Learning to Think Like a Customer: Selling Tips for Success

<p>One of the most common mistakes marketers make is advertising and marketing based on personal opinions and perceptions. Unsuccessful ones tend to think this way, not only about the product being sold, but also regarding how potential customers will act and react to our advertising approach. This then begs the obvious question (which isn’t so obvious)â€"why do customers buy in the first place. What is their motivation, purpose in buying? What do they need the product/service for? What needs are they satisfying in buying the products in the first place? Seems like simple and basic questions, right? Not really, when you dig deeper under the surface. The better we understand and appropriately respond to these questions, the more sales, revenue and success we will have. <p> Fact number one: potential customers buy for personal reasons (theirs), not ours. They could care less about our company, glitzy website, or how long the list of product features so skillfully displayed. They only care about the oldest motivation in the book â€" WII-FM (what’s in it for ME!). They want the benefit, the impact, the improvement, the comfort, or the security it will deliver, period. <p> Most small (and large for that matter) business marketing fails to address these crucial customer needs directly. All too often the focus is mistakenly on the greatness of the product or service, and not on what is important (to the customer that is). Marketers are often their own worst enemy. Frequently, they are not communicating on the buyer's level of motivation. They are too busy figuring out how to "sell" the product than finding out the reasons the customer "buys" in the first place. <p> The problem comes down to the marketing strategy that is employed. Are you pushing the product or are you pulling the customer through the marketing process? <p> The distinction becomes very important and critical to success. Since buyers only care about their needs and take action for their personal reasons, why should they pay attention to why you think your product is so great? <p> When you push products, you are essentially telling the customer that they should buy from you because of your reasons. With this egocentric approach you often run into a stone wall of objections and delays. Pushing the product forces them out of their comfort zone and places unnecessary pressure on their decision making process. A relentless assault of closing techniques pushes them away from a purchase decision on “their terms”. <p> Pulling a potential customer through the purchase process is much more effective. When you pull you are leading them to the purchase like leading a horse to water. You gently guide them through your features and benefits and come to a decision on their terms. If they resist you have not educated them enough with information to motivate them or you haven't addressed their objections sufficiently. <p> The potential customer will only make a decision when they are comfortably satisfied your offer has met all of their purchase criteria. As a seller, you must pull them through the process and always let them stay within the limits of their comfort zone. It's by staying within these boundaries that trust is established and a long term relationship is built with the customer. <p> Also remember that the purchasing process is completely rooted in the perceptions of the buyer. They have ultimate control over the process, not you. Your job as a marketer is to develop all your communications to make them comfortable and lead them to the best outcome...purchasing your product or service. <p> Always be aware of which method you are using - push or pull - and adopt it to the potential customer’s personal reasons for purchasing and you will enjoy continuous success. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p></p>

The Little Things For Interior Decorating

When it comes to getting interior design ideas, there is just so much that goes into creating that special feeling in the home. Cynthia Aiken Interiors has mastered the art of decorating a home, and she has made her specialization French Country design. It's a rustic feel that lets homeowners and visitors alike get the feeling that they are in the French countryside. The décor is welcoming and warm, not to mention beautiful. While the large pieces of furniture help to set the base for the atmosphere, it's actually the little things around the home that bring a theme together.
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<br>Whether you are redecorating just one room, or you are doing the whole house, the accessories you choose will either enhance or ruin your vision. Fortunately, thanks to an amazing interior design catalog, you don't have to worry about picking something that will clash with your French country style. You'll find everything you need from bedding to lamps, accessories to mirrors. Sprucing up your home with a touch of Atlanta's best interior designer's style has never been easier.
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<br>You might want to start with your bedding. Cynthia Aiken has chosen one of the best companies to work with for her bedding supplier, and you'll love the way all of the patterns work with your North Georgia décor. Once you have chosen the pattern you want for your bedroom, you can purchase a complete set for your bed from bed skirts to shams and even get decorative pillows to match. If you really like the pattern you chose, you can also use the fabric for other places in the home such as footstools or curtain panels.
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<br>Even though you are creating a look in your home that matches one theme, you'll find that you can make each room completely different without taking away from the French Country design. Lamps are a great way to make each room different while still having originality in your choices and setting that rustic atmosphere. Many of the lamps that Cynthia Aiken has added to her collection come in sets, so that you can have matching floor lamps and table lamps in one room. You can also mix and match because the color assortment works well together and it will help to spruce up your rooms with color.
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<br>Carefully placed mirrors can really light up a room, and not just metaphorically. Mirrors have been used not only as decorations for hundreds of years but also as a way to reflect light to dark places. You'll find that you can create your own interior design for casual living with help from one of Cynthia Aiken's many mirrors that she has in her collection. All of them have unique designs that will keep your decorating ideas original and your rooms beautiful.
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<br>The accessories you choose from Cynthia Aiken's interior design catalog will be the finishing touches for your French Country decorating. From clocks to bowls and boxes to candles, you'll be able to find the perfect pieces to set on top of your tables and dressers, bringing together the whole collection.
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<br>About the Author: Shelly Field is an award-winning <a href="http://www.cynthiaaikeninteriors.com" rel="nofollow">interior designer</a> and writer. She is best known for her extensive knowledge of <a href="http://cynthiaaikeninteriors.com/HomeDecor.shtml" rel="nofollow">French Country Interior Designs</a>.
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Contemporary Bathroom Vanities - Unique Urban Look | ArticlesBase.com

Contemporary bathroom vanities are popular with the masses because the designs are easily accepted by most people. They are simple, clean, and sometimes come with a hint of elegance. However, you never see contemporary vanities with loud colors or complicated patterns. That's because these designs are meant to be kept simple. Mostly, the vanities sit in the support structure and are somewhat inconspicuous. <P /><P />Besides looking simple, they are also very easy to maintain. You don't have to polish them frequently. Just clean the surface with some washing liquid and the sinks will remain in tip top condition for years to come. <P /><P />Many homeowners decide on installing contemporary bathroom vanities because they are affordable and practical. For example, if you intend to rent out the apartment, you want something that is readily accepted by most tenants. A complicated vanity would not suit your purpose because it may turn out to be too expensive, and the unique designs may even turn away some people.<P /><P />Usually, contemporary vanities are made from common materials such as clay, stone or glass. Glass tends to be a little more costly compared to the other materials. But glass vanities also look more classy and elegant. <P /><P />Depending on the amount of space you have in your bathroom and your own needs, you may decide to have a single vanity installed, or a double vanity installed. Obviously, a double vanity will cost almost twice as much as a single vanity. But if you have the space, and you know that you may fight for the use of the sink with your spouse every morning, then perhaps its best to install a double vanity. <P /><P />Contemporary sinks also come in sets. A set comprises of the sink, the support, and a mirror. The mirror completes the design. If you don't like the mirror, you can always choose to buy standalone mirrors from your local furniture store. However, most mirrors match the vanity perfectly. And if you purchase everything in a single set, you are more likely to enjoy better discounts. Buying a single standalone mirror can be more expensive.<P /><P />Most contemporary vanities adopt squarish designs. They are meant to look squarish and simple. Even the cabinets underneath tend to look squarish. The benefit of being shaped simply is that the vanity can fit easily into any corner without taking up space awkwardly. In other words, there is no wastage of space. The entire vanity stands on four strong legs, each at one corner. If you don't like the legs, you can always choose to have the vanity mounted on the wall. This will make the bathroom look more spacious. <P /><P />In the urban city, there is always an urge to return to simplicity. This is, in part, due to the active lives that urban dwellers have to cope with. For sure, you don't want a vanity that's going to take you a lot of time to maintain. You want something that is reasonably priced, looks simple and good, and easy to maintain. Contemporary vanities may be exactly what you need.<strong>About the Author:</strong><br /><p>View <a href="http://www.homedesignoutletcenter.com" rel="nofollow">bathroom vanity</a> and <a href="http://www.homedesignoutletcenter.com" rel="nofollow">bathroom tile</a>. </p>

Article Marketing Tips - Great Article Content + Regular Consistent Action = Massive Web Presence

<p>Article marketing is a great way to get more exposure. But it's not like you can write just a few articles then sit back and get flooded with traffic.</p><p>Article Marketing is a numbers game - the greater your number of articles the greater your exposure. Simple as that.</p><p>But if I just left it there this would not be much of an article, so I went ahead and came up with a fancy formula for you, complete with plus and equal signs and everything.</p><p><strong>GAC + RCA = MWP</strong></p><p>The formula above stand for Great Article Content + Regular Consistent Action = Massive Web Presence. Let's take a closer look at each of these components.</p><p><strong>Great Article Content (GAC)</strong> - Your articles do not have to be perfect. Too many people keep tweaking their articles trying to get them to be perfect. It's a waste of time. I'd rather have my "near perfect" article out there working for me 24/7 than someone else's "not quite perfect yet" article still wasting away in their computer.</p><p>Make it good enough to represent you well on the Internet and give at least one gold nugget of good information the reader can act on right away.</p><p><strong>Regular Consistent Action (RCA)</strong> - As I said in the beginning of this article, you can't just throw up a few articles then sit back and wait. You need to take regular consistent action. An article a week is really the bare minimum if you truly want more exposure. Several a week is better. And once you get in the flow of Regular Consistent Action you can easily craft 300 words in less than 30 minutes.</p><p><strong>Side note:</strong> If you are thinking "Yeah, but where do I get enough ideas to write that much?" just consider the most frequently asked questions in your niche and answer them, one per article.</p><p><strong>Massive Web Presence (MWP)</strong> - When you create great article content on a regular consistent basis, you can't help but create a strong or even massive web presence in your niche. The only question is how bad do you really want it?</p><p><strong>Remember:</strong></p><p><blockquote> An article a day keeps recession away</blockquote></p><p>So by now I bet you are ready to start getting more exposure with your articles, yes? Then I would like to invite you to claim your FREE Instant Access to 2 of my Instant Article Creation Templates when you visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.TheArticleGuyBonus.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.TheArticleGuyBonus.com</a></p><p>You'll get get <a target="_new" href="http://www.TheArticleGuyBonus.com" rel="nofollow">two "plug-n-play" article templates</a> - just plug in your info! And you will also get a 30 minute Audio Replay of a teleseminar about writing more articles in less time than you ever thought possible.</p><p>From Jeff Herring - The Article Marketing Guy and The Great Article Marketing Network.</p>

Ezine Advertising Powerful Use of Ads to Drive Traffic to Your Site | ArticlesBase.com

<p>The beauty of ezine advertising is that it’s the most targeted form of advertising on the Internet. If, for example, someone has subscribed to an ezine about fishing, then they are expressing a strong interest in fishing equipment, tips on improving their skills, travel packages, and an endless list of other possibilities. <br /><br />This is why ezines are such a good choice. As long as your ad relates closely to the theme of the ezine, the person reading your ad is already halfway toward buying what you have to offer. <br /><br />There are three types of ads that you can place in your chosen ezine: a classified ad, a sponsor ad, and/or a solo ad.<br /><br />The classified ad is the smallest and least expensive. This three to five line ad is often run in a block with other classified ads, one on top of another, similar to a page of classified ads in your local newspaper. This contains just a brief description with an email or link to your web site. This costs a few dollars, generally about half the cost of a sponsor ad.<br /><br />A sponsor ad is placed at the top of the ezine, often under a heading like: "Please support our sponsor.” This ten to fifteen line ad will draw more attention since it is the first thing the reader sees when the email is opened. This is priced around twenty dollars.<br /><br />The most effective, and naturally the most expensive, is the solo ad. This is not part of the ezine, but instead goes out as an email to everyone on the mailing list. The message is all about you and your product or service. This ad can be as long as 700 words, allowing you to go into great detail, and will cost in the neighborhood of forty to fifty dollars, about twice the cost of a sponsor ad. However, some of the larger ezines may ask for hundreds or even several thousand dollars for a solo ad. <br /><br />Once you’ve written your ad and chosen an ezine, the best way to proceed is to think like an educator. The most effective teaching method is repetition. Experienced teachers will cover the same information in several different ways. They might lecture one day, followed by a reading assignment and discussion, and then an essay, all on the same topic. <br /><br />Very few people learn something thoroughly the first time they see it. And few people respond to an ad the first time they see it. Since you are trying to educate and motivate your target audience, you want them to see your ad more than once. <br /><br />This is best done by first running a solo ad, then running a sponsor ad in the next two or three issues of the same ezine. Finally, for the next five to seven issues run a classified ad. The readers will see your ad for many weeks and begin to understand the message and warm up to your offer. They need time to mull it over, compare products and prices, and decide if they really need it. Give them time, educate them, and they will buy.</p> <p>Did you find this article useful? For more useful tips and hints, points to ponder and keep in mind, techniques, and insights pertaining to Internet Business, do please browse for more information at our websites.<br />&lt;a href="http://www.adsence-dollar-factory.com"&gt;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.adsence-dollar-factory.com&lt;/a&gt;" rel="nofollow">http://www.adsence-dollar-factory.com&lt;/a&gt;</a><br />&lt;a href="http://www.100earningtips.com"&gt; <a target="_blank" href="http://www.100earningtips.com&lt;/a&gt;" rel="nofollow">http://www.100earningtips.com&lt;/a&gt;</a></p><strong>About the Author:</strong><br /><p>imran from mumbai</p>

Promotional Pens-Still A Good Idea?

<p>What business does not give out pens? Most do give their customers pens. Their are those that have the idea that pens are over used and don't work for advertising. But, if you think about it people still need pens. People are forever losing the pens they have and picking up other ones. When your promotional pen gets used, lost and then found again it is still advertising the logo that you had printed on there. While people are still using pens they will still work as advertising. <p> You already know that you can use pens for endless writing reasons. The point is they have a purpose. Because there is a specific use for these they will always be needed. While pens are needed they will be used and also looked at. It doesn't matter who ends up with you pen. You never know who will need your products or services. <p> You don't have to settle for the cheapest and plainest pen available. You can add some bells and whistles so to speak. There are different style pens that are very attractive. The fatter style pens are easier for people with arthritis to use You can also get silly ones with feathers or even games and laser pointers. <p> Realizing this can truly help you when you are looking for a promotional pen to advertise your business on. Of course, we all have personal preferences as to colors and styles of the pens and other writing instruments that we like best, and this of course will factor into your selection. <p> A good looking pen is important but one that writes well is better. The writing capability of your pen is the most important aspect. So, before you place that large order make sure of the quality by testing out samples of the pens. If you have a quality promotional product company that you are dealing with then they will be happy to send you samples and give you suggestions. What it boils down to, is the pen that writes the best is the pen that people will reach for every time they need one. You want that to be your pen. <p> Every company needs its own handy <a href="http://www.promotionalpro.com/promotional-printed-logo-pens-pencils.htm">promotional pens</a> to use in the office and give to clients. If you want <a href="http://www.promotionalpro.com/">cheap logo items</a> you really can't do better than a lovely pen. <p> <p></p>

The 10 Warning Signs of a Cheating Husband

<p>Trying to find out if your husband is cheating can be tricky. These days, married men can act so faithful in front of you while having an affair behind your back. No matter what act they try to play, they are still going to show some signs of cheating whether they realize it or not. Here are 10 warning signs of a cheating husband.</p><p>1. They will often show interest in things they didn't before. This may be the type of music they listen to or hobbies.</p><p>2. Cell phone behavior will change. Cheating husbands like to delete text messages and erase call history. They might take calls in private. They will keep there phone near them and most often hesitate to let you see it.</p><p>3. They will start paying more attention to there appearance. They might have new shaving habits. They often take more showers and will smell nicer. Wearing more appealing clothes will become a habit.</p><p>4. They will spend more time away from home. Husbands will usually tell their wives a bunch of excuses why they can't be home. This sign becomes more obvious when it just starts to happen out of nowhere.</p><p>5. Their computer usage increases. They will use this time to send emails to their mistress and communicate with them. They could probably do this without the wife not being aware of this.</p><p>6. Work hours and overtime may increase. This is what a cheating husband might tell their wife.</p><p>7. Distance will grow. They will probably feel uncomfortable around you and avoid certain situations with you.</p><p>8. Sex life decreases.</p><p>9. They will start fights or arguments with you for no apparent reason.</p><p>10. More money is being spent. A cheating husband will probably have to buy their mistress gifts or other things.</p><p>These are some of the warning signs of a cheating husband. Not all signs will tell you if your husband is cheating so it is a good idea to make sure there isn't a legitimate reason for their behavior before assuming its a sign.</p><p>If you see the <a target="_new" href="http://www.squidoo.com/thesignsofcheatingspouse" rel="nofollow">signs of a cheating spouse</a> and want to find a quick and guaranteed way to confirm your suspicions, <a target="_new" href="http://catchmycheatingspouse.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">click here</a>.</p>