These 4 marketing myths can cause you to lose sales if you base your marketing decisions on them. But the related marketing tips I included with each myth will boost your sales if you act on them instead.

Myth 1:

People Always Buy Where They Get the Cheapest Price

If this was true, only businesses that charge cheap prices
would exist. Some people buy where they get the cheapest
price. But most people are more interested in getting value
for their money than in getting a bargain.

This week's article is my response to a question by David Cohen of Bridge-Soft.

As you are reading this sales article, read very carefully. Because I wouldn't want you to think of a pig right now. No, do not think of a fat, brown, smelly pig right this moment. What are you doing? Do you have a picture of a smelly, fat, brown pig in your head right now? I thought I just told you not to do that. What are you doing then?

Many people today simply prefer the convenience of paying by credit card. If you want their business, you must be able to accept their credit-card payments.

In part one of this series we will discuss why you should accept credit cards, and the basics of getting merchant status. Part two will deal with objections you might get, which credit cards to accept, and the check paying option.

In part two we will discuss overcoming objections, which credit cards to accept and using the check paying option.

If your business is home-based or has been in operation for less than two years, youre likely to face objections from the bank.

Seeing the results of advertising your business can be like watching a roller coaster. The day you run your ad you see a flurry of activity; your ph0ne starts ringing, your web site traffic increases and/ or potential clients visit your store. Your hopes soar. sales go up. Two or three days pass and the response goes down. You look at the bill for the advertising and your jaw drops. Your hopes descend.

Design and Implementation of a new Sales and Marketing campaign must be carefully thought through from the beginning. What message do you want to send about your company, products, and services? What are the anticipated results? What is the execution strategy? What is the cost ratio versus expected return?

I just finished a phone call with a potential client who had called to discuss a problem. His 18 person sales force was paid on straight commission. All had been with the company for 8 - 15 years and were earning healthy incomes. His problem was that he couldn't get them to do what he wanted them to do. Here's the example he shared.

He wanted the salespeople to call on new prospects to expand the company's base. Instead of just seeing established customers, he asked them to call on prospects, and report back to him on the progress they were making.

When attending a Chamber of Commerce breakfast networking
get-together, I'm always perplexed by the lack of thought and
preparation many business owners display when giving a 60-second
overview of their business. These people have spent enormous
amounts of time, money, and energy on their businesses. Yet,
when asked to give a quick synopsis, they fumble for the right
words, they ramble, they go off on a tangent, the information
is disjointed, or the words are boring and seemingly unimportant.

I remember moving my family to Argentina as Vice President of Sales for Latin America. I was in charge of managing five regional offices, Argentina of course being one of them.

In the companys ten year history of selling into Latin America it had never exceeded $14 million (M) in annual sales. The Argentina office itself had never produced more than $400 thousand (K) in sales. My task was to increase the sales locally in Argentina, but more importantly throughout Latin America.