Internet marketers often complain about “slow sales” during the holidays.

With many people concentrating most of their spending on Christmas gifts and travel, selling digital goods generally takes a backseat.

I haven’t seen a single “top ten gifts for Christmas” list that included a “how to make money as an affiliate” infoproduct.  After all, it’s hard to gift wrap an ebook and put it under the tree.

Many internet marketers simply take the month of December off and enjoy the profit they’ve made throughout the year.

That’s good news for you and I.

It leaves a lot of extra money for IMers who want to implement some age-old Christmas retail practices.

If you want to get some extra sales before Christmas, here are three ways to do it…

1. Offer a discount coupon.

CASE STUDY:  My wife received a coupon a few days ago from one of her favorite stores, a hobby shop.  She loves this hobby shop, but it’s not usually a place that she shops at Christmas.  But this coupon offered 40% off any one item.  Coupled with sales and clearance discounts, that could mean a great bargain.  Effective use of a coupon.  It brings in people who might normally shop during this time of year.

How many retailers have you seen offering coupons?  Many, many, many.  Why?  Because they work!  Pure and simple.  They work. 

Three principles that will really drive up the usage of coupons to increase sales…

Principle #1:  The deeper the discount, the greater the interest.

Ten percent (10%) discount is better than none, to be sure.  But if you want to really get people to take notice, bump it up to 50% or more. 

Principle #2:  The broader the discount, the greater the interest.

Offering a deep discount on “select items” is good.  But, the best usage of coupons is to make it a “blanket” coupon.  In other words, customers can use it on ANYTHING you offer.

Principle #3:  The timelier the discount, the greater the interest.

When you couple a great discount coupon with a TIME DEADLINE, you’ve got a winner.  “This coupon only good from 5AM-11AM on December 12th”.  Guaranteed boost in sales that morning.

*** The Digital Version ***

With so many shopping carts offering the ability to use coupon codes, with the ability to let people send you Paypal payments and with the ease in which you can temporarily lower prices in Clickbank and other order processors, it’s extremely easy to put this into practice if you’re selling digital goods.

(NOTE:  If you’re an affiliate marketer, talk with the owner of the products and services that you are promoting and arrange for a discount for your own contacts.)

2. Create a limited supply.

CASE STUDY:  When the sales flyer for a huge discount on 52″ HD plasma televisions made its way to my mailbox, it got my attention.  Now we’re speaking MY language!  Here’s the deal, though:  it was for “the first 10 only”.  The race is on!  Again, this is effective.  Not only do you create an intense desire and sell out your initial 10, but you get additional customers in your doors to (a) buy other things, (b) buy the television at a smaller discount.

There is something about a genuine limited supply that causes people to scurry.  If you make some kind of special offer that is only available to a small number of people, it’s usually going to translate into a quick sales boost.

Of course, this isn’t going to inject much additional PROFIT into your account if it’s a low-ticket item.

It’s kind of hard to get excited about the money you’ll make on a “Buy my $27 ebook for only $10 … first 10 only” kind of sale.

What you need to think about in using a limited supply is this:  premium offers.  Offers that afford you a greater profit per transaction since you’ll be limiting the number of spots available.

*** The Digital Version ***

Eclasses.  Coaching.  High-end memberships.  Physical products.  Licensing. 

I’d recommend something that is a MINIMUM of $97 and preferably $297 or above.  Selling out 10 coaching packages at $297 would bring in almost a quick $3K.  That’s some good extra spending cash for your significant other!

Again, the offer you are making needs to be something out of the ordinary.  Something special.  An incredible deal that’s only available to a privileged few.  That’s what gets people to buy.

NOTE:  If you’re smart (and you are, because you’re reading this post), you’ll put up a list after you’ve sold out the initial offer and then offer something related to those who join your “waiting list”.

3. Give a bonus.

CASE STUDY:  A software retailer offered a special “buy one get one of equal value” free during the holiday madness.  I wasn’t planning on buying Adobe Elements, but when I saw that it was on sale and on top of that I would get Adobe Premiere for free, it was too much to resist.  Need I say it?  Effective!  This offer got a customer who wasn’t in the market to buy anything to actually come in and spend money.

Why do we accept “buy one get one free” offers?  Or “buy this and get that free” offers?

Because we love getting “extra” stuff for free!  Seriously.  Why do some retailers offer a plush doll with a new children’s video at the same price another retailer offers the children’s video alone?  Why do some convenience stores offer a free coffee or soda with every $10 gas purchase while others do not?  Why do some restaurants offer free appetizers and/or dessert with an entree purchase and others do not?

Because some people get it!  Some marketers are smarter than others.  They know that all things being equal, we’ll buy something from the person who gives us an extra incentive for free with our purchase.

I’ve been teaching the practice of using digital incentives (especially for affiliates) for about ten years now.  It’s nothing new.  But it keeps working.

Especially this time of year.

*** The Digital Version ***

How hard would it be for you to create a special report and offer it as a bonus to anyone who orders XYZ in the next week?

How hard would it be for you to offer a free personal consultation as a bonus to the first 50 who order XYZ?

How hard would it be for you to comp a copy of Product A to any customer who purchases Product B?

How hard would it be for you to throw in PLR licensing for the next 100 people who order a copy of your older product?

The short answer is:  not hard at all.

There are many options (good grief, I just gave you four!) for using bonuses to increase your sales quickly.  Most of them are very easy to put into practice.  And, just like that, extra sales.

(NOTE:  If you’re an affiliate marketer, this is perfect for you!  Create some kind of bonus incentive … special reports are easy … and offer it to those who purchase something through your affiliate link.)

Once you’ve chosen your method of getting these extra sales, tell your people about it.  Mention it at your blog.  Send it out to your lead list.  Contact past customers.  Get your affiliate team involved.

And watch a boost of extra sales come your way quicker than you can say, “Ho Ho Ho”!

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