How To Increase Sales and Customers

  If possible, purchase samples and demonstration produces (fragrances, etc.), that interest you, to become  familiar with them. Try them yourself, and let clients try them.  Research the product, and all of its benefits.  If you are impressed with a product, you are more likely to make more sales.  You will sell more if a client can see or smell it for themselves.

  When talking to clients, talk about the benefits of the product, and how it has helped you.  Try not to hard sell them. They will most likely walk away.  If you genuinely want to help people, instead of sell  them, they will want to buy from you!

  To get fragrance or jewelry demo products for free, you will initially have to purchase one.  Wear it or let people try it (fragrance), and take orders for it.  Then sell it for a discount off the retail price, but more than you paid.  Example: your cost is $5.99 and retail is $22.00, sell it for $10, if it is over half full.  Your profit is $4.01 on this demo.

  You get your initial $5.99 back, then re-invest the profit of $4.01 into another demo product and do the same thing.  Keep re-investing your profits from demos, and soon you will have a nice income from all the sales, without investing your own money!

  Don’t stop there, suggest other products with it. Example: fragrance with body lotion, and shower gel, or a necklace with a matching bracelet and ring.

  Next, ask your clients:

 Who in your family is having a birthday, or anniversary?

What kind of skin care does your family use?

When will you need more shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, or deodorant?

How did you like the fragrance samples I left you?

Tell me about your favorite product.

Ask for 3 referrals, offer a small gift, or a discount on their order in return. 

Give them a trial  product for a week, and follow up.  If they like it, you have made a sale!

Offer a 5-10% discount on new customer orders.  Print out Coupons.

Follow up with a phone call after meeting new customers.

Get their wish list-offer a Free gift for it.

Be sure to close the sale.

 Don’t assume they will call you when they need something, call a few days before placing your order to ask if they need anything!

Watch your sales explode!

Expense Receipts

  From day one, try to get in the habit of saving all your receipts.  You will need these to calculate your profit, and for filing Income tax.

 Save receipts from anything business related, (your tax preparer will tell you which expenses cannot be used in your line of business).

  Some suggestions:  office expenses, printing (business cards, flyers, posters, post cards, etc.), postage, equipment, phone bills, utility bills, internet fees, demo products, samples, display items, gifts to clients or helpers, lunch with clients, gas and vehicle maintainace, accounting and tax preparation fees, charities, open house supplies/refreshments.  Save everything that you think may be deducted, you can sort them later when preparing taxes. Clothes are not normally a legitimate deduction, unless they are a required uniform.  If you are lucky enough to have an accountant, they can tell you what to legally deduct. 

  If you log expenses using a spreadsheet, keep the actual paper receipts for proof in case of an audit.

Your Home Office

  Organize your home office with good lighting, shelving and file cabinets to easily find important papers, books, demo products, and customer information.  In most homes today computer, printer and desk are probably already in place.  If not, check out local thrift stores for gently used office equipment.  If you save the receipt, most thrift stores will refund or exchange non-working equipment within a reasonable amount of time.  Ask them their return policy before purchasing used equipment. 

  Try to work smarter, not harder.  If your office is not organized, you will spend more time looking for things, than working.

Your Mindset

  Have you ever heard the saying, “If you think you’re going to fail, you will”?  Well, it’s totally true.  We can do anything we set out to do, as long as we set our mind to it.  If you find yourself thinking or saying “I can’t do this”, stop right away!  Try a fun experiment; Erase “can’t” from your vocabulary, and see what happens.

Dreams And Goals

  In order to be successful in any business, you need to have a dream, a good reason to work hard, and keep you motivated.  Think about what is most important to you.  For some, it is to buy a home, a car, or a child’s college fund.  For others it is earning extra income to take their spouse and kids out more often.  This gives you incentive to push forward to achieve your goals.

  Once you realize your dream, never lose track of it.  Every time you are having a hard time getting motivated, picture yourself in your new home, or car! 

  Now, write down your goals, and set a reasonable time limit.  Start small and grow them larger as you reach them.  You don’t want to get discouraged by setting your goals too high in the beginning.  Some may want to start with a down payment on a car or home.

  When you reach each goal, reward yourself.  Take a day off, sleep in, go to dinner, whatever makes you happy!

Hello world!

Welcome to TeamThompson1.WordPress.com , a blog for anyone starting a new business working  from home.  I hope you will find the posts helpful.  Feel free to leave comments and suggestions on how you run your home business.