You produce thus quite a few good points here which I read your own article the couple of times. Your own views are within accordance with my own for the most component.

This can be good articles for the readers.

Thanks ..;)

Update your CRM database, conduct demographic profiling and conduct market analysis, build credibility in your market, earn the trust of your customers and prospects, and provide and offer to them in an appealing manner.

I would like to add one more piece to the puzzle.

You can attract new accounts in a less costly manner if you simply invest the time to research how to use modern marketing tools such as your website and online marketing wisely, especially if you are a B2C business. Do your homework as suggested above and find out what social media channels and techniques attract attract your market the most and implement measures to monitor that usage. Also, take advantage of marketing tools that you can implement on your website to conduct market research. And finally, make sure you website and social media pages are optimized for search engines. If they can’t find your website and social media pages, they will never learn about your products and special offers.

Many business owners don’t get the concept about solving problems. We don’t offer products or services, we solve problems.

Thanks again.

My post was more about what the retailers could of done to keep sales up. For example, real estate is certainly in the tank. But not everyone in the RE market is struggling. I know of several investors who figured out a legal way to flip residential homes to investors who are buying up properties and keeping them for the long haul.

The “flippers” are making six-figures incomes across the country. The “keepers” have the staying power to wait out the market.

Likewise, retailers could find niches within their stores and cater to those niches. Not everyone is financially strapped. It’s a mindset the retailers just don’t have. Either way hopefully everything will work out.

Not to diminish any of your points, I think the bigger issue for the sales decline is the economy. In 2005, the economy was probably the strongest it ever was in the 2000′s, but in the intervening years, it’s fallen off a cliff.

I believe that is the MAJOR cause of the sales decline you note in your statistics. People won’t spend as much if they have less money and are not optimistic about the future.

There is a guru out there who believes that most Real Estate websites and copy that exist are horrible, so he developed a course for which he charges almost $1,000 that purports to teach people how to write exciting, compelling copy for the Real Estate Market. This knowledge will presumably increase Real Estate sales, and the lucky copywriter can then charge lots for his services.

This course was released (as I recall) in 2009. The problem (at least in my opinion) is that the Real Estate market was in the tank at that time (Big Real Estate Meltdown in 2008) and is still in the tank. So for the poor people who purchased and mastered this guru’s material, is it their fault that they or their Real Estate Broker clients still can’t sell much real estate? I know the guru will certainly claim it’s not his fault.

In both cases, sales are down mainly due to the overall economic situation. As John Kennedy said- A rising tide lifts all boats.

I am putting that sentence up in my office – there is an incredible amount of marketing and business wisdom in that statement and something that almost all business owners have any clue about (large or small).

Thank you so much!

Wayne

Thanks for turning us on to the new resource. And, of course, for the 60-second refresher about Cialdini.

You are also spot-on about businesses being “in the business of marketing.” It’s so utterly basic — if you don’t have sales, you’re not going to be in business.

Like Halbert’s and Carlton’s “Operation Moneysuck.”

Thanks again, John!