How to Get Authentic Barcodes for Manufactured CPG for Retail Sale Inexpensively

Barcodes provide product information like brand name, product type, variations (like color, size and so on) and unit retail price in the product mix. Example: Brand A, Product line B, Vegan hand bag, Regular Size, Dark brown and so on. 

Unique Product Code / UPC-A  (aka GTIN-12) and or, their non-North American version, the EAN (aka GTIN-13) barcodes are required on packaging if you manufacture consumer packaged goods (CPGs aka fast moving consumer goods / FMCGs) for retail sale. This is especially the case if your products will be sold at major retail outlets where products are scanned for efficient and accurate identification at the checkout point.

To clarify, each product variation will have two versions, ie a UPC and EAN version. Manufacturers that distribute products internationally have only to verify the preference of all retailers in any supply chain. However, as suggested above, UPC are the standard barcode used in North America while the EAN codes are the standard elsewhere globally. 

However, I still can not stress enough the need to confirm barcode formats with retailers when planning your labeling. Fortunately, many retailers even have machines that read either format without a problem. However, most will object strongly to your simultaneous printing of both barcodes on a single package as this usually leads to problems with efficiency at the point of sale.

UPCs and EANs are used for all retail products, both off and online and with only a few exceptions (such as books, pharmaceuticals and variably weighted goods like meat and vegetables). These codes are highly functional as they are used so widely as a standard that retailers worldwide, of all operational sizes use them seamlessly. Some better known large retailers include Google Merchant, Amazon (for MOST products) and Overstock.com, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Office Depot, etc. Regardless of where you source them, all authentic codes originate from the GS1, a non-profit organization that sets the standards for the use of barcodes in global commerce.

However, you can choose to buy barcodes from either 1) the GS1 directly or 2) resellers. While there are ilegitimate resellers (who sell entirely madeup or recycled numbers), it is possible to buy GS1-originated barcodes from legally authorized resellers, whose barcodes never expire, thereby not requiring you to pay the otherwise yearly renewal fee. However, such barcodes must have predate August 2002, (a significant turning point after which barcodes were rented out from GS1 versus being owned outright, can therefore expire and require the payment of annual renewal fees).

GS1 or Reseller?

As just mentioned, purchasing barcodes directly from GS1 requires fees for membership and annual renewals. For instance, the GS1 may require you to pay a $250 initial fee and $50 annual renewal fee for up to 10 unique barcodes, ie roughly $25 per barcode. Being the global authority on barcodes, this option is safe and legitimate. However, when manufacturers find this continual rental cost prohibitive, they may choose to buy barcodes from resellers for a one-time fee that is sometimes as low as $4.25 per barcode (ie a total payment of $42.50 for 10 barcodes or even less, depending on the reseller). 

In the vast majority of cases, reseller barcodes are acceptable to a retailer's 'Vendor Compliance  Program'. However, in the less likely event that you need codes bought directly from GS1 (as when selling through Walmart, Kroger's, JC Penny and Macy's/Bloomingdales), you will have no choice but to buy directly from GS1. Just to explain however, these retailers demand directly bought GS1 codes that carry the manufacturer-owned prefix numbers and therefore the manufacturer's name (versus that of resellers). When you buy codes from resellers, you will essentially use the prefix owned by a reselling company that has purchased barcodes before August 2002.

This video is a brief history that explains how the current practice of resellling barcodes became legalized in August 2002. Before the class action against the GS1, companies were forced to buy massive lots of numbers, specifically prefix numbers that were unique to their company whose following unfixed numbers allowed those comapnies the possibility of assigning tens of thousands of products to that many outstanding code combinations, even if such companies only needed as few as 10 codes. However, these companies filed a class action when GS1 wanted to convert the earlier outright purchase of barcodes to rentals. In the end, those pre-2002 GS1 customers were free to never have to pay rental / renewal fees and to have the right to resell the many thousands of unused codes under their pre-existing prefix numbers.

Since GS1 operates in over 100 countries, you can likely contact an office in your country, or region. If unsure, landing on the GS1 website, automatically provides this information (as the site can detect your location). You will see that office's street address, telephone number and email address.

Beyond this point, this post explains the necessary steps for getting authentic and inexpensive barcodes for your manufactured CPGs for retail sale.

Steps

1. Establish the type of barcode your wholesale buyers require by requesting details of their vendor compliance requirements. This is part of ensuring good B2B customer relationship building as it relates to trustworthiness (of authentic codes) and giving retailers a good customer experience with efficiently working codes. 
2. Use only those barcode resellers that are authorized and who sell only unused unique barcodes. Examples include: BarcodesTalk.com at toll free (877) 263-1343 or contactus@barcodestalk.com (my favorite because of their very well-informed and capable customer service personnel that is also available for after-sales care) or NationwideBarcode.com at toll free (888) 356-7770 or info@nationwidebarcode.com.
3. Unfortunately, it is not possible to access any single database to investigate your barcode number(s) beforehand. 
4. After buying the codes, you can search through different barcode databases to see whether anyone has illegally used your codes. Unfortunately, there is no single global database for doing this. However, see the following useful resource(s). 
1. Barcode lookup app
5. Expect (or request) that any legitimate reseller will provide the following among other things.
• both UPC and EAN barcode numbers automatically (to represent any single product variation). In only some cases (like that of BarcodeTalk.com), you can specially request the GTIN-14 barcode which some retailers require for master cartons / warehouse packaging. However, the GTIN-14 codes and artwork will require you to pay an additional fee of roughly $7.50 for each code, with the cost tapering if ordered in larger volumes. 
• graphics, 
• certificate of authenticity
• ownership documents 
• an Excel list of your numbers
• support (as by email and or email)
• free registration to a database like upcbarcodes.com of your barcode. This registration may be useful because it makes your product information available on Google, Bing and some smartphone barcode scanners. This is beneficial as a deterrent against anyone wanting to steal the code and or make claims of ownership.
6. If retailers do not provide one, prepare an Excel or CSV spreadsheet with the following details for submission to retailers for entry into their inventory management database (that connects to their point of sales / POS systems). 
• brand
• product name
• product description
• Variations like weight, measurements, colors, size, etc
• Pricing information
• SKU number
• UPC or EAN number

CONTENT RELATED TO GETTING INEXPENSIVE AUTHENTIC BARCODES FOR MANUFACTURED CPGs FOR RETAIL SALE

• Follow the size requirements. for instance, graphics are provided at 1.5" X 0.8". However, you can reduce the size by as much as 20%, ie to roughly 1.2" X 0.64"
• Establish the type of barcode your wholesale buyers require by requesting details of their vendor compliance requirements. This is part of ensuring good B2B customer relationship building. 

Organizing Brands, Product Lines, Products, Images, Categories, Tags & Attributes for Shopify's Supply Theme

This post will be useful for anyone whose ecommerce store catalog will feature over 50 products and 5 collections. Entering all of the images, product descriptions, downloadable files and so on can be daunting and requires a high level of organization. Furthermore, you must ensure that, while you enter data, you keep in mind your end goal of adding value to the shopping experience by allowing potential customers to quickly find products that meet their needs precisely based on as many filters as they need. This post provides a step-by-step guide on how to achieve this level of organization. 

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A high level of organization may seem tedious at first, and maybe it is. However, once you begin to enter products into the store, a well organized storage of your files will allow you to proceed very quickly and minimize common errors.

For the sake of illustration, let's imagine that I am building a website to sell ingredients for baking natural vegan cakes. My current interest is planning for products that are sweeteners. Before filling in the specific names for brands, product lines, SKUs and so on, complete this entire hierarchy of folders, sub-folders and documents as a blank template that you can copy for other product types, brands and so on.

1.

Create the first set of folders and files

• Using 'File Explorer' on a MS Windows computer or Finder on an Apple Mac computer, create a new folder (like 'cake') to hold all of your ingredient sub-folders
• Within that global 'cake' folder, create a sub-folder for the current product type. In this case, the new sub-folder will be cake 'sweeteners'
• Within the 2nd level folder (named 'sweeteners' in this example), create 2 documents. Use basic text edit programs like 'Notepad' for MS Windows computers and Text Edit' for Apple Mac computers. Name these 2 documents 1) 'SWEETENERS - Collection - DESCRIPTION' and 2) 'TAGS - Sweeteners - ALL BRANDS'. Leave the contents of these files blank for now. The important thing is that the files are in a location that is logical for easy access later on. Read about Shopify Collections (in this case, 'sweeteners' will be one collection. Eventually other ingredients like flours, egg substitutes and so on will make up separate collections). When your store visitors select 'Collections', they will see a short keyword-rich description for all sweeteners, regardless of the brand, type or other classification. This is useful for search engine optimization (SEO), ie a means of ensuring that you attract sufficient website traffic. Collection descriptions often include content like a lists of all brand names within the collection, lists of product applications and so on.
• Find supplier brands of sweeteners.
• Also within the 2nd level folder (named 'sweeteners' in this example), create new sub-folders for each brand; Abrand, Bbrand and so on.

3.

Manufacturers and wholesalers often have numerous product lines from which to choose. Identify the product line(s) that are relevant to the ethos of your business. Product lines are groups of related products that share collective brand name and are also sold by the one company. Product lines usually have different unique group brand names that group together member items on the basis of common key characteristics. In short, at this preliminary stage, look first for product lines (versus individual products) as a means to obtain an immediate source of multiple items. Additionally, do not attempt to re-classify individual product items from different product lines. There is no immediate need to note the details of each item. Furthermore, the group tags will do all of the appropriate re-classification for you.

• Search through a supplier's website to identify product lines. These lists often appear on downloadable brochures and or webpages.
• Note the product line brand names and the codes for individual products that exist within each product line. These are the products that will populate your website's catalog.

Abrand

• Solid Sweet Product Line
• DS3SS - Demarara raw brown sugar crystals
• SP1PP3 - Stevia powder
• Liquid Sweet Product Line
• BSM33 - Black Strap Molasses
• AN14D - Agave Nectar

Bbrand

• Natural Goodness Product Line
• XLYUML - Xylitol crystals - large 
• XLYUMS - Zylitol crystals - small

4.

Within the folder for each brand, create the following sub-folders and files that apply. 

Create FOLDERS with the following name(s).

• "Product Lines & Items - IMG, DATA SHEETS"  (This applies for cases in which each individual product within a product line will have content that is unique to it. In this case, the unique content consist of images and data sheets.)
• "Product Page - ATTACHMENTS"  (This folder applies if visitors need downloadable attachments like data sheets, specification sheets, manuals and so on. Since some of the sheets apply to all of the items within a single product line and, in some cases, the entire brand, this is the best location for them.)
• "Accessories"  (This folder applies if your brand created non-core products that are accessories to their main products. For instance, Bbrand might have a glass dispenser that can be refilled for reuse. Some brands have product lines for accessories. This folder should therefore be treated as a master folder as its current master folder. In other words, for complex situations, it will also have the abovementioned folders. Do not place accessories folders directly into product lines or deeper yet into folders for individual units. You may have trouble finding them later on. See how group tags will resolve the issue of their relationships with core products.)

Create a basic text edit program FILE with the following name

• "[BRANDNAME] Lines ([line 1, line 2]) - DESCRIPTION, PRICES, WGT"  Example: "ABRAND Lines (Solid, Liquid) - DESCRIPTION, PRICES, WGT" (This file will store single product description templates that apply commonly across all items within entire product lines. In other words, all of the product items within Abrand's 'Solid Sweet' product line share the same or very similar product description. Consequently, the master version is maintained here. Furthermore, the master descriptions for all of the product lines are in a single file. Since one brand often has similar information that applies even across all or several product lines, I find one shared file makes it easier to manage these commonalities when editing requires swaps, comparisons, copy and pasting and so on.)

BTW, I forgot to do and mention this earlier. Notice the organization of folders in the Desktop (in bold print in the image directly above). See how the 'sweeteners' folder exists inside the 'products' folder which, in turn, is inside the 'cake store' folder. Remember that Shopify displays dynamic content of products - for which this post prepares. However, the other folder (not seen here) within the 'cake store' folder is the 'static page' folder for real static pages like 'About Us', 'Contact Us' and so on. As you will see below, I also have an 'admin' folder for legal and other records that are neither static pages nor product listings.

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5.

Within the "Product Lines & Items - IMG, DATA SHEETS" folder, create the sub-folders for each product line. 

Example: Within the Abrand folder, create 2 new sub-folders for 1) SOLID SW - product line and LIQUID SW - product line.

6.

Within each "[LINE NAME] - Product Line" folder, create the sub-folders for each product item by model number or SKU. 'SKU' is abbreviation used in retail to refer to a 'stock keeping unit' code that is unique to individual product items. (Eventually, you will put only unique item-specific content within each SKU folder. This content usually includes an image and a unique data sheet in PDF format.) If you are still unsure of the unique product item codes, name the folders 'SKU' and leave them empty for now until you are ready to apply real SKUs. 

Abrand

• Solid Sweet Product Line
• DS3SS - Demarara raw brown sugar crystals
• SP1PP3 - Stevia powder
• SKU 3
• SKU 4

7.

Before filling in the specific names for brands, product lines, SKUs and so on, use the entire hierarchy of folders, sub-folders and documents as a template for other brands and so on.

This is what your store documents should now look like.

Install Zopim Live Chat for Customer Communication

Did you know that 83% of visitors need customer support before buying online? In fact, as many as 45% of them will even abandon transactions if they can not quickly resolve their questions. Like physical retail stores, ecommerce stores need sales assistants. That real time interaction prevents potential customers from leaving this critical stage of the sales funnel.

The 'Zopim Live Chat' plugin app allows you to offer real time support to convert visitors into customers. Zopim Live Chat can be integrated into practically any website, including blogs like WordPress and Blogger. Furthermore, it is compatible with most browsers, including Google Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Even its free version offers numerous features that can reach out to the 83% of your potential customers before they slip through the sales funnel cracks. Helow are instructions on signing and setting up this must have customer communication tool.

Sign up for a Zopim.com account

1. Sign up on Zopim.com
2. Choose a plan according to the unique needs of your customers within the context of your store. Imagine conversations with your target market that will get them through the next stage of your sales funnel. Then consider each plan's features accordingly. For instance, unlike the free version, any of the paid versions will allow customers in your dress store to attach image files of themselves while they shop. Conversely, the free Zopim live chat version is adequate for many ecommerce store owners as it offers features that are too numerous to mention here. My favorites include the fact that; even during your absence, customers can leave messages that will appear in your email; customers can choose to keep transcripts; customers can use email piping that allows them to send transcripts of technical instructions to any email address, perhaps to their technician and; even visitor profile that provides store owners with useful marketable data like the customer's location, number of store visits and so on. If you remain undecided, you can opt for a free 14-day trial of the premium plan to experience all of the features available through this ecommerce plugin.

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Install Zopim Live Chat onto your website 

1. Log in to your account on Zopim.com. The set up instructions are above.
   
   


2. Select 'Login' in the top right corner of the screen. A drop down menu will appear.
   
   


3. Select 'Dashboard'
   
   


4. Select 'Widget'. You will find this option in the left column menu below the heading named 'Settings'


5. HTML code will appear in a window within named 'Embed the Zopim Chat Widget'


6. Copy the HTML code for plugins from the Zopim site


7. This HTML code must be pasted just above the </head> tag of your website or blog. Finding that tag varies among sites. See how for Shopify.


8. Customize the chat plugin. You can start by selecting 'Personal' under the 'Settings' heading within the 'Dashboard'. This allows you to accomplish the following tasks.




• Customize your avatar with a bust image (versus a company logo). A human image reinforces in the minds of customers the often forgotten reality that a real human being is on the other end.
• Changing the display name to your first name Jim, Sandra and so on also reinforces the human reality of the assistance.

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WooCommerce VS Shopify

Choices can be a curse when there are no clear winners of compelling advantages over disadvantages in all the most critical deciding factors! In the Shopify vs WooCommerce case, the decision most often depends on 1) finances and 2) the level of technical skill available either through yourself and or someone else. This article provides non-techie people not only the pros and cons of each choice but also a conclusion with workaround solutions for the key disadvantage(s) for either choice (Shopify or WooCommerce).

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PROs: WooCommerce

• No monthly cost. This is a significant difference! I am a fan of reducing and, if possible, even eliminating fixed costs. Fixed monthly costs (like those associated with a Shopify account) accrue regardless of whether your startup store even makes $1. Consequently, the permanent freedom from fixed costs is noteworthy for reducing your risk of closure if you have tight financial constraints. Note however that, depending on the complexity of your needs, you may still need to buy some fancier app plug-ins, regardless of whether you are using WooCommerce or Shopify. plug-ins are programs that are compatible with a main platform, in this case, WooCommerce. App plug-ins provide additional functions you want in your online store like apps for referral affiliate programs, immediate shipping / carrier cost calculations that integrate with a pre-existing shopping cart and so on.
• Lots of plug-ins that can offer more technical functionality than Shopify. Read above to learn about app plug-ins. (NB some plugins require your payment).
• More control over code. This is a great advantage if have access to a suitably skilled designer. Code is a specialized markup language used for designing any aspect of your ecommerce store, ie form colors to the functionality of your shopping cart. Of course though, code is a technical language you do not master overnight. Trying to learn code just to set up your store yourself is arguably counter productive. It will only detract from the more strategic use of your effort, like planning your sales funnel among other things. However, if you have access to someone that can develop the code precisely as your customers need, you can enjoy this considerable advantage.
• Superior Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO refers to the combination of strategies used to attract visitors to your eccomerce store.
• More themes than Shopify. Themes refer broadly to the layout of a website. For instance, among other things, it involves the overall feel of the website given atmospheric variables like colors and graphics. Themes also determine formatting variables like the location and number of navigation menus.
• Superior blog capabilities. The value of this advantage depends largely on the strategic importance of blogging for achieving your ecommerce goals.

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PROs: Shopify

• 24/7 toll free telephone technical support. This is a HUGE advantage for any non-techie person, especially if you do not have the time to figure out WooCommerce. Needless to say, WooCommerce does not offer any kind of employee support. Essentially, the stark contrast is that WooCommerce requires you to search the internet for content to answer your burning questions.
• Easier and faster set up. This is ideal for someone without ecommerce setup skills. Furthermore, if you encounter any challenges, you can contact technical support to walk you through the process. After you figure out these basic Shopify elements, you can master Shopify.
• Free trial for a limited time (of roughly 1 days). This is where Shopify competes directly with WooCommerce. It is so much easier for a non-techie person to start the free trial with Shopify than the permanently free facility of WooCommerce. The fact that Shopify offers customer service with a level of support that will even guide you in how to click through your current screen on an already easier platform makes Shopify a much easier option for the hardest step, ie starting. In contrast, WooCommerce poses too many techie obstacles at the start.
• Only a few good plug-ins that are free.

CONs: WooCommerce

• No tech support. You will need to hire someone to do at least the setup. Building a site on someone else's schedule might take longer than you would like.
• You need to update all of the plug-ins. This gets tedious because the failure to update one plug-in can affect others with an ensuing domino effect. In fact, plug-ins conflict with each other sometimes. you run an ever growing risk of this with a higher number of plug-ins. Eventually, this can even lead to risky security breaches. For instance, breaches can even translate into having your customer lists stolen. To avoid problems, you need to be consistently doing backups. in contrast, Shopify has a technical team that automatically takes care of these matters, so you never need to.
• Costs. You will need to pay for bells and whistles eventually if you need fancier plug-ins like auto-shipping calculators for instance. This is a moot point since it also applies to Shopify.
• SSL and plugin costs.

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CONs: Shopify

• Costly fixed costs. By the end of a year, your costs will have totalled at lease USD 360.00 for the most basic package. It is good to know however that any account starts with a free 14-day trial period during which your store may go live.
• Additional costs. The fixed monthly cost of having a Shopify account does not include the costs of plug-ins and any bells and whistles you may include to customize the store to meet your customer's specific needs. In fact, these additional costs are often fixed and monthly.
• Limited SEO

WORKAROUNDS: WooCommerce

• Technical setup skills. You can hire a skilled designer to set up the online store. The designer can be someone in your area with whom you can meet physically. However, know that you can find virtual assistants online (via sites like www.upwork.com/). With technologies that allow you to share screens, to hand over control of your computer to the assistant, see him and so on, a virtual assistant experience can easily feel as if your assistant were physically with you. If possible, ask whether you can learn the process as he is completing basic setup tasks. However, leave the option open for hiring him for more complex tasks. Unfortunately, the creation of the store can be drawn out and painful. However, this is more likely if the details of your vision are unclear. I will discuss this matter later.
• Technical maintenance skills. Hire your virtual assistant to complete maintenance tasks. Once both are competent, you can even hire a different person from the setup phase to maintain your WooCommerce website. Developing a relationship of trust with an assistant is most critical here. After all he will have access to all of your information on the backend. In addition, his level of skill to avoid security breaches and crashes are extremely important. As with setup tasks, ask whether he can teach you some of the basic routine tasks.
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• Costs. The initial financial setup cost is likely to be at least a few hundreds of dollars (like any paid advanced Shopify store theme that is paid). Console yourself with the fact hat they cost will be a one-time cost that is cheaper in the long run. In fact, it will likely be cheaper than a paid fancy Shopify store over the long term. Depending on your area, a virtual assistant may even be a more cost effective option. Furthermore, learning basic set up and maintenance skills will also reduce your costs if you need basic design changes and additional WooCommerce stores. However, beware of the monthly maintenance fees BEFOREHAND. Specifically, if they surpass Shopify fees, you might need to reconsider this choice if cost is a key deciding factor and if you can not find a cheaper alternative that will deliver good work.
• To allow for a smooth working relationship with the designer and lower costs, have a very clear and detailed vision for your website even before hiring an assistant. Since your project must start from nothing, you must approach your assistant only when you are prepared, ie even to a greater extent than if you were preparing for Shopify (as per the Shopify workaround list below). Here are some tips for preparation.
• List features and elements that you need. If possible, find third party websites to which you can refer your assistant to illustrate your point.
• Note the general layout that you need. As in the previous tip, find third party websites to which you can refer your assistant to illustrate your point.

WORKAROUNDS: Shopify

• Cost. There really is no way to avoid Shopify's fixed costs. However, if your store is generating a healthy profit, you will agree that you must spend money to make money. If cost is a consideration, the only way forward is by researching your business idea very thoroughly beforehand. Although this is necessary for the WooCommerce option, it is obviously more critical in this case to avoid (greater) financial loss. For instance, have a solid business plan. Furthermore, accelerate the period in which your store can begin to profit by completing as many finer details as possible. For instance, even before using the free Shopify trial, complete tasks that do not require a Shopify account. The list below is an example of some such tasks. You only need a basic understanding of Shopify elements and how it works to do this.
• Content for pages (like 'About Us', 'Contact Us' pages and so on), ie information pages that do not directly relate to the display of products.




product tags, collections and other groupings that will be used for navigation menu options and

dynamically displaying products according to customized visitor searches

list of suppliers that will need to visit the beta version of the site before you can list their product (especially in the case of drop shipping)

list of functions you need to include.

• list of your questions for the Shopify customer service team.

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eSales Funnel Marketing Strategy 101

A marketing sales funnel is a visual representation of the process of converting the public into leads, then sales prospects and ultimately into buying (and repeat) customers through the following 4 ordered stages and corresponding strategies. The process is called a funnel because the number of people converted to each subsequent stage is always less than at previous stages. It therefore represents the marketer's job of nurturing and converting as many leads into customers as possible, thereby widening the bottom.

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1. Lead AWARENESS of you and your product - Top of the Funnel
   
   


2. ENGAGEMENT (INTEREST & DESIRE) for your product (previously, this was considered 2 steps, Interest and then Desire)  - Middle of the Funnel
   
   


3. Sales prospects is most likely to take ACTION to buy your product  - Bottom of the Funnel
   
   


4. Customer satisfaction that motivates a RELATIONSHIP of repeated sales. For instance, the first funnel may be a 'break even funnel' that uses 'splinter' or other less expensive introductory 'tripwire' products to hopefully graduate customers to enter subsequent sales funnels for main products. Ideally, several sales funnels work in conjunction with each other at converting leads. For instance, the webinar sales funnel is typically designed for re-targeting leads (ie potential customers) that earlier sales funnels did not convert. Another noteworthy example is the hour Glass Sales Funnel in Retention Marketing. It is a matter of 'not leaving money on the table'.

1. AWARENESS

Your lead:

• is completely unaware of you or your product

You aim to:

• get the lead's attention. That's it! (Do not aim to get immediate sales, especially of your main product. Your lead is unlikely to be ready for that step.)
  
  
• research consumers

Your response is to:

• use advertisements to be informative as a means of introducing you and your product. Examples: free infomercial gifts, blog posts or write as a guest on the blogs of social media influencers
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• collect email addresses for mailing lists (often with the use of pop-up windows)
  
  


• use interruptive advertisements to psychographic target market via Google Search, Facebook pages, etc. Interruptive ads refer to ads that appear while your potential customer was doing something else, like looking at a YouTube video, looking at photos on Facebook, reading a blog post, etc 
  
  


• use Search Engine Optimization / SEO techniques
  
  


• provide Twitter hashtags. For instance, you may encourage user-generated content using hashtags through order confirmation emails to your paid customers.
  
  


• do cold calls
  
  


• do publicity stunts
  
  


• Landing pages that answer common questions that eventually lead visitors towards the buying decision. For instance, if the product is a new or bit technical, you can introduce information that explains how the product is a customer solution. Also use an effective squeeze page as the landing page for this stage. As with any squeeze page, this page serves a clear and single purpose. In this case, that purpose is to get contact details of your potential customers in exchange for some freebie.  
  
  
• Generate social proof that validates you as a current and respected authority. Use elements like a compelling Facebook page.

have a compelling 'About Us' page. The website is the key platform for this stage of the funnel.


• take it easy! Do not try to sell your main product to this crowd of people as yet ... as this may prove a costly exercise with marginal benefit because conversion at this stage has a very low rate. Do not expect to generate high or any profit at this early stage. Examples: fire sale priced products.  
  
  
• test your strategies to see which single element must be kept or dropped
  
  
• Other events include tradeshows

2. ENGAGEMENT (INTEREST & DESIRE) - GROOM CUSTOMERS

Only some leads from the earlier stage will return. This is to be expected. The fact that potential customers responded in some way (like offering their contact information) is a primary conversion from the general public into 'leads', ie people in the early stage of demand generation (or even at the further, sales-ready level). To cultivate sufficient interest and desire for your product, you must essentially nurture / groom your leads. Consequently, this stage is likely to require several interactions to convert potential customers further.

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Your lead / prospect (ie potential customer)

• has some knowledge of you and your product
• is already interested
• may invest in your business but only to a limited extent, especially if your core product is a high ticket item that involves much prior consideration called 'involvement' in Marketing
  
  
  
  

You aim to

• arouse interest and desire
• emotionally arouse leads
• arouse interest to buy something
• engage with the consumer's buying process by providing the information he / she needs.
• groom leads
• focus on the needs and interests of your audience in all of your touches. For instance, the appointment of your new CEO adds not value to the experience of your leads.
• prevent your leads from forgetting you. For instance, do not generate a lead and then fail to make subsequent contact until several months afterwards by which time they may have completely forgotten who you are.

Your response is to:

• Deliver at least 5 'nurturing touches' (ie forms of contact with your leads). Research suggests that conversion occurs after at least 5 touches. Prepare at least 6 instances of the following 'touches'. Use Social media (like Instagram 101 and Facebook Groups) to nurture your leads.


• Have compelling store reviews or product reviews. The growth of this stock may be encouraged through various marketing strategies like email marketing. Example include order confirmations that seek reviews from already converted customers as a means of instilling trust and desire in newer leads.

• sell smaller versions of your core product.
  
  
• Automated or manual email sequences. You may use automated emails or dedicate a specific after-hours time to manually nurture leads through emails.
  
  
  
• Ebooks
  
  
• Guides
  
  
• Follow up calls
  
  
• Product demo videos
  
  
• YouTube 'how-to' videos

• Suggest the next step of your lead. Without being pushy, this may simply involve a message like 'for more information, please contact us via ....'


• test your strategies to see which single element must be kept or dropped
  
  

3. ACTION

Your sales prospect  (ie qualified potential customer)

• signals an interest in buying. Example: he asks about prices and other terms.
  
  
• is more likely to buy (than at stage 1) because he already has awareness and desire
  
  

You aim to

• make most of your profit
  
  
• invite the potential customer to buy your core product (or take some other action that will eventually lead him to that action)
  
  

Your response is to

• have compelling sales pages as landing pages for potential customers at this stage of the funnel. A sales page is a single page with an unambiguous call to action, ie a call to buy a single product.
  
  
• make it as easy and quick as possible for customers to find precisely what they need. There are several website design features that facilitate this. Among these features include allowing your prospect to use multiple simultaneous filters. See how to set up multiple filters in Shopify.


• send sales letters, preferably in video format


• make person-to-person contact with live chat that efficiently targets leads at the buying intent stage of the sales funnel
  
  
• extend engagement with trouble tickets

• give your prospect achievable expectations in anticipation for the next step, ie repeated sales. This involves providing as much reliable product as possible on your sales page
  
  
• prepare the means for customer service that will at least meet the expectations of your niche
  
  
• convert customers into advocates by encouraging them to provide reviews, post about products and other forms of consumer generated content on social media. 


• test your strategies to see which single element must be kept or dropped

CONTENT RELATED TO SALES FUNNELS

• Tentpoling within the sales funnel
• Autoresponder Email Marketing
• Webinar Sales Funnel
• Hour Glass Funnel for Retention Marketing. Do not leave money on the table after customers get to the bottom of the sales funnel.
• Facebook groups, a great retention marketing tool in the hour glass sales funnel
• Live Chat for the buying intent stage of the sales funnel
• Facebook pages can be used in the Product Awareness stage of your sales funnel (see above). You can have a different Facebook page for each of several hobby or other somehow related interest that your target market has.
• Buyer / Purchase funnel
• Understand the difference between leads and sales prospects
• Sales funnels may be consulted by anyone in an organization to get a quick insight into conversion rates of leads and prospects. However, sales pipelines are more hands on task-centric tool for the sales team.
• Social media 101 - the means for engagement
• Instagram 101
• Facebook Groups