Looking for some great ways to jump start your sales? Here are a few solid ideas you can use to increase sales and improve your bottom line.

Make your business unique by branding your name and business. You can easily do this by just writing articles and submitting them to e-zines or websites for republishing.

Auctions are very popular today and you should take advantage of this strategy by starting an auction on your web site. The type of auction could be related to the theme of your site, or a specific prodcut. You'll draw traffic from auctioneers and bidders.

Remember to take a little time out of your day or week to brainstorm. Surf the web for new ideas, and ask your friends and customers for suggestions whenever possible. New ideas are usually the difference between success and failure.

Model other successful business or people. I'm not saying out right copy them, but practice some of the same habits that have made them succeed. Watch what some of your successful competitors are doing and you can get some new and fresh ideas for your own business.

Take risks to improve your business. Sometimes businesses don't want to advertise unless it's free, but sometimes you have to spend money to get results. Start slow and check the results daily so you can monitor which ads are successful and which ones to drop. Include emotional words in your advertisements. Use ones like love, security, relief, freedom, happy, satisfaction, fun, etc.

Ask people online to review your web site. You can use the comments you get to improve your web site or you may turn the reviewer into a customer. Customers can be your best critic, so pay attention to what they say and make adjustments accordingly.

If your business has grown to the point you feel you need to expand, you should consider out sourcing some of your work first. Out sourcing some of your workload can cut costs considerably. You'll save the most on employee costs. You could out source your secretarial work, accounting, marketing, etc.

Combine a product and service together in a package deal. It could increase your sales. If you're selling a book, offer an hour of consulting with it.

Find a strategic business partner. Look for ones that have the same objective. You can trade leads, share marketing info, sell package deals, etc.

By: Ken Asselin

Ken Asselin is webmaster for the "Buds Best" series of websites. His 40 plus years experience in retail marketing, bring a fresh outlook to website development and promotion. You can visit his "Buds Business Guide" at: http://www.budsbusinessguide.com