People like to know why you are doing something and to be kept informed. Telling them the reason why you are having a sale, or reducing your stock is a powerful way to get them interested.

If you are making a special offer or a specific claim when you advertise, state your reason for doing it. Be honest. You'll be amazed how people will respond and buy more of your products.

If you have a new product that you are trying to sell e.g. a new type of fire extinguisher, you might want to see how the market will accept it. Instead of selling it for $49 (the usual price) you might advertise it for $34.50. In your advertisement you could say that the reason why you were selling it at this low price was that you wanted more people to use them and see how effective it was.
Giving a reason for the low price is a sure-fire winner and will, no doubt, sell many more fire extinguishers.

How can you use this marketing strategy in your business? Let's suppose it's just before the end of the financial year and you know that business is usually slow at this time of year. You might decide to write a letter, an email, or e-newsletter and announce to your customers that you are going to make them a special offer, which is valid during this period. You could include a special discount, an extra bonus or throw in an extra service. Let people know why you are doing it.

Do you have some superseded stock that you want to get rid of before the new shipment arrives? Advertise it and tell your public why you are selling this stock at such a low price.

Do you need to have a stocktake and want to get rid of some stock? Tell them why. Give them the reason, but be honest with them.

Be up front. If you customers want to know why you are selling things so cheaply, you can say "because…………………."

I know this probably goes against every grain of business sense, but I promise if you give people a good, believable reason why they'll respond with open wallets.

Even in this digital age of email and the Internet everyone still has a real mailbox. According to "Direct Marketing" magazine, over $36 billion was spent last year on direct mail, eclipsing both print and broadcast.

However, the majority of small businesses still do not use direct mail as effectively as their larger counterparts.

You see, dollar-for-dollar, nothing provides a better return on investment than direct mail and it doesn't matter what product or service you sell.

Think about it. A sales letter is the most powerful employee you could ever hire. For about the price of a cup of coffee - it will relentlessly go out and deliver your message perfectly, every time. It will never call in sick. It will never complain. And it will never quit on you. Simply put, a powerful sales letter is like having a little automatic, money-making robot working for you, tirelessly...day and night.