Page 207 - 101 Ways to Market Your Business

101 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS

97 Using a ‘gift with purchase’ to sweeten the
deal

I recently started buying computer supplies from a com-
pany by mail order. They constantly impress me not only
with their excellent service but with the fact that they
religiously pack a small box of chocolates with every order
they send us.

This is a real treat. It is definitely out of the ordinary
and I have to admit it is a very good marketing idea. For
the sake of a few dollars, less if you buy in bulk, why not
stand out from your competitors by offering a small gift
when people make a purchase. Don’t promote it—just do
it and judge the response from your customers.

Once again, ask yourself how often you receive a gift
in this manner. I would hazard a guess and say very rarely.
If the choice is between you and the company up the road,
a small box of chocolates could be all the difference.

Gifts can be anything that are either a treat or that have
perceived value. I have made purchases from a few compa-
nies that always include a voucher for $10 with my order.
This voucher entitles me to $10 off my next order. It is
only a small saving but I use them because of the voucher—
none of their competitors use the voucher system.

Increasing sales and keeping customers coming back are
normally about the little things, not the big ones. If you
are smart enough to have a company selling a product or
service, the odds are reasonably good that you know what
you are doing in your particular field. The important
question to ask yourself is how do you rate in fields such
as customer service and follow-up?

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