Selling your SMC products

Recently I was asked about SMC products and why a new person has such a difficult time making their 1st sale.

Reason #1 - it is such a popular program that everyone is selling the stuff.

Reason #2 - Everyone is selling the stuff.

Reason #3 -Everybody is getting into selling the stuff.

So here is the advice that I gave one new person for her new store selling SMC products. So if you are having problems making that 1st sale here are some pointers.

Look at Amazon.com - the undisputed biggest product seller. Copy what the big guy is doing.

Example, ads for other products from other people especially in the detail of the product.

White background, black lettering, blue for stand out links.

SKU instead of item # makes store more retail oriented.

Consider changing colors on your site, light background, dark lettering.

Consider selling on ebay use the yellow price list and add shipping & handling min $7.50 for anything under $25 that will cover your SMC costs.

Use the traffic exchanges to build up traffic.

List on Yahoo & Google Base.

List on search engines - use free site submit - don't pay anyone unless you have money to burn.

Write articles or post to blog pages & use your website as part of your signature to increase ranking in search engines.

Read every article you can on website promotion & retail marketing, take the good ideas that you understand and make them work for you. "Not every thing written is good marketing"

Don't pay for expert advice when it is free for the taking all over the net.

Join newsgroups, blogs, and social networks to get up to date on current events and potential sales avenues.

Do visit your local stores, they may be looking for something different to put at the cash register to sell. Necklaces, incense, bulk buys and give them a really excellent price like 5% plus shipping & handling over your cost, if they pay on delivery.

Visit your local Chamber of Commerce and get a business directory, call, stop by or mail them a flyer or postcard to introduce yourself.

Carry business cards with your website address and email. Pass them out and strike up a conversation if they have the time. Be a good listener. Don't talk too much, let them set the tone and the theme. Always thank them for their time. They will remember a good listener far more than a sales pitch.

Be on the look out for scam artists in the form of you give me money & I'll get your webstore paying for itself in no time. Anyone calling you that says they can get your site paying you is after the cash you will give them. There have been several people reporting this happening lately and it doesn't work.

Do add additional revenue drawing items to your website. Google ads, Amazon ads, affiliate or traffic programs, LinkShare advertisers, banner ads for complimentary sites.

Do target a specific theme, gardening, home & garden, crystal look, holidays, wholesale, candles, dragons, etc.

Define a return policy, a shipping policy, a privacy policy, and a way to contact you.

Don't cut your prices so low that you are paying to make that 1st sale. Take into account all your expenses to make a sale.. shipping & handling, item cost, paypal fees, listing fees, not to mention merchant credit card processing, site space, your time and your annual SMC membership fee. It doesn't pay to cut the price to anything less than the yellow price list plus the correct shipping and handling charges from SMC. With that your profit will be very low and you need to make lots of sales.

Hopefully, this information is helpful to anyone starting an SMC venture.