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My first big-ticket sales job was selling machines that extract liquid natural gas from flowing gas wells at the well head. Revenue from sale of the liquid natural gas was shared between the well owner, the equipment manufacturer and investors who purchased the machines. The machines cost $70,000 each. Being new to sales and clueless about how to sell expensive equipment, I followed the owner’s advice on how to sell, which was: never try to sell anything to anybody.

If your marketing is plagued with even one of these profit-killers you are bleeding profit and don’t even know it. You work too hard to miss business that can easily be yours. Your costs are too high and your risks are too great to get anything less than maximum benefit for every dollar you invest in your marketing. Don’t let these profit-killing mistakes rip the heart out of your money-making potential.

First, if you’re not doing direct response advertising, you are wasting money. An average direct response ad will outperform a ‘brilliant’ award-winning image ad every time. A good direct response copywriter working from home in his (or her) underwear can write a sales message that, when delivered to the right prospects, will sell circles around anything a fancy New York Ad Agency with a team of ‘creatives’ and an army of ‘award-winning’ graphic artists can produce.

How can one marketing message be of no interest, while a different message about the same product can be made so interesting, you read every word and take the requested action? The real question is, “What motivates you?” What gets and holds YOUR attention? What makes a product or service so irresistible you want it and you want it now?

source: https://www.sideshowtoy.com/collectibles/dc-comics-super-powers-superman-tweeterhead-903305/

When Superman began the story had a problem. Superman was invincible. All powerful. He could not be harmed. Holding readers interest in a Superhero with no weakness, no flaws and no way to be harmed, injured or even threatened was a challenge.Since Superman was guaranteed to win every conflict, every time, no matter what ... it didn't take long for people to get bored and for sales to drop. New episode. Superman wins. The end.

Imagine doubling your sales over the next year. What would that mean for you and your family? What would that mean for your bank account? Once upon a time, if you were willing to work hard, be friendly and advertise – you could start a business and do well. But all that has changed.

Dunn and Bradstreet reports half of all new businesses fail within two years of startup and over half of the remaining go out of business over the next three years. In other words, three of every four businesses are gone within five years of their first sale. Why? Smart, talented people who work hard start businesses every day yet three of every four can’t make it work and shut down within five years. Why?

It's a buyers' world pure and simple! We fast-forward through commercials. Block pop-ups. Delete spam at light speed. Screen calls with caller ID. Click out of online video or print sales message the second you lose interest. And we are experts at ignoring all marketing or advertising messages we don't care to see. In other words ... unless a message is so interesting you WANT to watch it, hear it or read it, advertisers have no way to get and hold your attention long enough to sell anything.

The boutique furniture store was loaded with spectacular, one of a kind masterpieces and original works of art from many of the top wood workers, metal workers and artist in the State of Texas. Walking through the showroom was a memorable experience because every piece was totally unique and masterfully handcrafted.

 This post is an open letter to the Business Owner ready to profit in a tight economy:

Dear Business Owner,

Your time is valuable and we will get to know each other soon enough if that’s the right thing to do. So for now, I’ll come straight to the point.