Have you seen How To SELL Anything?

This incredible sales handbook distils an expert's lifetime of sales and marketing experience and hands it to you on a platter, in a simple, easy-to-follow format. With existing customers being the most valuable source of income for any business, this book will teach you how to increase your return business and make more profit from your most loyal customers - and even how to reduce the costs of dealing with your least profitable customers.

Get it on Amazon (Kindle/Print)

Brands adopt new sales channels despite risks

The study of 50 major international brands showed that brands recognise the potential of selling direct to the customer through both store and online channels, and that online in particular is seen as the best way to reach new customers in countries where they otherwise have no or limited presence.

Despite the risk of upsetting retail partners and potentially having fewer physical outlets carrying products, brands are pushing ahead, determined to face the possible consequences as and when they arise. The research shows that their multi-channel strategy for engaging directly with customers is dominated by flagship stores (56%) - both physical and online - but with similar emphasis (52%) on using social media, principally Facebook.

More than 70% of brands surveyed rely on price discounts to incentivise customers to buy direct, while 35% use VIP customer services. 15% use exclusive products to attract attention. A minority shunned online discounts, concerned that this might devalue their brand.

One e-commerce manager from a major high value specialist apparel and accessory supplier said: "The potential to sell online is huge and will keep on increasing with the advancements in technology. The only area that needs to be watched is the various online distribution channels so that the brand does not become a common brand which can be found anywhere. We need to maintain our high-end focus and premium feel."

"Selling direct and maintaining the brand aura is complex," concluded eCommera director Michael Ross. "Managing delivery on promise across multiple channels and countries requires the coordination of myriad systems and partners. Getting it wrong once can devalue the brand. Getting it right each time can mean new and loyal customers."

Coleman Parkes interviewed 50 senior e-commerce managers from major European brands between late 2011 and early 2012. Nearly half of respondents had been trading online for three or more years, one quarter for one to two years, while five, or one in ten, had gone online only recently. Only a small proportion of annual sales revenue comes from online sales, with only a handful reporting higher than 30%.

Have you seen How To SELL Anything?

This incredible sales handbook distils an expert's lifetime of sales and marketing experience and hands it to you on a platter, in a simple, easy-to-follow format.

With existing customers being the most valuable source of income for any business, this book will teach you how to increase your return business and make more profit from your most loyal customers - and even how to reduce the costs of dealing with your least profitable customers.

You'll learn to sell yourself, sell your products, and sell your brand on the internet, writing high-conversion landing pages, social media posts, and more. You'll start attracting customers you didn’t even know existed, and learn the top trade secrets for customer retention.

You'll become a lean, mean selling machine. See how the experts do it and learn to adapt what they've done for your own profit. You'll learn to write strong, powerful, effective sales copy, whether it's for a sales script, sales letter, flyer, insert, advert or just about anything else.

You'll learn how to sell whether you're selling by telephone, by mail, or even meeting prospects face-to-face. You'll find out how to size them up, present yourself, nail down their true needs, close the sale, and learn to tackle the tricky ones.

You'll discover the biggest secrets of successful direct mail sellers, sales letter writers, and how to segment and choose the right prospects for each campaign.

Get it on Amazon (Kindle/Print)