November 23, 2009
The Power of Your Business Cards to Market Your Products and Services
I wanted to share with you some good information and knowledge I have learned over the years. If you are in direct sales of any kind, I will provide you with a proven example of how powerful business cards can contribute to your sales figures. With over 20 years experience in real estate sales, I will be more comfortable giving you examples based on my expertise. However, you will see that this can apply to any and all types of direct or commission sales personnel.
If you are in regional sales you might find what I am about to say a little more challenging and creativity will have to play a part. It is still very realistic to make a ton of money with the marketing of your business cards. If you are not given leads by your company or you are an independent contractor, this is the cheapest and most productive way to market yourself.
If you are brand new in sales, you need to come up with a way to market yourself and your product or service you sell. Advertising can be very expensive and the least expensive form of advertising is business cards. A good quality professional business card should cost you no more than $100 per 1000.
Around that same time the Super Bowl was coming to Arizona. I was a season ticket holder and was able to get tickets for $100 each. When I arrived at the game early, shortly thereafter I was offered $1000 for each ticket. The temptation was too good and I couldn’t resist.
A good habit to be in, is always keep a box of business cards in your car. Over the years I have asked so many people for their business card and they didn’t have one on them. As far as I’m concerned that is a “lost” sale.
In the next– months my sales increased over $100,000 directly from distributing these business cards. It was amazing. I always kept track of where my sales came from and that is how I knew it was from passing out my cards.
Let’s dissect this further by saying at the time, the average sales price of a home was $250,000. The average commission for the sale was 3%. This would calculate to $7500 per sale. I made $110,000 from passing out 1000 business cards, which means I sold approximately 15 customers or clients a home in the next year. It cost me $75 for 1000 business cards. That equates to only .015% in conversion but over $100,000 in my return on investment. Could you image passing out 1000 business cards per quarter. That would be 60 sales per year. Incredible for a real estate professional.
Needless to say, this strategy worked and my client base increased exponentially over the years. Always carry business cards with you no matter what. Keep them in your wallet or purse and keep them stored in your car. Take every single opportunity to give your card to everyone you come in contact with. You can’t go through too many business cards. Make it a goal to pass out at least 1000 per quarter. You will be surprised to see how much business this will generate for you in the future.
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Filed under Loans by Winters Hansen
November 16, 2009
Loans for College Students
Let’s suppose that you have a teenager who will shortly be leaving high school. You will feel proud naturally, just like any other parent. whose child is graduating from high school. It is one of those milestones of life that you have successfully circumnavigated, in spite of all the financial problems that you have probably had to overcome. It is time to celebrate, because you have fulfilled your responsibility of giving your child a better chance in life.
However, most people would tell you, that a high school graduation is not the be all and end all. In fact, it is just the beginning of bigger challenges that are waiting for you and your child in the next few years of college education.
At this point, you need to begin thinking about how you will pay for the studies of your college-bound child. With the increasing cost of tuition fees, you need to plan ahead well of time to avoid any problems, especially if you not well-off. You probably already know how difficult it is to have to cope with the increasing costs of your child’s high school education before. The earlier you start thinking about your child’s college education, the less you will have financial problems later.
If you honestly think you might be faced with financial issues again, it is important that you know the various financial aid programs on the market for your college-bound child. Continue reading to learn the financial aids that are available to you:
A Grant: it is the first sort of college financial aid that you should go for. It just needs you to complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) application form. Once the form has been submitted, it will be evaluated and if your child qualifies, he/she will be entitled to the full amount of what he/she has applied for. At this moment, you need not do anything much more except provide the name of the college or university that your teen wants to enrol into.
A Scholarship: Despite the fact that scholarships are usually meant for students who have the ‘brains’ but not the ‘money’, not all college scholarships are intended for academics. Students who do not have the best academic record can still get a college scholarships. There are college sports scholarships, community service work scholarships, social involvement scholarships and many others. These are just a couple of the different types of scholarships for your child if he / she is not that academically talented.
‘Student Loans’: these types of loan have much lower interest rates compared with other sorts of loan. Some loans are off-set, which means that the interest does not accumulate until a student graduates college. Moreover, these loans do not require collateral, and therefore, you do not have to worry about putting your own home up as collateral against the student loan for your teenager. Most of these loans are available on various repayment plans at low interest rates and low monthly installment payments.
If you haven’t yet started looking for any of the various financial aid programs available, it is advisable that you start now. These financial aids are there to help you and will provide the funds needed for your child’s college education. You can be free from worries about the cost of your child’s education, if you start early enough.
If you require information on being awarded college education funding then you really must visit our website on applying for scholarships and grants
Filed under Loans by Pauline Davies
