Top 20 Tips For 2003
Looking for surefire ways to generate more sales this year?
Try some of these simple ideas from retail experts
Excerpted from Country Business, January 2003

By Sheri Wallace

No one can have too many promotional ideas up their sleeve, especially in these precarious economic times.  This year, don't be afraid to try something new and different, and remember that promotions are only as good as the homework behind them.  But also remember what promotions expert Claire Rosenzweig, president of the Promotion Marketing Association, cautions:  Every  promotion must have a clearly defined objective, a measurable goal and some way to tally up the win and lose columns.  "Great promotions don't have to cost a fortune, but you do have to know if they work or not," she says.

So, when planning your next promotion, decide in advance what your goal is, decide how you can measure your success and don't forget to add up the numbers.  When you look at how well your promotion did, you will probably be pleasantly surprised.  Here are 20 ideas from industry experts that you can try right away.

1. Start Sampling:  Rosenzweig suggests that retailers use the tried-and-true method of sampling a little bit more this year.  "Sampling results in approximately 70 percent more sales of each sampled item," she explains.  Ask your vendors for free or discounted testers.

2. Hold a Contest:  William Lampton, Ph.D., nationally recognized communication expert and author of The Complete Communicator:  Change Your Communications...Change Your Life (Providence House Publishers, 1999) says that nothing beats the time-honored contest.  "We all love contests," he says.  "They generate attention and excitement.  They get our adrenaline flowing."  Your contest doesn't have to be extravagant to be remembered, but to get the most out of it, be sure to post the top three winners in your store for several weeks afterward.

3. Speak Up:  Give the gift of gab, and offer to speak at a chamber of commerce meeting or other local association.  Vickie Sullivan, owner of Sullivan Speaker Services in Tempe, Arizona, and author of the CD Speak to Sell:  Using Public Speaking as a Marketing Tool, says there are lots of great business topics to speak about, and your business will see the benefits almost immediately.

(To read the rest of this article, pick up a copy of the January 2003 issue of Country Business.)

Check out Country Sampler's Country Business for related articles and information.

"You were very thorough in your knowledge of the speaking industry and of my situation. Your strategies were on target and effective in moving my speaking to the markets I want to expand in. Your advice also prevented costly mistakes I would have made by following the traditional approach. Thanks for your help."

Chris Mercer, CEO
Mercer Capital
www.bizval.com

It's one thing to decide to change.It's another to know that your changes will get results. Ready to test your assumptions? Get a reality check with Vickie's market assessment .

Ready to get more income and clients from your speaking? Get Vickie's inside scoop at SSS Products -- or go to SSS consulting regarding individual help. Don't know which way is best? Contact Us to set up an appointment to brainstorm!