Seven Tips For
"Cloning" Yourself To Increase Sales  

The story behind the movie Godsend is that grieving parents allow a stem cell research scientist to clone their dead son and bring him back to them.

Though the movie considers a fictional repercussion of cloning, the suggestion that cloning can bring some benefits --perhaps not without consequences --may have some merit.

When you think about it who hasn't at one time or another wished for a clone or twin or double to help when pressed for time or faced with an obstacle?

Having someone who has the same skill level and who knows exactly how you think and can share your load really could be a Godsend at times.

Cloning from a business aspect does not literally mean splicing your stem cells and creating a duplicate you. Cloning in this sense simply refers to any process that shares all or part of your business load.

There are seven tips to help business owners and decision makers ‘clone’ themselves for increased sales and eliminate the frustrations of carrying too many burdens alone.

1) Write Articles To Generate Leads

 Writing articles builds visibility and credibility but only if you write where your market will most likely see your articles. No use wasting bullets shooting at targets that just aren't there.

 Submit articles to the trade journals and web sites that cater to your ideal clients.

 To find magazines and other media that your articles are suitable for contact your local library for a copy of the SRDS. The SRDS provides listing of print media and trade publications. You can also contact SRDS through its web site at www.srds.com to get help finding publications best suited for the people who are likely to buy from you.

2) Use Business Cards To Pre-Sell

 If you invest in business cards whether to use as envelope stuffers, counter displays, or to hand out in-person you may as well get maximum effectiveness out of them. Your business card should be a mini-billboard to pre-sell your products and services and generate leads. It should never be a simple listing of your contact information along with your company logo.

 Author Debbie Jenkins publishes a free ebook titled Card Shark that provides tips on improving the effectiveness of your business cards. Her ebook is available at http://www.leanmarketing.co.uk/card-shark   

3) Use Direct Mail To Fan The Flames Of Desire For Your Product Or Services And If Possible "Close" The Sale

 Direct mail is an outstanding medium to use for communicating directly, one-on-one, with your clients and prospects -- but only if you can clearly define your target market. A shotgun blast to every name and address you can get your hands on will seldom prove profitable.

 Make certain your direct mail offer includes a compelling headline, an offer, a Unique Selling Proposition, and a call to action. And preferably a deadline. Without these your direct mail offer will fail to produce measurable and predictable results.

4) Submit News Releases To Tell Your Story

 Publicity can be one of the best sources of marketing. Publicity generally generates greater credibility and trust than can be achieved through advertising. Publicity can also generate clients who are pre-sold on you and your product and service.

 Gebbie Press provides media directories and software to help submit your releases. The web site is http://www.gebbieinc.com 

5) Attract Wallet-In-Hand Clients With Yellow Page Advertising

 Advertise in the Yellow Pages if appropriate for your market.  But use caution. Many advertisers mistakenly use ads that are often nothing more than oversized business cards with contact information and maybe a picture.

 To be successful a Yellow Page advertisement must provide a Unique Selling Proposition, an offer, and a call to action--as a bare minimum. Anything less is a waste of your advertising dollars.

6) Advertise To Generate Leads

 Focus the majority of your advertising where your clients who generate the best sales and who buy the most of whatever you sell are likely to see your message. For example, if you sell golf shoes advertise in golf magazines, resort magazines, and so on. Again, the SRDS can be helpful in determining where best to advertise.

7) Use Independent Sales Representatives To Relieve Your Personal Grief

 What better way is there to generate sales than to have someone else do the actual ‘grunt work’ of prospecting and hopefully selling for you? Selling through independent sales reps can help companies enter into new markets and develop relationships in areas local to the reps, with little expense to the company.

 Just like literal cloning there are risks to outsourcing and using independent reps. A good guide for avoiding some of those pitfalls is Harold J. Novick’s book appropriately titled, Selling Through Independent Reps. Novick's book is available through most major book retailers and online retailers.