How to Increase Sales: 12 Jokers from Your Sleeve

While Shakespearean characters are haunted by existential struggles, wondering “To be, or not to be”, the pragmatic minds of business owners are constantly preoccupied with one eternal question: “How to boost sales?”. Everyone from mango vendors on the streets of Delhi to large transnational corporations like Coca-Cola are challenging their brains to solve this riddle.

Obviously, not every key opens every door. Therefore, familiar solutions might not suit your company. Plus, everyone knows, applies and talks about them. That is why using tips-and-tricks that others tend to overlook might become a strategic advantage for you. So, here are 12 unique ways to increase sales that you can start using right now without any significant investment or time-consuming webinars.

12 Unconventional Takes on How to Get More Sales  

1. Find Your Niche
2. Be Objective
3. Know Your Audience
4. Focus on Building Long-term Relations
5. Maintain a Sustainable Communication
6. Support Your Customers
7. Make It Personal
8. Show, Don’t Tell
9. Expand Your Online Presence
10. Don’t Shy Away from Being Public
11. Be Patient
12. Don’t Stop Evolving

Your profit is the highest measure of your success. There is usually a direct correlation between the number of products or services you sell and your revenue. And for you to increase sales, there is a whole host of people, from scientists and analysts to gurus and influencers, who are always ready to offer you a little wisdom.

Yet, you might often find yourself frustrated after another exhausting marketing course or costly audit because the results do not meet your expectations. It does not mean that these efforts are inherently in vain; it just signals that you need to look at the problem from a different angle, and perhaps there are points that keep constantly missing. Hence, here is the list of “out of the box” methods to enhance your performance.

1. Find Your Niche

If you truly want to become a beacon in the endless sea of shopping, you need to find out what makes you shine. It is not rocket science, but a basic logic behind your enterprise. If you do not have a clue about the essence of your product and the incentives that should stimulate people to buy it, how can you expect customers to have some?

Essentially, it would be better if you determined what demand you intend to satisfy with your supply:

• What products or services do you specialize in? Hotels, cars, cosmetics, clothes, etc.
• Which traits and capabilities make you stand out among your competitors? Exceptional quality, fast delivery, personalized approach, easy shopping experience, or affordable solutions, everything can become beneficial if it anticipates people’s needs.

For instance, if you have a travel agency, you can become the one that searches for undiscovered gems among destinations or offers thrilling local experiences to blend in with the community.

2. Be Objective

You might be tempted to treat your company as if it was your child. In case you built this business from the ground up, it can be reasonable to a certain extent. But as much as your heart longs for it, do not forget that commerce requires an even-handed approach.

Some people tend to exaggerate their strengths and accomplishments, while others fall into the trap of sugarcoating their weaknesses. Both these approaches are more of a hindrance than help. If you know your prices are unbeatable or your design patterns are unmatchable, advertise it. Yet, if you see that your team is tired or your equipment requires an upgrade, you have to address these problems to remove the obstacles hampering the way of your progress. 

3. Know Your Audience

If your product looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, there is no use in portraying it as a chicken. Ducks can be very likable too, you need to present them to the right buyers.

Some people believe that if the salesperson is professional, they can charm even the northern habitats enough to convince them that they need more ice. Meanwhile, in this case, it might be a smart tactic to present them with fruit, vegetables, and warm, eco-friendly clothing.

In addition, it does not imply that you have to sell only one thing to a particular audience. Diversifying the range of your goods and services can be a positive shift for business. However, if these products are aimed at different demographics, your team has to develop multiple marketing strategies based on age, gender, background, hobbies, occupation, or even popular trends.

4. Focus on Building Long-term Relations

When people think about viable ways to increase sales, they often tend to forget that it is not always about attracting new customers, it is also about retaining the regular ones. So, you need to:

• Gather data on shoppers' behavior (e.g., investigate Google Analytics reports), conduct surveys, try to refresh your forms or policies, and monitor the results to determine the logic behind their possible lack of devotion;
• Offer lucrative loyalty discounts;
• Provide free shipping;
• Optimize your refund and return options;
• Use retargeting to bring back the ones that got away;
• Send friendly and follow-up emails to remind them about the items they viewed or recommend something they might like.

Pop-ups are a perfect multi-tool that can execute almost all of these tasks. Use a functional, user-friendly, and creative Claspo pop-up builder to develop messages for collecting shoppers’ info, asking for feedback, granting coupons, reminding them about and recommending something, or offering free shipping.

Loyal clients will not only create a steady income source for your company, but they will also become your brand advocates. So, you should expect new customers to follow them shortly because word of mouth is still one of the most effective advertising methods.

5. Maintain a Sustainable Communication

If people in your stores frequently feel lost, frustrated, and unheard, chances are they would prefer to flee the scene and find a place where they would feel more welcome. Make sure that you and your employees know how to anticipate and accommodate the needs of potential clients:

• Always start with greetings;
• Answer all the questions;
• Come up with various solutions to customers’ problems;
• Present personalized offers and recommendations;
• Elaborate on popular trends and major upcoming sales;
• Study reviews and feedback thoroughly;
• Delicately guide people through the shopping process. 

Claspo can help you stay in touch with your customers online via stylish, short, informative, and friendly pop-up messages.

6. Support Your Customers

You cannot hope for mutual sympathy if you abandon people in challenging circumstances. Thus, it is essential to care properly about your clients (both potential and existing).

Of course, FAQ and chatbots are standard in the e-commerce industry, but shoppers cannot sort out everything independently. Sometimes human interference is inevitable, and you have to be certain that personal communication in your firm is handled by knowledgeable professionals who understand the concept of customer empathy. Remember, if you cannot have your customers’ backs, they will turn these backs on you. 

7. Make It Personal

Everyone adores the individual approach because it makes them feel special. Even simple things like asking your local pizza delivery to draw a funny cat on your box and then seeing your wish granted can brighten your day. So, what can you do to mesmerize your customers?

• Welcome newcomers with a discount;
• Present limited-time offers and personal recommendations;
• Remind them of the items they browsed;
• Offer complementary products or services;
• Collect their contact details and greet them using their names.

Pop-ups you build with Claspo can deliver your devotion to your customers even through screens and distance. 

8. Show, Don’t Tell

Everyone involved in commerce knows that reputation in this sphere is the key to success. Befriending potential clients and earning their trust can be tricky. In this scenario, a visual display of your company’s life can affect people more than just words.

Uploading funny or educational videos about your work routine can induce people to get more engaged. Pictures of real employees are always more relatable than stock images of happy teams. Trust seals prove that shoppers can rely on you.

9. Expand Your Online Presence

Even if it was not for the COVID-19 pandemic, the drift toward e-commerce would have been inescapable. You can purchase almost everything within a couple of clicks, which is incredibly convenient and time-saving. Therefore, if you want people to buy more from you, you have to keep up with the technological progress:

• Optimize your online content, it should not be excessive or overwhelming.
• Adjust checkout forms, so shoppers would not fall asleep while filling them in.
• Ensure your site’s design and layout are user-friendly, pleasant, and easy to navigate.
• Update and test your software regularly.
• See if both mobile and desktop versions of your website are running smoothly.

10. Don’t Shy Away from Being Public

Surely, aggressive marketing strategies can scare away plenty of potential clients. Yet, refraining from any active promotion and advertising is not an adequate strategy either. People will not be able to try your product until they learn about it.

Business cards, brochures, flyers, emails, or retargeting are still effective when you strive to boost sales. Attending significant events, conferences, lectures, and seminars is another way to meet your potential clients. Plus, be active on social media to gather feedback, communicate, and lure in new customers with quality content.

11. Be Patient

Many entrepreneurs get disappointed when they do not see the improvements right away. Do not let the absence of immediate results discourage you. Sometimes, numbers require time and gradual changes to start going through the roof. 

12. Don’t Stop Evolving 

Religious leaders always know how to inspire, and Norman Vincent Peale once said one of the most motivational words of all time: “Shoot for the Moon. Even if you miss, you will land among the stars”. This means that you should strive for the best because even in the worst case scenario, you will accomplish more than you initially intended to. Although the logic behind this thought seems evident, this motto is frequently easier said than done.

That’s why, you have to commit to lifelong learning:

• Attend seminars and conferences.
• Read new research and publications.
• Monitor sophisticated technologies to improve the quality of your products.
• Observe your competitors to notice something helpful that you might lack.
• Analyze customers’ behavior to understand their needs.

Do Research to Explore the Ways to Please your Customers

As you cannot pursue a healthy lifestyle while being nonchalant about your eating habits, you cannot expect a real breakthrough unless you change your company’s routine to step up your game. You need to do a lot of research concerning your strengths, weaknesses, competitive advantages, and target audience’s demands. Use analytical thinking to adjust various processes, and be empathetic towards your customers to see more of their perspectives. As soon as you figure out the way to satisfy shoppers’ needs that suits you the most, the increase in sales will come quickly.