You have a business, and you just put up your website. This makes you ready to sell to the public right? Not yet. While you may be able to take orders, and interact with questions over the Internet, you still are missing the possibility of future sales. Anyone in business for any length of time will tell you that repeat sales and referrals are the backbone to survival. While email responders and newsletters do work to generate sales, nothing works as well after the sale as printed material sent to the customer either with their order or after their order.
The use of printed material in coordination with sales has been in effect since the birth of direct marketing, or mail order sales. The theory behind this combination is that when a customer orders a product, you are given the chance to sell another product to them. This is done by the print material sent along with the completed order. When the customer opens their package, they see their item, along with a gracious thank you letter, and an offer to buy from you again. Giants such as Sears, Roebuck & Co and L.L. Bean perfected this method of sales. Internet sales are simply the modern method of direct sales.
How would printed material complement Internet sales? The answer would be that they would act in similar manner to how such material helped direct sales before the dawn of the Internet. When a customer buys an item from you, you would send them the purchased item. You also want to send along information about your company, a thank you letter, and information about other products you have to offer, along with any discounts or sales. Let’s look at this in a little more detail.
Letters of thanks accomplish a few things. First, they show your appreciation for the customer, which will be a memorable act. Next they show that your customers have value to your business and are not just seen as dollars. Thank-you letters also show a human side to your business which can be a huge marketing value in a world of faceless corporations. Personalized letters go even farther in this area.
Sending further information about your company in printed material helps build trust and recognition with your business. People will choose to buy from a recognized and trusted company before any unknown seller of the same product. This also allows you to personalize your business with the customer even more. Customers will regard you more as a trusted associate or friend rather than a cold stone office or warehouse.
Using orders to send along further information about other products is the most efficient and cost effective way to get repeat customers or referrals. Each new order provides an opportunity for your business to sell complementary items or accessories. A good example of this is Amazon.com; this online giant always sends along information about sales, products related to your purchase, or what other customers like you have bought recently. This method not only cuts down advertising costs, but it also helps in customer retention.
If you don’t have a physical product, then what? You should still try to find a way to get material into the hands of your customers. Even with no physical product, you should still attempt to incorporate the methods mentioned above. The reasons apply to every business and every situation where a sale takes place.
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