you exist. How do you let your customers know you exist? Advertise.

Advertising then becomes a cost per customer equation. How many dollars does it cost you to get a customer in the door, how many “convert” (buy something), and what is the average profit margin per customer? There are several other factors you can add in to this equation to get more specific, but I only cover basics in this blog.

Take a lesson from the political pros…use automated calls. The cost is often 1/2 - 1/4 of the price of a postcard or letter and gets close to the same response. Your intent in calling these people is not to have a live person on the phone ready to sell to them or take their order, but to let them know that you’re there. They need to hear your name. They need to know what business you’re in. They need to know why you’re better than whatever they’re currently going with.

Campaign managers for the upcoming presidential election have been backing off of letters and post cards in favor of automated calls. Mainly for the massive savings, but also because getting someone (even on the do-not-call-registry) to opt-in to your call list is pretty easy.

***CAUTION***

MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THE RULES HERE! You can (and WILL) be fined enormous amounts of money for each instance that you break the law regarding telephones and soliciting business.

***DISCLAIMER***

I am not responsible for your stupidity. Do your own due diligence and research on what is legal and what is not before you go cold calling through the phone book.

- John