qprev_HBB Manual 2.qxd - Small Business BC

Select Methods of Direct SalesPersonal CallsRather than simply making cold calls at randomto potential customers, try this method. It’s slowbut generally effective:• Send a personal letter or e-mail to ten peopleevery day, and explain that you will phonewithin the next two weeks.• Phone the people you have written to after afew days and offer them two dates and timesfor a personal visit.• Make the sales call on the day and time theychose.Door-to-DoorDoor-to-door selling is still a solid way to build alist of customers, if you can overcome yourshyness and fear of rejection. Of course thismethod can be very time-consuming. Persistencedoes pay off. Increase the odds by researchinginformation about your target market and onlyknock on the doors of people who fit yourcustomer profile.Direct MailDirect mailing, even targeted to a certain market,is a difficult way to make sales because so manypeople throw materials away as junk mailwithout reading them. Direct mail campaigns thatgive returns often have five or more mailings.Mail OrderMail order has been a traditional way of sellingfor home-based businesses. The cataloguephenomenon in North America, with steadilymore people buying products from specialty mailorder catalogues, is partly due to the trend ofpeople preferring to buy from home. You mightconsider listing your product in an existing mailorder catalogue service. Be sure to figure mailingand shipping costs carefully.Online salesThe explosive growth of the Internet hasprovided a huge outlet for sales opportunities.Electronic transactions are forecast to surpass$12 billion by 2002. As the number of familiesand businesses with Internet access grows, moreand more people are turning to the Internet as aplace to buy – although the expectation of Websurfers is that much will still be available forfree.Some tips for reaching the on-line customer andcreating a positive customer experience are:• Keep in mind that the people who shop aren’tinterested in how fancy your Web site is somuch as how easy it is to navigate around.Provide clear, easy-to-see and easy-to-usemenus.• Remember the customer is in a self-serveenvironment with no friendly people at thedoor to greet them. Put yourself in their shoes– what questions would they want asked aboutyour business first.• Tailor your site to meet the needs of yourtarget customer – the visual appearance of thefirst page should sell your image.solutions for small business home-based business 41