If you have a list, the fastest way to get cash in the bank is to make an offer. And the easiest, fastest way to get money from your existing buyers, is to offer them something else to buy. Your existing list — prospects, customers, clients, patients — who already know, like and trust you are your LOWEST HANGING FRUIT.
Obvious, right? I get that.
So, let me be clear: I know, that YOU know, that having a sale is quick way to bring in cash from your existing list! Ok?
But after doing this stuff for nearly two decades, we’ve come up with lots of ways to “have a sale.”
Here’s are some examples you might use in your business. I’m not going to get bogged down in the details. These are just mind-teasers to get your brain going.
Plus, these are EASY to do. Just whip some copy together and go!
NOTE: If you have a business up and running, here’s 6 Ways To Double Your Sales From Your Existing List.)
And there are three, GOLDEN RULES you must always follow to make your sale effective, over-and-over.
ADVANCED STRATEGY: “Dark Future Cast”
If your product or service doesn’t lend itself to true scarcity, don’t lie. It will always come back around to kick you in the rear-end. Instead, you can use a technique called, “Dark Future Cast.”
Basically, you paint the picture for your prospect of what his future will look like if he does NOT take action and buy now.
Here’s an example taken from the sales letter used to fill up our Modern Warrior live firearms training event…
Simply mail your list with a “thank you” letter. Something like this…
“Hi John, thank you for being a [loyal customer or subscriber]. It’s folks like you who keep me hopping out of bed every morning. As a special, “Thank you” for being a [loyal customer or subscriber], I’d like to offer you [30%, etc] off our best selling [product/service]. Thanks again and remember the customer appreciation sale ends [DATE HERE].”
This works great for: ALL TYPES OF OFFERS!
You get returns. You have warehouse mishaps. You have products that aren’t in perfect condition. You have things that have been “gently used.”
Run an offer to your list saying…
“Hey, I just got notice from our warehouse that we’ve got [72, etc.] of our best selling [product name] that are sitting in a warehouse collecting dust. We can’t sell these as new because [reason why… like they’re scratched, gently worn, used, returns, etc]. If you don’t mind [describe the issue, “scratched DVD covers”] then we’re happy to let these go at a massive discount. Thanks again and remember we only have [72, etc.] of these in stock. And when they’re gone, they’re gone.”
Another way to frame this offer is by making it a “inventory reduction” sale. Which is especially powerful towards the end of the year, or if you really do need to make space for a new product.
We’ve also run these types of sales when we change fulfillment centers, or if you’re moving offices. We literally just say…
“We are are changing fulfillment centers to give you a better customer experience and faster, more reliable shipping. We don’t want to have to pay the freight to move all our products. So, we’re offering you a massive discount.”
This works great for: Physical Products
Listen, I see marketers make this mistake all the time. They think their market is too sophisticated for a “holiday sale.” Big, profit-reducing mistake.
You prospect or customer is looking for a reason to buy. You just need to give him permission!
Think about the, “Memorial Day Mattress Sale!” What does Memorial day have to do with mattresses? Nothing. But it works!
Or, like the guy who’s riding in his worn-out car with two screaming kids in the back seat who hears this radio ad…
“FREE popcorn and balloons for the kids! Come down to San Diego Toyota this President’s day!”
He pulls onto the parking lot to get his kids some popcorn and balloons… and drives away in a new $35,000 car. He already WANTED the car. He just needed a reason to show up and buy.
FACT: If you sell to humans, this works. Don’t overlook it.
Big box retailers live and die by the holiday calendar.
If you sell services… you could do a “Labor Day” sale. And position your service as way to save time and money. Then package your offer with a special discount that’s good only for Labor day weekend.
If you sell Saas… you could do an “Independence Day” sale. You could frame up the offer by saying your software helps businesses owners “declare independence” from clumsy, outdated, hard-to-use software, and helps them get results.
If you’re real-estate agent… you could do an “Spring Break” sale.
Mail your prospects who have kids and tell them that summer is the best time to buy/sell houses. And if they list with your over their kid’s spring break, you’re offering a [1%] discounted commission. Then do the math for them! And show them how much money they could save. Example, if it’s a $500,000 house, a 1% reduction in commission would be $5,000. But if you listed three more houses, than you would have otherwise, you’re way ahead of the game.
So, you get the idea. The point is, don’t think, “This won’t work me for me.” Because it will. In fact, you don’t even have to be that clever about it. Your “reason why” can be as simple as…
“Martin Luther King, Jr. day is Jan. 19. In honor of this great man, we’d like to offer you 12 months of our [awesome recurring offer] for the price of 10. That means you get 2 months FREE!”
Remember, your prospect already wants to buy from you. All you need to do is give him a reason.
Free Download: If you have a business up and running, here’s 6 Ways To Double Your Sales From Your Existing List.
Here’s some other sales strategies you might consider:
- Flash sale
- Loyal customer discount
- Loyal subscriber discount
- “We miss you” reactivation campaign (for those with no purchases within 30, 60, 90 days)
- 50% off + free shipping
- Combo discount (multi products)
- Pre-paid continuity discount (i.e., get 2 months FREE when you buy 1 year membership)
Want me to personally double, or even triple, the sales of your business, FREE?
Dan Denley is a direct-response marketer responsible for over $42 million in revenues across three businesses with nearly two decades of experience. He has a unique ability to quickly uncover hidden revenue streams, identify the root-cause of failed campaigns, and fix flawed business models.
Leave a Reply