ForumsAdvertising, Sales and Marketing

Likely,

If you are selling to small business owners, the investment people are making these days is much less given the shakiness of the US economy. Today the dollar closed at a historic low to the Euro.

To add on to what Luckiest wrote, selling used computers is like selling used cars -- that is, if every eighteen months they doubled the speed limit, re-striped the highway so each traffic lane became two narrower lanes, and totally changed the formula for gasoline. In other words, advancements in software and applications are causing older hardware to become less valuable much faster.

I have been in this business since 2002.

Try not to fall into the trap that it is a bad ecomomy. Instead revert back to your sales training. What target markets have you been successful in? Do you need to adjust your product's value proposition? For example, perhaps you need to adjust your target market and value proposition to rural areas where the parents of highschool students have limited income but with your product everyone can afford to buy a laptop computer. Or, target older clients that want to expore the internet but do not want to invest much to see if having internet search capabilities and email are worth them investing in.

Ask youself if you have explored other sales channels (ebay, craigs list, etc.), door to door residential sales (offer a warranty) or how about a telemarketing program targeting a specific audience. etc. Be creative. But most of all ask yourself if you are as excited about what you have to offer your clients as you were when you were making the earlier sales. If not, regenerate enthusiam for yourself and then share that excitement and value proposition with others to see if there is a difference in your success. I hope this helps. mailto:dee@qualifiedconsultantsllc.com.

Pentium III is considered dinosaur merchandise by today's high speed standards. With people downloading music and videos and high speed internet connections - for most people a Pentium III just won't cut the mustard anymore.

I've had my Toshiba laptop with Centrino for three years now. It's many times faster than a Pentium III and it certainly isn't the fastest. I think that's the Core Duo now. I'll wait until something faster than Core Duo comes out before upgrading.

Maybe it's time to upgrade the merchandise you sell to something more up-to-date. The market is telling you this is true. Pentium 4 or the Centrino perhaps. It will be a higher price point - but people don't want to spend even a nickel on something that's an antique in the computer world. Even for high-school or college age kids.

All the best,

Denise Michaels
Author, "Testosterone-free Marketing"

PS: visit me online at http://www.MentoringwithDenise.com

No, the PC market is one area that is still strong. It has to be your reach and how you are distinguishing yourself from the big players. Look at Best Buys numbers this last quarter. Do you offer a service plan? What guarantees doyou provide? Who are your references? How are you advertising? Why would anyone want to buy from you? Can you answer that question and if so,market your self that way.
Your price points are great and you have strong brands. Put yourself in the buyers shoes. Why you vs Best Buy where I can get service and support.