Adding Something New to The Mix
Every time you add something new to your business mix you create another new opportunity to get more sales. For example, something as simple as adding new information on your web site creates another selling opportunity when prospects and customers visit your site to see the new information. When was the last time you updated your web pages and changed the dates?

Adding a new product or service to the list of those you already offer usually produces a big increase in sales. The added service or product can increase your sales opportunities in three different ways:

• It attracts 'new' customers who were not interested in your current products and services.
• It generates repeat sales from 'existing' customers who also want to have your new product.
• It enables you to get 'bigger' sales by combining 2 or more items into special package or bundle offers.

Become a Value-added Resource to Your Customers
Look for ways you can be a resource for your prospects and customers. Supply them with free information on how to do something more effectively or save money. Be able to refer them to allied professionals who can help them in areas you don't cover or provide. You get another opportunity to sell something every time they come back to you for help. This enhances your credibility and builds a trust relationship.

Separate Yourself from Your Competition
Find or create a reason for customers to do business with you instead of with someone else offering the same or similar products or services. What makes you 'unique'? For example, do you provide faster results, easier procedures, personal attention or a better guarantee?

Determine the (USP) unique sales proposition or advantage you offer to customers, that your competitors do not offer. Promote that advantage in all of your advertising. Give your prospects valid reasons to do business with you instead of with your competition, and you'll automatically get more sales.

Focus and Promote the End Result
Your customers don't really want your product or service.

They want the benefit produced by using it. They don't really care about your background, your services or even your products. What they 'really' care about are the results they get from using you instead of someone else.

For example, car buyers want convenient transportation with a certain image. Business opportunity seekers want personal and financial freedom for themselves and their family.

Make sure your web pages, sales letters and other sales materials or media are promoting the end result or true customer benefits your customers really want.

Anticipate and Prepare for Change
Change is the biggest challenge to your sales or business success. The days are history when a business could constantly grow by simply repeating what it did successfully in the past...or even recently. Aggressive, innovative competitors and rapidly changing technology make it impossible.

Think about some larger well-known firms that are in trouble of out of business. In the majority of cases, their 'failure' was primarily due to ignoring changes in technology, customer needs, competition, changes in the market or other factors that might have been incorporated into their working environment, if they'd been awake. Now they are dead or near dead!

Expect change and prepare for it. Don't wait until your income declines to take action. Develop the habit of looking for early warning signs that something is changing. Then confront it before you start to lose customers.

Hint: Insure yourself against the impact of change by increasing the number of complementary products and services you offer, and by using a variety of different marketing methods. Only a small portion of your total business will be affected, if the sales of one product fall off or the response to one marketing method declines. Always be adjusting what you do to be more effective in finding and keeping your customers.

How many of these five field-proven techniques have you overlooked or ignored? Hopefully some of these tips will serve as reminders or refreshers. Start using them today and you'll see an immediate increase in your sales.