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Monday, November 26, 2012

Add Coaching Programs to Your Product Funnel

Most information marketers start their business by selling low-end products such as short eBooks and simple reports. This is actually a great idea as most people are not comfortable shelling out thousands or even hundreds of dollars the first time they do business with a particular eseller. But, they surely wouldn't mind spending $30 on eBooks or reports.

However, you shouldn't stop there; you should be open to the idea of creating more and more products that have higher tag prices as this is the key to get your customers to come back and to boost your earnings. For your middle-end products, I would recommend CD or DVD series. And for your high-end offerings, you must seriously consider adding coaching programs.

Online coaching programs are designed for those people who want to get comprehensive in-depth information and who want to learn at the comforts of their own home or office. You can teach these people by either calling them one hour every week or by sending them regular instructional emails. You also have the option of conducting face-to-face coaching or using video conferencing.

The good thing about online coaching is that the demand is currently on it's all-time high. This maybe because the lives of potential clients get busier that they prefer hiring a virtual coach instead of attending regular seminars on a weekly basis.

Depending on your subject matter, you can charge your client $1,000-$3,500 per program. But keep in mind that you'll only be able to charge that high if you already have proven track record in your niche.

What I suggest is that you offer your coaching programs to those people who have done business with you before. As they already have an idea about the quality of products and services that you offer, they'll most likely to do business with you again. To boost your sign up rate, offer preferential discounts to your returning clients.

Of course, you must also find ways to attract new customers. I suggest that you invest on PPC and display advertising to easily create product awareness. Take your time when creating your ads and get them published on search page results and on websites that are frequented by your potential clients.

Offering free sample sessions to new customers would help you boost your sign-up rate. Its highly recommended that you give them the first couple of sessions free of charge. This is one way to assure these people that you have what it takes to give them the exact assistance and information that they're looking for.

It's important to ensure that each of your coaching programs is worth every cent. Commit yourself to making your clients really happy. This would mean going that extra mile to ensure that they'll walk away with increased knowledge in your niche or armed with skills they need to either realize their goals or solve their pressing issues. If these people are extremely happy, you can be assured that they'll take advantage of your other coaching programs and they'll most likely to recommend your offerings to other people.

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When Is the Best Time to Assess Your PoS Systems?

Most small to medium retailers buy their Point of Sale (PoS) systems and once it is installed they forget it until it causes a problem. Unfortunately this is generally at their busiest time.

Assessment of your PoS systems should be an ongoing process. Tax breaks for new equipment and tax deductions on leasing costs should inspire retailers to regularly update their systems to the latest technology and keep themselves and their stores ready for peak trading conditions. The Assessment must be planned around your expected Peak time transaction periods, for example -lunch times, weekends and holiday peak periods like Christmas and Easter.

Retail sales are still slow but showing some signs of recovery. Do you want your clients walking away because they are waiting in line while your staff is struggling with older technologies in both Software and Hardware?

Things to Consider

Software - Is it intuitive for staff to use? Are you using touch technology? Touch enabled systems enable faster processing by the operators. Has your product file become so big it is slowing the transaction processing? Is the stock file written using the latest tools?

PoS PC - Integrated Terminals - Are you using a retail hardened device? PoS PCs and terminals are designed to run 24 hours a day 365 days a year. A standard PC is expected to only work on average 40% of this time. Is it powerful enough to run all your Point of Sale (Pos) Software Systems and ancillary equipment?

PoS Printer-Along with PoS software the biggest potential time waster is the receipt printer. The Thermal receipt printer with print speed up to 300 mm per second is essential for today's businesses. The slowest thermal receipt printers with produce a standard receipt is less than a second, while a fast dot matrix printer will take 5-10 seconds to do the same.

Scanners - Technology is this area has moved ahead in leaps and bounds over recent years. The advent of digital imaging has improved the speed, the reliability and the versatility of the barcode scanner while also reducing the cost.

There are other factors that should be considered in deciding whether to upgrade your systems. The senior staff and workers at GunPoS have more than 40 years of experience working in Retail from the shop floor to managing multi store environments. We have the products the services and the experience to help you.

Preparation: The Key to Successful Product Creation

Preparation really is the key to successful product creation. Great preparation will enable you to create your products more easily and quickly. Thoughtful preparation will make sure that your product really meets the needs of your potential customers which in turn will increase your sales. Organised preparation will make sure that your information is delivered in a way that is easy and quick for your customers to absorb and implement which they will appreciate greatly and thus come back wanting more. So I stand by my statement that preparation is the key to successful product creation.

Preparation to speed up creation

Your preparation needn't be complex or take a long time to complete. Indeed if you find that preparation is taking a long time then it probably means that you are trying to be too much of a perfectionist and/or using it as an excuse not to get on with actually creating your product (usually because you fear it won't sell). Assuming you know the content of your product then all you need to do is to create a simple outline. The outline will contain the 6 - 10 main topics you are going to cover with bullet points for each topic that capture in note form the key points. This is pretty much all you need to get on with actually creating your product.

Preparation to meet the needs of your customers

This element of your preparation might take a bit longer until you get into the habit of regularly asking or surveying your customers to find out what they want, what their challenges are, what results and goals they want to achieve. So if you don't have the answers to these questions already then you need to reach out to your customers and get their input. You can literally say that you want their help to make sure that your next product really delivers what they most want and need to learn.

Preparation to deliver your information clearly

This aspect of your preparation shouldn't take long either. In part it is about structuring and ordering your information so that it presented in a logical manner that helps them build up to the promised results. It also involves thinking about what aids you can give them to implement your information and track their progress such as worksheets, flow diagrams or checklists. It could mean create a quick start guide or basic instructions for getting the most out of your product. Just put yourself in their shoes and think about what you would want or even better get someone to give it a trial and give you feedback.

Hiring iPad Software Developers for Building Award-Winning Apps

The apps store has tones of new iPad applications available for the users residing in all over the world. iPad has gained immense popularity among people of all age groups who search for new applications to make their work simpler and make their device better. In order to fulfill the demand, there are various iPad software developers who are improving their skills in designing and developing apps and are making a great amount of money.

While iPad developers are skillful and talented to showcase their magic to develop a unique solution, they usually follow a trend-set that enhances the chances of making application successful. When you begin the search to look for the best iPad application developers, you may use the below mentioned tips to hire iPad software developers for building award-winning apps:

1. Know your Target Market: As there is no clear distinction of people who would use this device, the developers must target a specific group who has higher chances of using the device than the rest. They set the quality parameters and professionalism in accordance with the target market so as make them completely hooked with your newly launched application.

2. iPad Functionalities: There are few features and functionalities in iPad that are different from other mobile devices. For instance, the screen size, custom keyword, split view screen etc. Hence, the developer must know how the content will look in both vertical and horizontal screen size.

3. Technology Expertise: A development process can only be carried out successfully if the developers are thoroughly aware of technology. It is better to check if they are experienced in using objective-c technology to make the application secure and robust.

4. Proper Plan Execution: A developer plans out a proper development plan. However, a top iPad application developer executes it properly. Therefore, it is important to know that the developer is capable to plan out and execute the development process well.

5. Portfolio: Usually, you consult with developers about your unique idea. However, you can recheck their capabilities and caliber by going through their portfolio. This will give an idea about their successful stories in iPad development solutions.

If you have carried out your research process thoroughly, you will never fail to develop an iPad app development solution that will help you to achieve your objectives. The best iPad app developers are experts in turning a simple idea into a unique solution that can fetch your application more attention from all age groups.

How Infoproducts Help Your Customers - A Different Information Marketing Perspective

By not having an information product to sell, are you letting down your followers?

A few weeks ago, I read an article about money management in a business journal that made more sense to me than anything else I'd run across on the topic. I visited the author's web site and liked the additional articles I read there. Next I clicked on the author's "Products" link, but at that point frustration set in.

Aside from two little ebooks, whose topics didn't fit my interests, there was nothing I could buy to get a deeper understanding of this expert's perspective. Nothing that connected the dots of his tantalizing comments. Nothing that helped me go from a feeble grasp of certain important issues in my life to a firmer, more confident way of sorting out my thoughts.

I wanted to learn and was prepared to buy, but I found a void instead of product choices. Most of the time we hear about information products as beneficial to a business owner, but in this instance, I probably feel the loss from their non-existence more keenly than the expert does.

So let's take a look at the advantages that information products have for customers.

1) As in the example above, they enable interested people to benefit relatively systematically from what's in your head. Without the money coach's course, I am not sure what questions to ask, which priorities to put first and whose guidelines to trust. After buying and studying his course, I'd be better oriented in his sphere of knowledge.

2) With downloadable products, people can learn what you know immediately, without having to set up an appointment and wait for it. If they're worried about a problem in the middle of the night, they can buy a downloadable product with answers that allow them to calm down and sleep.

3) People can learn from you in private, which may be especially important for introverts or for anyone where a sensitive topic is involved. Years ago a local TV anchor attended an adult education class I taught in Boston. She sat in the back row, slouched with a hat partly over her face, and when we went around the room at the start of the class, introduced herself with just her first name and that she worked "in the media business." I'm sure she would have preferred buying the home-study version of my course, had it been available then, to avoid this exposure to the curiosity of others.

4) Information products eliminate the impact of time zones and distance. From the U.S. East Coast to Western Australia, for example, it can be difficult for expert and learner to find a time to consult on the phone or participate in a teleclass.

5) People can follow the steps you lay out in the learning mode that works best for them. Those who learn best by watching buy videos; those who learn best by listening prefer audios; those who learn best by reading purchase PDFs.

6) Infoproducts offer a lower-cost, lower-risk way to learn from you than by signing up for one-on-one coaching or consulting. The money coach who frustrated me offered coaching for $895 an hour. Perhaps I'd end up working with him on that basis, but logically, learning from his products made sense first.

Don't make prospective customers find someone else with information products when they'd rather buy your perspectives and guidance. Instead, learn how to create a systematic plan for products and services at a range of price points, thus helping both your customers and yourself.

Product Photography - How to Get High Quality Product Photos on a Small Business Budget

The recent economic downturn has been a blessing for us entrepreneurs. With the Government and high-profile businessmen such as Virgin's Richard Branson and Innocent Smoothies' Richard Reed backing schemes for new businesses, now is as good a time as any to jump in and act on that idea you've been sitting on.

Once you've decided to take the plunge and found your product, at some point you'll be looking to have your own website, with engaging content and high quality pictures that really show off your items. A quick scout around local photographers' websites will show just how expensive a professional shoot can be - I'll use my real life example to demonstrate. I was quoted for 50 items of costume jewellery, 3 photos of each. The quotes came back ranging from £400 to £1400! For my start-up budget, getting great results for as close to zero as possible was the goal, and a change of tactics provided a clear winner, reducing the cost to £50.

Posting an advert online using a local classifieds website (my choice was Gumtree.com), was not only free, but provided a plethora of photographers to choose from, all within a local area. As it's your ad, you can specify how much you are willing to pay; handy when you're cautious with every penny that leaves your hands! Of course, as anyone can reply to an ad, there will be better responses and better applicants than others. A quick request for the photographers' previous work will remove any time-wasters or low quality applications. Here's a quick list of things to include and ask for in your ad:

Who are you? The photographer will need to know who they're dealing with, so make sure you tell them who you are, and what you do. You by the same token need to know who they are and what they do - will there be any reason they have to abandon the project because of their main job or education? What do you want? The more specific and focused your ad, the higher the chances you'll find exactly what you're after. Be sure to include the amount and angles of pictures, what format you want them in, if you want them on a white background etc. The more detail you can give the less confusion for the photographer When do you want it? Agree a timeframe before allowing any work to be started, but make it realistic! Ask when they expect to have the work completed; if that doesn't suit you, choose another photographer. Previous Work? Always ask to see examples of previous work; the more the better. An experienced photographer will be more than happy to showcase their past shoots, making it easier to find the right person for your job. Where? This goes without saying, but if you are taking it to them you need to know an address! If they're willing to give a full address, they're more than likely serious about completing the job, but if you're giving them valuable stock, it might pay to be a little critical of their house when you get there. Run down, unkempt houses with broken windows could mean they'd be less than careful with your products (tipping my hat to past experience)! If they are coming to you, directions would be helpful! How much? Possibly most important. While it's true you're looking to pay as little as possible, remember they're also not likely to do something for nothing, or even a lot for a little. Don't be afraid to tweak the advert - once you've got people responding regularly, you know you've got the right price for your job.

Having recommended this method countless times, I tend to get asked the same questions - a favourite being 'How do you know you can trust the photographer with your items?' In truth, you can never be 100% certain they won't accidentally damage something, or worst case run away with your items. The cautious people out there might do well to have the photographer come to them, that way the whole process can be overseen. So long as you're willing to take time and have a conversation with your photographer about what exactly you want, you should get a positive or negative feeling for them. If you're unsettled, don't risk it.

If the reduced cost alone isn't incentive enough to try out student photographers, they'll also more than likely be looking to build up a portfolio they can use to gain more work. Your products could appear on their website as examples of their previous work, which ultimately means more people seeing your items. Don't be afraid to ask if this is the case - it might just mean more advertising for you.