Procter and Gamble wanted to increase their sales of shampoo so they asked their employees for suggestions. One factory worker suggested that one little word be added to the instructions on the company's shampoo bottles. The word was "repeat," as in Lather, Rinse, and Repeat. That one little word doubled sales.

Little words can help you increase your sales and profits. Because of increasing marketing and selling costs you must find ways to maximize the impact of each and every contact you and your marketing materials have with your prospects. You must make sure you have a very high impact that creates the perception of value to the customer. You must:

1. Attract the prospect's attention 2. Get the customer to purchase your products / services

3.Get the customer to use more of your products / services.

I like to do it with little words. One of my favorite is the word "All." The word "ALL" will change any ho-hum ad or statement into a powerful impact telling the customer every item you sell is at the lowest price available and that you offer everything the customer needs.

For example, my competition placed this advertisement in the local paper. "18 cubic foot refrigerators on sale for only $299 - reg. $499"

This was a terrific price. But the wording of the ad left a lot to be desired, because it gave the impression that there was only one of these terrific values or only one model. Wouldn't the ad have been a lot more exciting and attention grabbing and effective if it had said: "ALL 18 cubic foot refrigerators on sale for only $299 - reg. $499"

Of course it would have, but the dealer can't sell all his 18 cubic foot refrigerators at $299, or he would lose money.

Maybe the leader refrigerator has wire shelves and all the others have glass shelves. So the appropriate ad would read: "ALL 18 cubic foot wire shelved refrigerators only $299"

It doesn't matter what the difference is. It just matters that there is a difference so it singles out which model of appliances are on sale while bringing in a swarm of business. The word "ALL" even improves the sound of a free giveaway. Recently the local minor league baseball team advertised, "Free hats to the first 300 fans attending tomorrow's game."

See how much better the offer sounds with the word 'ALL' inserted: "Free hats for all of the first 300 fans attending tomorrow's game."

Even stating the hours for a special sale looks bigger and better with the use of the word "ALL." Recently I saw this in an ad: Special Sale Hours: Tonight 9:00pm until 10:00am tomorrow.

Use of the word "ALL" turns it into a perception of a much longer time and more of a special event:

Special Sale Hours: Open all night! 9:00pm to 10:00am tomorrow.

Other little words that make a big impacts:

1.Only

2.Now

3.Special

4.New

5.Easy

6.Call

7.Buy

8.Send

9.Stop

10.You

The 3 most powerful words in marketing

1.Free - Everyone wants something free. Of course you cannot give your products and services away and stay in business. But you can offer the customer something free when they make a purchase. Free delivery. Free extended warranty. Third one Free when you purchase two.

# 1 Rule in giving products and services away for free:

Only give products / services away free if doing so creates the sale at the profit you desire.

2.Sale - In the retail industry it is estimated that 90% of purchases are made when the item goes on sale.

Even if you are not selling in the retail industry, the customers you are selling to are use to buying in the retail industry and are conditioned to wait for a sale before they buy.

3.Guarantee - No one buys anything without a guarantee. Sure, they may forget to mail the guarantee in, but they want it. Most every seller offers a good to great guarantee, but few market it. Few sellers use their guarantee as a benefit selling point.

Remember the old saying, "It's not always what you say, but it is always how you say it." Enhance the way you say it with little words.