The Most Popular Digital Tool Used By Marketers? It's Email!

In the age of everything digital and a variety of online tools to use, Email is still the most popular digital tool used by marketers. According to a March 2012 online survey of US marketing professionals, 78 percent of respondents said they use email marketing, followed by 58% using a social media presence. YouTube video was 33 percent, and on the low end, printable web coupons came in at 15 percent.

In all business categories, the defining decision a customer or client makes in determining whether to purchase from you or your competition, comes down to one single element: service – the overall experience and delight of dealing with your company.

Many companies overlook the importance of the About page on their website. When analytics may indicate that it's one of the most highly visited pages, it's critical that this page works to your advantage and you're not losing sales opportunities. Here are some guidelines to follow:

While companies of every category encourage people to click their Facebook Like buttons, the accountability questions continue to surface: "How much does liking a company influence a purchasing decision and increase loyalty to the business?"

The best way to determine if there's a relationship between fans who've actually liked and purchased is to directly ask your customers and clients, "Have you liked us on Facebook? Did that influence your purchasing decision?"

Target is tired of losing sales to shoppers who come in to their stores and see the products they like, only to purchase them at a lower price online. In a letter to their vendors, Target has suggested that suppliers create special products that would set it apart from competitors and shield it from the price comparisons found in various software programs. According to The Wall St. Journal, in a tersely worded letter, Target says, "What we aren't willing to do is let online-only retailers use our brick-and-mortar stores as a showroom for their products and undercut our prices without making investments as we do, to proudly display your brands." Watch for more major retailers to boldly take a stand and fight "showrooming" as it continues to undercut their sales and profits.

1. Focus On Selling High Profit Products And Services

Don't be deceived by success in percentages. Focus on selling products and services that have a high profit return in dollars, as opposed to a profit return in percentages.

There are just four powerful ways to increase your sales. Not 400, not 40... just four. If you focus on the tactics most applicable to your business, then your sales and profits will increase.