Activate Customers

It's a well-known fact that anyone who has bought from you will most likely buy from you again. But, don't just sit and wait for customers to come back. Make them come back more often.

Shortening Cycle
My favorite example for this subject is EPSON. On that Web site, there are a lot of nice things to print, like calenders, greeting cards, and even board games. You can print as many of those goodies as you want for free. Did you see the points? As users like me print more goodies, EPSON will sell more printing supplies.

You can apply the same strategy to many different kinds of businesses. If you lend money, help people pay back money quicker. Then, lend more money. If you run an automobile garage, tell customers nice places to go. As they drive their cars more, the cars will need more maintenance. Brainstorm for awhile; you will get a lot of ideas.

Encourage to Act
Many products, such as books, don't need any extra supplies or maintenance. (You don't need a battery or any other supplies to read books. You just need books you want to read.) If you sell those self-sufficient products, it seems there is no way to make additional sales. But, you can still encourage people to buy another products of yours.

Let's say you are selling astro-photography related books. Rather than hoping for people to buy another title of yours, let your customers know what is coming up by posting on your Web site or in your newsletter a calender of astronomical events. When customers notice a great astronomical show is coming, they will buy another book. For example, when customers find out an exciting meteor shower is coming, they will most likely buy another title, such as "How to Capture Meteor Showers," even though they already bought one of your books, "How to Shoot Solar Eclipse."

Of course, not everyone will buy another book from you, but you will make way for more sales as compared to doing nothing.