The World's Greatest Vacuum Cleaner Salesman

OK, here's the big scoop of the day. I'm declaring myself The World's Greatest Vacuum Cleaner Salesman.
For the last 34 years, I've been selling vacuum cleaners. Most of the time in people's homes...and for the last 10 years out of my own retail store...The Sweeper Store.

Now, why in the world would I want to be known at the world's greatest vacuum cleaner salesman? Am I really the the world's Greatest?
I have no idea. Sure, I've made some sales. My records are $12,000 in a single day (from 10 separate in-home sales...I couldn't talk for 3 days afterwards).
I've netted 26 sales in a single month...with only one person saying "No" that whole month. I have a street in my town where every homeowner bought a vacuum cleaner from me (in-home sales). Has someone sold more? I'm sure of it.

But after 34 years, and more than 6,000 in-home sales...and more than 10,000 in my retail store, I've decided that I'm the greatest.

I even bought the domain name Worldsgreatestvacuumcleanersalesman.com

This is partly tongue-in-cheek, but I've decided that's a title I can take right now.

Who is the world's greatest salesman? They person who sells the highest lifetime volume? he highest volume in a day? The highest net profit in a certain time period? The highest closing percentage? The last 25 years, I've closed about half of the people I've cold-called (from a dead start) and closed about 80% of the people that were referrals from past customers (the real money was made here).

If someone proves that they have sold more vacuums than I have, Great...I'll then be the world's heavyweight vacuum cleaners sales champion. Or maybe the world's baldest sales champion. I'll fit in there somewhere.

Anyway, I wanted to get that off my chest.

Small Business Advertising Idea; Use Your Blog.

Have you noticed that many speakers have blogs?
This is for several reasons.
1) It's a cheap way to get people to "follow" your ideas.
2) Its an easy way to include content that isn't on your website.
3) Your blog creates links that lead the reader back to your websites.

Let's talk about #3;
I have several websites that have offers in different businesses.
http://www.sweeperstore.com/ sells vacuum cleaner parts, bags, and supplies.
http://www.sweeperstoreonline.com/ is my local retail store website. It leads people doing local searches to my retail store.
http://www.local-small-business-advertising-marketing-book.com/ is a site where you can download a free complete copy of my book The Unfair Advantage Small Business Advertising Manual.
And http://www.claudewhitacre.com/ is my Speaker website.

Now, all the links I just listed are automatically adding one more link to each of thse websites.

So what do I recommend you do? Go to http://www.blogger.com/ and create a blog for your business.
It's fast, easy, free, and will create a steady stream of new visitors to your main website. See you soon, Claude

Small Business Advertising Lesson #1 Headlines Count

I came back from doing a couple of events in Las Vegas. I just received a phone call from the MC of one event. He told me that he received a phone call from two attendees telling him that they rewrote their next ads based on my one speech.

My entire thrust of the speech was on Headlines. Every ad has a headline the same way every song has a title. Every book has a title. Every article has a headline.
It the way readers (or listeners/viewers) skim over material looking for something that concerns them.... something that interests them.... The purpose of the headline is to grab the reader by the ears and say "Look at me!".

Being clever focuses on you....and your cleverness. The headline must instantly make the reader feel that this concerns me!...This is what I want to know!

After they reader sees your ad, you do not want them saying "My, what a clever ad".
You want them saying "Now, where can I get that?"

Of course there is more in my book;
The Unfair Advantage Small Business Advertising Manual.
You can download a free complete copy at
www.local-small-business-advertising-marketing-book.com

You can also get a hell of a lot more by subscribing to my newsletter at www.unfairadvantagemarketing.com

And you can either order tebook in paperback or find out more about my speaking services at www.claudewhitacre.com

That's about enough self-promotion for now. Later, Claude