Some people think that working harder will increase revenue … and sometimes it does for a short time, but it’s not sustainable and tends to deplete energy and damage morale.
Some people think that increasing spending on advertising will increase revenue … and then they throw money into advertising without monitoring the results and have “no idea” what’s actually working.
Some people think that increasing their prices will increase revenue … and sometimes it does, but unless they’ve researched the market, surveyed potential customers, performed conversion boosting A/B tests and kept fine-tuning to get it right, they could even be “making things worse” by creating a bad reputation.
Then there are others who think that increasing the variety of products they sell will increase revenue … but unless it’s something their existing customers are actually asking for, they’ll have to find ways to get new customers who want the bits and pieces they’ve added to their inventory in the ‘hope’ of getting better results. (You know it takes much more energy to get new customers than it does to produce something that your existing ones have been asking for.)
Without researching the market, defining who their ideal client/customer actually is, checking the age range, demographics and lifestyles of people who’ve bought in the past so they can repeat what’s already worked, using sensible psychological profiling, designing a process of steps to move them gently from ‘just browsing’ to ‘making a real purchase’, fine-tuning to improve the funnel flow etc … it’s a bit like walking in the dark with a blindfold on.
Don’t leave things to chance!
10 Ways to INCREASE Your REVENUE Without Even Trying
In the last few years I’ve discovered BETTER WAYS to make a rapid and large (10 x times) improvement to my income, so here’s a quick list of some simple but extremely useful things to concentrate on increasing first:
1. INCREASE CUSTOMER RELATIONS by taking surveys, asking customers what would help them have a better experience, ask what they need so they’re bursting to tell others about you, ask them what’s helping or hindering them from buying etc.
2. INCREASE YOUR CAPABILITIES with better business systems that monitor results, increase conversions, stimulate more customer interaction and automate ways that encourage them to return again and again and again.
3. INCREASE PERSONAL CONFIDENCE by acquiring extra Knowledge, Skills and Training. The more self-confidence you have, the more confidence staff, employees, co-collaborators and customers have too, and confidence is one of the biggest ingredients, for achieving consistently pleasing outcomes.
4. INCREASE FREE TIME AWAY FROM EVERYTHING so you can come back focused refreshed and inspired. Are you someone who thinks that you need to stick to a task no matter what, until it gets done? How’s that working out for you? Sticking to a task works incredibly well, but only when you’re focused, aligned and inspired: then it will get done quicker and easier, be more enjoyable as you’re doing it and produce infinitely better results.
5. INCREASE FOCUS on the tasks you personally do best and wisely delegate the rest. How many small business owners are trying to “save” by being “jack of all trades”? It can work well if you enjoy each task, but if you feel frustrated every time you go to make alterations to your website, or you hate opening emails that require you to provide someone else with a solution, or you keep putting off doing your quarterly statements or taxes then you KNOW that these are the first tasks to be delegated to a professional. The time gained by passing these to someone else gives you more momentum by staying completely focused, on what you do that really makes a difference.
6. INCREASE ENERGY LEVELS, Happiness, Health and Fitness of everyone in the organisation.
7. INCREASE YOUR REPUTATION And AUTHORITY in your chosen field by writing articles based on personal experience. Publish a book on the topic that you are so incredibly familiar with, that it will actually write itself. Do some speaking gigs in the local community if that’s your thing.
8. INCREASE NUMBERS of Clients, Connections and Signups.
9. INCREASE THE NUMBER OF 5 STAR RATINGS that you give to other peoples products and increase the number of 5 STAR REVIEWS you give for providing exceptional service.
10. INCREASE WEBSITE INTERACTIONS. Think about all the different ways people can interact with you on your website.
- Provide feedback (PURPOSE: so you can make improvements.)
- Ask questions or make comments on articles (PURPOSE: this helps with fresh original content and the search engines respond well to this sort of activity).
- Request A Quote (PURPOSE: this dramatically increases the likelihood of them going ahead with a purchase).
- Subscribe to Newsletter (PURPOSE: to be able to send them regular mailings for *Special Customers*, to educate, to brighten their day and remind them you are there to serve their needs.)
- Ask for 5 star rating on purchased products or services (PURPOSE: Gives your business more credibility, Google likes it, the ratings show up in search results and it is great for Search Engine Optimisation or SEO).
- Watch Videos. (PURPOSE: Assists with brand awareness, education and familiarity.)
- Make it easy for them to download the catalogued list of your products with direct links back to your website. (PURPOSE: Something to take with them as a personal reminder.)
- A system to refer their friends and family. (PURPOSE: To send you customers who already know about you and are more likely to buy.)
- Make A Phone Enquiry. (PURPOSE: To answer their questions, build rapport, make purchases and add them to the *Special Customer* email list.)
“Would you like to join our *Special Customer* Program?”
“Can I put you on our *Special Customer* List?”
IF YOU’RE A COACH:
- *INCREASE YOUR EXPOSURE by collaborating with others.
IF YOU’RE A CONSULTANT:
- *INCREASE THE NUMBER OF Audits, Reviews, Plans or Proposals you send out too.
Two Very Important Things to STOP DOING Now
This heading was actually a bit of a trick. It’s not really possible to STOP doing something negative, unless you replace it with something positive. That’s why so many people cannot stop smoking or drinking because they’ve phrased the intention in a negative way. The Universe responds affirmatively to every signal we give out. When we say NO to something, to the Universe it means YES. I tested this theory with an influx of telemarketers recently. When the first one called I said, “No thanks, I’m not interested!” Well that just created a confrontation and I had to hang up. When the second one called I got wiser and said, “Will you take me off your call list please?” The lady said. “Certainly”, and the energy was cleared.
Ask for what you want — not for what you don’t want!
Think about how you are phrasing your desires. Here’s how I do it.
INCREASE THE TIMES YOU SAY NO and give up things of lower value, to Invest in things of Higher Value. If you have customers, family members or tasks that drain your energy, this could be a good time to bring those interactions to a minimum and focus on the aspects that create “INCREASE* in your life instead. I’ve recently turned the sound off my phone so I don’t jump to attention every time an email or text message comes in. The added peace and focus this alone has brought to my life is nothing short of amazing … I’m saying YES to PEACE and FOCUS.
INCREASE THE NUMBER OF THINGS TO THROW OUT and let go all those old brochures, product images, profile photos, website posts and business cards etc. that you’ve been hanging onto for no good reason. Replace them with something better instead, like more wardrobe space, a beautiful updated picture of yourself, a sophisticated and modern email signature, fresh business design assets etc. Keeping stuff that no longer represents who you are now and where you intend to take your life and your business, just serves to hold you back. Choose something so much better instead, and feel the energy shift … I’m saying YES to more FRESH, NEW, CLEAN, MODERN, UPDATED, HIGH QUALITY and SOPHISTICATED THINGS in my life.
And one more thing to think about … BUDGETING AND DISCOUNTING CAN BE A DESTRUCTIVE MINDSET … when it focuses on what we have to eliminate rather than how we can create increase.
