Internet Business.
“There's no business like Show Business, like no business I know!”
So goes the famous song. But in a very real sense the Internet Business IS show business.
Appearances are everything, and when you're marketing a product online, presentation and customer perception have a direct effect on your bottom line.
Trust me... I'm a salesman..
People buy from people they trust. Unless you're selling a product that already has its own reputation, and you're selling it more cheaply than your competitors (eg. A Sony laptop on Nokia phone) customers have to buy on trust. Will the product do what is promised? How much of a risk is it to buy from this particular website?
Global Risk...
I once bought an ebook online that was seven dollars, so I thought I couldn't go wrong. It was such a small amount of money that I didn't even think about it. Big Mistake. A few weeks later my credit card statement showed up and told me I'd bought a number of expensive consumer goods in Korea and refuelled a boat in a Chinese port! Luckily for me I could prove to my credit card company that I was elsewhere at the time of the transactions. The card was cancelled and the transactions reversed. I didn't lose out financially but it was worrying at the time and a considerable hassle putting things right.
This was some years ago and I think online transactions have become a lot more secure... but it does got to illustrate how I was prepared to spend money online because I perceived the site to be genuine. I'm much more cautious now!
Build Relationships...
If you're selling online you need to show your potential customers that it's OK to do business with you. And building that buyer/seller relationship becomes even more important the larger the amount of money involved. Which is why email marketing to a subscriber list is such an effective way to sell. It allows you to build a relationship with your potential customers, a valuable relationship if you're hoping to make sales.
People who need people...
Every email you send to your list presents you and your product. An idea forms in your customers mind as to whether or not you're someone to trust. And the number one most effective way to establish that relationship is a PERSONAL email answering a question. With a genuine relationship established, your 'Showbiz' credentials are established and sales will be the inevitable result!
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