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Blitz
Ezine # 163 May 13, 2002
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This is an archived issue. Some links and/or content
may be outdated
The
Blitz-Promotions News Letter.
Issue no. 163, May 13, 2002
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In This Issue **************
Comments
Food for thought
100 Ways to promote -
The Classifieds
Next Issues
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Food for thought
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Defeat,
like a headache, warns us that something has gone wrong.
If we are intelligent we look for the cause and profit
by the experience.
Napoleon
Hill
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100 Ways to promote your site - # 63
Hiring a Sales rep -
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This
is a note that came through one of the business lists
I belong to - which is always jammed with useful information.
dear
Linda,
so
seldom are questions posed here that i feel i can respond
to with any real value, but manoman, could i tell you
some stories about sales reps! some WONDERFUL and some
down-right HORRIFYING. i'll warn you in advance that
this response is the culmination of advice i've received
and learned first-hand . so it will be long... sorry
in advance....
the
basics... as with all humans, there are some good
sales reps and some bad ones and some whose only intention
seems to be to rip you off. there are some who contact
you, say they want to rep you and ask for samples (they
may even show your work to some people - or not), and
then that's the end of it and they keep your samples.
approach the rep situation like it is a job interview
and YOU are doing the hiring. ask for confirmation of
sales; ask for references (and check them out); ask
to see the work of other artists they represent; and
decide for yourself if you want to be in that group
(and call the artists and ask how this rep has performed
for them); and ask the rep where they see your work
and for their game plan. i would also suggest not only
getting a client list, but taking a look at the other
lines, if possible. like it or not, you will become
associated with them, as well.
find
out what kind of follow-up she will do once she establishes
a customer... how and when does she contact for re-orders,
or will she expect you to do that? if you decide to
proceed with this rep (or the many others from whom
you'll hear), get a CONTRACT.
samples:
they can either buy samples at wholesale price, and
sell them to the stores after some wear and tear on
them, in which you then refresh the samples. their selling
the samples compensates them back for purchasing them
and they will keep them nice. you can send them free,
but include a purchase order with them, saying that
after such and such a time, they are purchased by the
rep or returned to you, or sold at a discount to a store.
samples can be handled many ways as you can see. i never
just give them to them. you could also anchor the samples
with a backup credit card number.
be
specific about your return policy. if a customer
buys from you through this rep and absolutely doesn't
like what you've sent (NOT that this will ever happen,
but it's better to think though as many possibilities
ahead of time) are you willing to refund their $$$...
and STILL PAY COMMISSION to the rep? decide ahead of
time.
payment
of their commissions: ONLY AFTER you have been paid
by the store, and not before. of course, that is for
the merchandise, not the shipping charges. payments
could be set up every 30 days and then you send a check,
or every sale, however you want. and find out up-front
who's responsible for past due accounts. no fun, but
a reality. 15% is the norm for giftware... 20% is not
unusual for stationery products (like your lovely cards).
be sure that your rep LOVES your work. ask why
she or her is drawn to it.
communication
is the key. be sure that you have a good rapport
with the rep and let her know that, not only are you
looking for sales, you want feedback from customers.
and
finally (yep, i'm almost finished now... LOL!) i've
worked with one astounding sales rep in the past three
years. i credit her with 60 % of the 180 new wholesale
relationships i've gained. i credit the other six reps
with whom i've worked with a TOTAL of 10%. so as in
any important relationship... it's worth being sure
you've found *the Right One*.
(can
ya'll tell that to day was the day i mailed my sales
rep commission checks?)
cheers
and peace,
lisa
http://www.cheaptherapy.net
...handcrafted paper art that celebrates Life.
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100 Ways to promote your site - # 64
Letting Your Visitors Mail Your Web Page
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This
tip comes to us from the Will Master Possibilites Newsletter
If
you have content that your site visitors might want
to mail to their friends or to themselves, the CGI program
Master Webpage Mailer can do the job. The emailed content
doesn't have to be the entire web page. You mark the
source code of the web page so the program knows which
section to email. It might be
A
feature article that visitors' friends might enjoy.
A price list visitors may want a copy of. Emailing to
self can be an easy way to accomplish it.
A poem, thought, prayer, joke, or other item that the
visitor might like especially well.
Master
Webpage Mailer takes the appropriate section(s) of the
page and converts it to plain text before emailing it.
The
program is free to download and use. You'll find it
at http://willmaster.com/master/webpagemailer/
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Quick Link
101 Dumb moments in business -
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Learn
from these 101 mistakes that big biz makes-
http://www.business2.com/articles/mag/print/0,1643,38604,00.html
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