Like most starters you probably don’t “check out” for the weekend (at least not entirely).
Most of us put some work in on Saturdays and Sundays. Since much of the business world quiets down, the weekends can be a haven to get some real work done without much disruption.
Why not take some time this weekend to make next week a little better?
Here are ten ideas to get you started:
1) Learn about what triggers people to buy (and adjust your sales pages)
Growing your sales is often about getting a better handle on what drives people to buy. People are funny creatures – we buy for irrational reasons, and we often follow paths of thinking we aren’t aware of.
Study the triggers that drive us to buy, and brainstorm a few ways you can use this for your own small business.
Reading materials:
- SocialTriggers.com – Derek Halpern provides killer tips on how to leverage user psychology to improve your online sales – and he backs them up with real world statistics and experiments
- Eight articles packed with tips on leveraging psychology to sell more
2) Rewrite your sales page
Once you’ve learned some more about what triggers people to buy, it’s not a bad idea to take another hack at your sales page.
The nice thing about the web is that you don’t have to achieve perfection in your first swing. Web pages are living documents – they can grow as you grow.
Charlie Gilkey wrote an excellent post on IttyBiz about rewriting your sales page – but as I write this IttyBiz is *gasp* “down for repairs.” I’m sure Naomi’s ninjas will have the site back up and running soon (so maybe check back tomorrow as you’re settling down with a cup of coffee, or booze, or whatever).
3) Create a new product or consulting package
I’m in a glass house on this one, so this will be my weekend homework as well.
When what you sell is your time and services you can’t sell with any scale – in other words, unless it involves you physically sitting down and doing the work, you can’t earn. Total self-imposed ceiling.
It’s also tough to sell your consulting if it doesn’t come in a specific package with clear deliverables.
Dave Navarro, who is a great source of advice on growing your online business, wrote an excellent article on how to create new and better income streams for your online business. (It’s the third article down on that page – but the other two are worth the read as well.)
4) Ask your customers for testimonials
By now we should all be clear on the power of social proof. What other people say about you is more important, and powerful, than what you say about yourself.
Testimonials are a classic way to turn the mic over to your customers. But there are a few problems with getting them:
- It takes forever (your customers are busy and often aren’t sure what to say)
- The ones you get are too sweet (your customers don’t want to say anything bad about you)
Sean D’Souza wrote two great posts for Copyblogger recently that dive into testimonials as a selling tool – and Sean gives up some guidance on how to get better testimonials that tell a story and get more people to buy:
5) Write
Then write some more.
6) Contact one of your “competitors” and propose a partnership
An abundance mindset can get you a long way.
You may look at your competition as your enemy – until you recognize that there’s probably a big enough pie for you both to get a slice. If there isn’t, you may question how great a market there is for what you’re offering.
Chances are you can share your customers and not go down in flames – in fact, if you’re willing to both give and take referrals, you can stand to improve your bottom line drastically.
Johnny B. Truant wrote a phenomenal post on this over at Copyblogger.
7) Pick five new blogs to promote
Little bloggers grow up to be big bloggers.
Instead of worrying about hopefully getting the attention of an A-list blogger someday, recognize that we all start somewhere.
Pick a few new blogs that you’ve stumbled upon in your reading this week, and make it a point to link to them in your writing next week. You may not have a huge audience yourself, but for us new guys every little bit helps.
The thing is, the A-listers probably won’t realize that you promoted their stuff. That’s the way it is – there are too many people vying for their attention for them to notice.
The little guys, however, are thrilled to get whatever promotion and encouragement they can. They’ll appreciate it more, and you’ll be much more likely to build an ally.
8) Join the Third Tribe (and dive into the brimming pool of awesome)
OK, this one isn’t free, but take my word for it: it’s worth it.
The Third Tribe is an online community created by Brian Clark, Darren Rowse, Chris Brogan, Sonia Simone…and the list goes on.
For $47 a month you get access to some kick ass interviews between Chris and Brian, Sonia and Johnny B. Truant, Darren and Leo Babauta…again, it goes on.
On top of that, you get access to a forum where you can interact with a wide range of Third Tribers – the big names above and plenty of people like you, bootstrapping it and looking for advice and comradery along the way.
Click here to learn more (and sign up if you’re ready). I’ll get a little money if you sign up through this link, but I wouldn’t recommend this unless I used it myself (and if you’re not happy with the value there’s a 30-day money back guarantee).
9) Grow your skillset
Do you think you’re pretty much set with the skills you’re going to have?
Or do you believe the harder you push, the better you get?
Shake off your fixed mindset. You can start learning a new skill, or continue growing an existing one, in the next two days.
You just need to plant your ass and do the work.
(To become a better writer, see #5 above.)
10) Get naked
I don’t mean it literally (but hey, what you do on the weekends is your own business).
Most of us have a little trouble telling our story in a raw way. The more open we are, the more vulnerable we become.
But being open also makes us remarkable. Nobody’s story is quite like yours. Start telling it.
Sonia has some great tips on getting naked.
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Good stuff, Mike! For agency folks like me, weekends can be incredibly productive, especially since they are devoid of those pesky things we call meetings ; )
Thanks Hugo! Ah yes, the meeting: the ultimate time suck.
Now you’ve done it Mike. This list is so chock full o’ tips, that I’ll need 9 working days a week to absorb and implement.
Loved the links and I’ll be keeping this post in an open tab in my browser for awhile so as to really digest it.
I’m in the write and then write some more mode now. Doing a little keyword research always gets my juices flowing.
I try to always been in the “write and then write some more” mode. That’s a muscle we should never stop growing.
And keyword research is an awesome way to get the gears turning. It’s awesome to see what people are actively searching for – what better way to tell what topics are in demand?