Dramatically Improve Your Marketing Results With These 6 Simple Steps

What if there were a few simple things you could do right now that could help you to market more successfully in the future? Even if you didn’t have your marketing act together over the past year. Well, there are.

Keywords:

marketing effectiveness, marketing results, marketing plan, marketing

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What if there were things you could start doing now that could help you to market more successfully in the future? Even if you didn’t have your marketing act together over the past year. Well, there are.

(1) Review your past marketing activities and results

Take some time to review all of your marketing activities and try to understand which ones worked best. And when I say “worked best” I mean, which ones resulted in more clients, more customers, more sales, or more growth for your business?

Your goal each year should be to understand which marketing activities bring you more business and which ones do not, so you can concentrate on the activities that work, and delete the ones that do not. Even if you did not have an organized marketing plan, or marketing activities that you implemented consistently during the past year, if you are still in business today, then there must have been some form of marketing going on.

(2) Broaden your definition of marketing

Marketing isn’t only things like running an advertisement, or sending out a direct mail piece. It's anything you do that puts your business, product or service in front of the prospects you are trying to sell to.

You may be surprised to realize you’ve been marketing more than you know!

Any time you talk to someone about your business, product or service, in person, at an event, over the phone, or through a brochure or some form of media, you are marketing. Any time you send someone an email or a thank you card from your business, you are marketing.

Be aware of any time you are communicating with current customers, or potential customers. Take the opportunity to make them aware of new products or services, special offers or programs, or even milestones or changes in your business.

Do you include your business card every time you mail a letter to a client or prospect? Do you have an email signature that includes your business name, your phone number, your email address, your website address and possibly even your tagline? You should. You are reminding people about your products and services and making it easy for them to find out more if they so choose.

If you truly believe that your products or services can enhance people’s lives, then it should be easy to share the word at every opportunity. After all, if people don’t know about you, they can’t benefit. Put this way, it is almost a disservice to NOT market.

(3) See if you can track your sales to your marketing, either directly or indirectly

Take a look at the marketing you did do, taking into consideration all of the activities mentioned above. Can you directly or indirectly track any new or increased business to these activities? An example of direct tracking might be: You attended a networking event and someone you gave your business card to, contacted you or made a purchase.

An example of indirect tracking might be: You attended a networking event, and someone you gave your business card to, referred you to a friend, and that friend contacted you or made a purchase. For each marketing activity you did over the past year, ask yourself the following questions:

(a) Did I get any new clients, customers or increased sales as a direct result, or an indirect result, of this activity?

(b) If the answer is yes, quantify the result by asking yourself: How many new clients, customers or sales did it generate?

If you can't seem to track your past marketing activities, consider asking your current customers how they found out about you.

You could do a survey that includes a number of customer satisfaction questions, but also includes a question to determine how they found out about you.

If you have a handful of clients that you work closely with and you really don’t know how they found you, pick up the phone and ask them.

At the end of this exercise, you will have a list of all of your marketing activities, and the results connected to each one.

(4) Separate those activities that resulted in business from those that did not

Are there any activities on your list that did not result in new or additional business? If you gave these activities a good opportunity to bring you business, then maybe it's time to consider dropping these activities and trying some new ones. After all, there is no sense continuing to spend money on marketing that has not proven to be effective for your business. Even if it has worked for someone else, it may not be a good marketing activity for you and your business.

(5) Use this information to plan your marketing for next year

Plan to spend more time, energy and/or money on those activities that brought you business and sales. These activities have proven themselves to be effective for your business, product or service. So odds are if you commit more to them, they will result in even more sales. And, if you really don’t have any way to track your sales or new clients, don’t beat yourself up. You are not alone. In fact, one of my biggest challenges as a marketing consultant has been to get my clients to track the effectiveness of their various marketing activities. Just make sure to remedy this now, once and for all. Commit to never implementing a marketing activity again without some way to track how effective it is.

(6) Set up a way to track all future marketing activities

Recognize the importance of tracking and make sure that you have a plan in place to track all of your future marketing activities. The simplest way to track is to simply ask each new customer where or how they found out about you. You may also want to consider including a code on any flyers or brochures that you distribute, and providing a reason for the customer to bring that flyer in when they come to make a purchase. Reasons to return the flyer could be to take advantage of a special offer, or to get a discount or free bonus gift.

You can also do this by phone or on the Internet if that is how your customers make purchases. Simply ask them to provide you with the code on the brochure or flyer that they are calling or ordering from. Make sure the code is specific to the location or group of people that you distributed the flyer to. If you are networking or speaking to a group and someone gives you their business card and agrees to receive your free report or e-newsletter, make sure you include a reference in your contact database of the event where you met them. For every marketing activity you do put a plan in place to help you track all them. Effective tracking is by far one of the easiest ways to improve your marketing effectiveness. And when you zero-in on what marketing activities are most effective for your business, you will be able to focus your efforts on only those activities, and will be able to spend less and get more as a result.

(C) 2005 Debbie LaChusa

Exceptional eCustomer Service - In 4 Simple Tips

How would your customers rate their experience on your “Contact Us” page? Here are 4 tips to help you create an e-commerce experience that keeps customers in love with you after a service mishap.

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customer service

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Two weeks ago I scribed a note of praise for Office Depot on PlanetFeedback.Com. Two hours later I got a personal response from Office Depot’s executive office. Last Friday I logged a complex complaint via email to my wireless phone company. Less than 3 hours later a researched response landed in my email box. It wasn’t the response I hoped for, but it was a timely response. Both companies exceeded my expectations of timeliness and personalization of response. How would your customers rate their experience on your “Contact Us” page? Here are 4 tips to help you create an e-commerce experience that keeps customers in love with you after a service mishap.

1. Prominently display phone number. Many customers visit your “Contact Us” page for the sole purpose of locating a phone number. Don’t force your customers to fill out a form or contact you via email if they want to personally talk with you. Your phone number, preferably toll-free, should be prominently displayed on your home page and on your “Contact Us” page.

2. Create a list of Frequently Asked Questions. Identify the top 5 – 10 questions or complaints logged on your website and post them with answers. This will be a time saving convenience for customers and reduces your email/call volume. Amazon.com has one of the best FAQ sections I’ve seen on the web. When visitors click Help on www.amazon.com, they are soon viewing a page of more than 50 frequently asked questions and answers. Visitors almost never have to contact Amazon.com directly for assistance.

3. Develop response standards. In 1998 I conducted an informal survey by shopping customer service departments on the Internet. In my survey, in which I logged complaints or posed questions, 60% of the companies didn’t even bother to respond. Of those that did respond, the average response time was 4.5 days. Today, e-commerce customers will not give you days to respond. They expect a response within hours. Determine your response targets and then line up systems and processes to deliver your goal. Keep in mind that your initial e-response should never be delivered more than 24 hours after the customer contacts you.

4. Dedicate staff to email response. Well-intentioned companies are failing customers miserably because their representatives are juggling too many tasks. Customer Care staff cannot effectively respond to high volumes of phone calls, postal mail and email complaints and maintain quality service standards. If your Customer Care Department is receiving at least 400 email inquiries/complaints monthly, you need at least one person dedicated to reviewing, researching and responding to email complaints and this needs to be their primary job.

Complaint Letters: How to Respond in 7 Simple Steps

Ask many small business owners what goes into providing great customer service and you have answers such as, being polite, serving promptly, keeping your promises etc. But in this hi-tech age, we tend to forget that the humble letter has just as an important role in ensuring good customer service. In this article I am going to share some tips on how to write a great letter.

Keywords:

complaint letters, responding to complaints

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Ask many small business owners what goes into providing great customer service and you have answers such as, being polite, serving promptly, keeping your promises etc. But in this hi-tech age, we tend to forget that the humble letter has just as an important role in ensuring good customer service. Yet how many times have you received a ‘letter of apology’ which makes you even more dissatisfied? The message it conveys, the language used – all designed to wind you up!

With some careful thought, a well-crafted letter can provide comfort to a complaining customer and enhance your reputation as a customer-focused business. In this article I am going to share some tips on how to write a great letter.

What are you writing for?

To write a great letter you have to be in the right frame of mind. Are you writing to handle a complaint, answer a query or to thank them for placing an order? Framing the letter in the right context means you will use the appropriate language and the tone will be right. Try writing a thank you letter as if you are responding to a complaint – the message is totally different.

Before putting pen to paper, think for a minute and decide what your aim or goal is.

State your purpose

Start off by summarising why you are writing. Open your letter by saying that you are responding to a query, or to resolve a problem they have had. This set out to the reader why you are contacting them and puts them in the right frame of mind to accept your message. An opening summary will grab their attention.

Include a W.I.I.F.M.

No, this is not some obscure radio station! WIIFM stands for ‘What’s in it for me?’ To truly engage your customer and get them on your side, you have to include a benefit for them. They have to get something out of your letter so they feel satisfied. What could their WIIFM be? Their complaint may be resolved; they may get a discount voucher; a priority service the next time they use you. If the compliant is a minor one, a simple, heartfelt apology may be enough!

Study your letter carefully and make sure you have a WIIFM moment.

Don’t say ‘I’

Wherever possible, avoid littering your letter with I’s. The reader will find it hard to link with you if they receive ‘me, me, me’ letters. Review your letters and wherever possible substitute ‘I’ with ‘you’. Change the focus to the reader. Make them feel valued.

Write as you speak

I forget the number of times I have received letters, which read as if they were written in the early 1900’s! Packed full of boring, stiff and outdated language – too formal. Your writing style should reflect the way you talk. After all, providing good customer service is partly down to how you interact or communicate with your client and letters play an important role.

So, review your letters and get rid of those phrases you learnt in school letter-writing lessons!

“Please do this…”

Having written a great letter, you don’t want it to tail off into nothing. Have a clear action-orientated close. Make sure your reader knows what you expect him to do next – “call me so we can discuss this idea in more depth”, “Fill in the attached form and pop it in the post”, “send me an order” (a bit strong perhaps but certainly to the point!).
A resounding call-to-action is a great way to finish a letter and leaves the customer in no doubt what he has to do next – another element of good customer service.

Ask someone to check your letter

If you are writing a very important letter or one containing a complex message, it’s wise to ask someone to proof read it. This is not just to check your spelling but also to check readability. Is the structure of the message you wish to convey clear and understandable? You’ll be amazed by what someone else will pick up which you have completely missed!

So, there you have it. Some useful tips on how to write a superb letter, which will further enforce your image of providing exceptional customer service.

Business Financing Made Simple

Are you looking for business financing? Read this article to learn about invoice factoring and purchase order financing.

Keywords:

factoring, invoice factoring, factoring company, receivable factoring, purchase order financing

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Do you have a new or growing business? If you do, sooner or later you will need business financing. Of course, if you are like most business owners, your first inclination might be to look for a business loan. Unfortunately, business loans can be very hard to get, take weeks to set up and don’t fit too well with most businesses. You might be better off looking for alternative business financing products.

I am going to discuss two alternative business financing products. As opposed to the traditional business loan, they are easy to obtain, can be set up in days, and they grow as your business grows.

Invoice Factoring

If your biggest business financing challenge is that you have clients who take as long as 60 days to pay their invoices, then the solution is to factor your invoices. Factoring, or invoice factoring as it is often called, accelerates your clients’ invoice payments and gets you paid in about 2 days. Factoring does not involve changing your customers’ payment habits, but rather, financing your slow paying invoices through a factoring company. With factoring, you can capitalize on your invoices and get the funds you need to meet payroll and pay suppliers.

Purchase Order Financing

If you are a reseller or wholesaler and your biggest challenge is that you cannot afford to pay your suppliers, then purchase order financing is the best tool for you. Purchase order financing provides you with the necessary funds to pay your suppliers (usually by a letter of credit). This enables you to buy the goods to fulfill your orders and make the sale.

Both purchase order financing and invoice factoring can be obtained from a factoring company (rather than a bank). Both solutions are very affordable, but they work best when the business has profit margins of 15% or more.

So, if you own a business that needs financing, be sure to look at these non-traditional business financing tools.

Business Financing Guide (Simple)

This business financing guide shows the items that you will need to prepare if you are planning to get loan from financial institution when you buy business for sale.

Keywords:

businesses for sale, business for sale, small business for sale, buy a business, sell a business, buying a business, selling a business

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This business financing guide shows the items that you will need to prepare if you are planning to get loan from financial institution when you buy business for sale. Getting financing can be easier with knowledge about the financing and with complete preparation of documents and statements in process of buying business for sale.

Step 1. Find a Business for sale at BusiMarket.com site for businesses for sale and commercial property for sale on the market. As soon as a property is found, make any necessary contacts to sellers.

Step 2. Get Purchase and Sale AgreementGet the sale agreement from Brokers, attorneys, or Escrow companies.

Step 3. Find a LenderFind a Loan Officer that will take care of your financing needs.

Step 4. Prepare Required Documents - Purchase and Sale Agreement for the Business or Commercial Property,

- Personal Financial Statement provided by the lender,

- Income tax returns from both buyer and seller from the last three years

- an up-to-date income statement,

- Resume from the buyer,

- Lease Agreement(if applies),

- Assignment for Lease (if applies),

Step 5. Finally, wait for the loan approval (usually takes 2-4 weeks)

Since the financing process can be different on type of business, location, and buyer's situation. The information above is for information only and BusiMarket.com does not guarantee accuracy of information.

Business Selling Process (Simple)

Simple Business selling guide will provide easy simple direction to business seller what to do on business selling process.

Keywords:

businesses for sale, business for sale, small business for sale, buy a business, sell a business, buying a business, selling a business

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Business Selling Process (Simple)

1. Determining the fair market value of the business

2. Set Preparing all books and records for prospective buyers

3. Putting the business on the market

4. Dealing with the potential buyer

5. Recieving an offer

6. Negociation - Price, Terms, and Condition

7. Accepting an offer

8. Provide all necessary books and records to the buyer

9. Work with the buyer to remove all contingencies of the contract

10. Signing the closing statement (1~3 days before the closing date at the escrow)

11. The night before the closing date

You’ll find that there are a lot of things that you have to do in a day. You don’t want to spend all day on dinner, but you also want to keep in mind that a good and wholesome meal can be served within an hour. You’ll find that there are a lot of ingredients that can be opted out so that you are able to keep things simple and easy. It also depends on rather or not you are an experienced cook or a beginner. You’ll want to keep in mind that most people will struggle with some of the dishes, but you’ll be able to do a lot with just rice, veggies, and one type of meat.

Earn Money Doing Simple Data Entry World Wide

People living in all parts of the world are looking to change their lifestyle utilizing the access given us through the Internet. Many are looking for a Work At Home program, but finding it difficult to find in some parts of the globe. One online work at home program that is extremely popular and accessible is Data Entry.

Keywords:

data entry job, at home data entry, worldwide data entry, home data entry, typing simple data entry

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People living in all parts of the world are looking to change their lifestyle utilizing the access given us through the Internet. Many are looking for a Work At Home program, but finding it difficult to find in some parts of the globe. One online work at home program that is extremely popular and accessible is Data Entry.

Data Entry is available worldwide so that makes it one of the most used programs to generate income currently on the web. The other factor is its similarity to processing rebates in that we feel comfortable doing the task required.

Why work at home? Well the earnings potential is unlimited and I have found that you spend less time working and make more income then the typical day job. For some people that do not have a job or cannot find a job it gives them a fair chance to take care of their family and enjoy life.

When you are doing your research on the web you will find various types of Data Entry programs available for you to choose from. Doing the proper research is key to your success. I recommend either using a website like mine, but not necessarily mine, that has done some research for you. You can spend days doing it yourself, but if you are like I was in the beginning, I did not even know what to look for in an online company. I can tell you it's not looking for the most attractive ad that promises everything for nothing.

Effort is required, If you are looking for something for nothing, this is not it. While the time required is minimal and you can set your own hours, you will have to do some work at home to earn money.

Another important thing is your work at home profile. Ask yourself the following questions:

* How many hours can you put into your Work At Home endeavor?

* How much money do you realistically want to make?

* How quick do you want to start earning money?

* Do you want a Home Based Business or simply to Work at Home?

* What are your current skill sets?

* What types of things are you comfortable doing?

* Can you exercise patience, while working from home for money?

* Are you willing to invest the cost of going out to dinner and a movie with your family or a friend into your future?

You may think of other things, but if you have answered these questions you have a good idea of your work at home profile. So what should you do next?

Well, you should do your research, narrow down your choices to 2 - 3 programs that match your work at home profile, join and start working from the comfort of your home. Please feel free to read both this article or one of my many others by visiting my link in the resource box below. I always enjoy getting emails pertaining to my articles or my site. Your feedback is important to me.

Give you and your family a chance at a b better life. Many people are doing exactly that.

Create More Sale Opportunities with Two Simple Ideas

If you are in sales you know one of the most challenging aspects of what you do is getting in front of prospects. Prospects and clients are bombarded constantly with items that promote, market, or advertise what people do.

Keywords:

Business, Marketing

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If you are in sales you know one of the most challenging aspects of what you do is getting in front of prospects. Prospects and clients are bombarded constantly with items that promote, market, or advertise what people do. So we sell, buy, receive, file, or throw away items that we’re just not sure what to do with. Millions of dollars in advertising and promotions end up in the trash, completely ineffective and wasted.

The question becomes: How do you keep your promotional advertising and unique marketing items out of the trash and on the desk? The answer is simple: use creative and appropriate methods to get recognized.

Sales is really about the ability to think quickly, be flexible, creative and innovation. Regardless of what some people may believe, marketing is a huge part of the sales process. If you want to stand apart from the competition, you need to do more than sell products. You need to know how to get your foot in the door. To get your foot in the door you have to market. However, it also means making sure you have the right door and a plan for keeping your foot there.

Selling is also about taking stock of your market, your prospective customer, and yourself before you even go a-knocking. It is about knowing you are doing the right thing for the right reasons.

Selling is truly an art. It is not just about getting the business. It is knowing you are making a difference in the lives of others with the product or service you provide. It is being of service to others, loving what you do and having fun while you do it.

Following are two fun ideas from the book, “101 Ways to Get Your Foot in the Door.”

Growing Solutions
A lot of selling is about assisting prospects during periods of growth.

The gift of a live plant is a great way to get your foot in the door. Most everyone appreciates plants. They bring life into a dull space and provide beauty as well. You’d be hard pushed to find a prospect who will deep-six your gift of a plant.

You can play on the words “growth” and “growing” while sending a gift that will stay in the office and on the prospect’s desk.

Along with your card include a note that reads:

-We are interested in helping during this rapid period of growth.
-Is your business growing to the point that you need our service?
-We’d love to help you grow.
-Instructions for growth: Water once a day and call us at ______.
-Congratulations on your growth.”

Don’t be stingy if you’re going to do this. Buy a big healthy plant and have it professionally potted and delivered. The presentation and delivery are as important as the clever play on words.

New Company in Town
A great way to get your foot in the door is to be helpful long before you knock on it. When a new company hits town send them a “My Favorites” list that refers them to the best people, places, and professionals in town.

Make sure these are reputable companies and individuals who offer quality products and services. If there is a specific contact, include that person’s name and number.

A - My Favorites - list could include:
-Chambers of Commerce
-Conference centers
-Consultants
-Florist
-Local associations and contact numbers
-Local printer
-Media contacts
-Restaurants (think about including a take-out menu)
-Office supply store
-Places of interest
-Travel agents

Remember to include yourself and your services!

Once they receive your list, follow up and ask if you can be of assistance in any way. The Law of Reciprocity is a strong one!

The ideas for getting your foot in the door are endless. Again, all it takes is making sure you have the right door, you are appropriately creative, you believe in your product or service, and you are willing to take a risk.

Five Simple Rules For Commercial Cleaners To Follow

You are a young contract cleaning company or just starting out and want to expand? So many cleaning firms are run as a ‘one man band’ and do not want to employ cleaners so they are incapable of expansion. If you are reading this then you are not among that number and want to enlarge and expand your cleaning business. There are a few simple rules you must follow if you want to be successful in this and retain your contracts.

1. Visit each site at least once per week. In ord...

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You are a young contract cleaning company or just starting out and want to expand? So many cleaning firms are run as a ‘one man band’ and do not want to employ cleaners so they are incapable of expansion. If you are reading this then you are not among that number and want to enlarge and expand your cleaning business. There are a few simple rules you must follow if you want to be successful in this and retain your contracts.

1. Visit each site at least once per week. In order to ensure that the cleaning is taking place as you want it to. Vary the times and days of your visits.

2. Maintain good communications with the client and respond rapidly to any requests or complaints.

3. Maintain good relations with your staff. Your most valuable resource are your staff so treat them well and not just in monetary terms.

4. Maintain all equipment used on a site in excellent working order. If a piece of equipment is not working efficiently then the cleaners no matter how hard they work are not going to be able to carry out the cleaning effectively and they will soon become disgruntled.

5. Ensure that there are always adequate supplies of cleaning materials available for the cleaning staff on each site. If they have not got the materials then they cannot carry out the job effectively.

These five points would seem to be common sense and indeed they are. However the larger you become and the more contracts you take on the more difficult it becomes to carry them out consistently. You are out there working away trying to attract in more business, attending to new customers, setting up new contracts and sometimes involved in crisis management. Under these normal pressures of work these basic principles can be pushed to the bottom of the ‘to do’ list. A clean may be going along with no problems and under these circumstances it is quite easy to assume that all is well and does not require your attention. Then out of the blue it can come up to bite you! Consequently always give time to perform these five ‘rules’ regardless of the other pressures on your time.

Experience has shown that the larger the company becomes the more these five points become neglected. Very large companies often lose contracts simply because they neglected these five cardinal rules and you can step into their place and pick up these contracts. However you must always be on your guard that you do not fall into the same trap as you become bigger.

Create Long-Lasting Wealth with Simple Home Business Solutions

Thinking of starting your own home business? Learn how you can create long-lasting wealth with a simple home business solution. Here are some great ideas to get you started....

Keywords:

work from home, home business, make money online, internet marketing, residual income, mlm business

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Starting your own home business might seem overwhelming at first. There's so much to consider - finances, goals, and the type of business you should start. As a new home business owner, you can easily get frustrated with all the options that are available. Don't complicate matters. There are many simple home business solutions available that can help you create long-lasting wealth without adding stress to your life. Here are some great ideas to get you started.

"Don't Reinvent the Wheel"

You've probably heard the old saying, "Don't reinvent the wheel." Most frustration in business comes from trying to create something new - a new product, new service, or even a new way of doing things. The good news is you don't have to create anything new. With an online business, it's very easy to sign up with others and sell their products for a commission. Most companies are glad to pay you to promote their products. It saves them time and money.

There are millions of products and services online that are just "itching" for more promotion. You can easily find products that interest you and make money online while doing what you love. These products have already been through their testing period so you get to enjoy the benefits as you work from home.

Earn a Residual Income

With some companies, you can earn a residual income (month after month) when signing on new clients. Those in the business of Web education, Internet marketing, Web design services, medical billing and claims, insurance, travel booking, legal services, accounting, and financial investments will often pay you for monthly clients.

You'll earn money each month that the client remains faithful in payments. In other words, you could earn up to 20 percent or more of a client's payment every month! Multiply that number by a hundred and you will have a very lucrative residual income.

Choose High-Commission Products and Services

Don't waste your valuable time promoting products and services that pay very little in commissions. Seek out home business solutions where you can earn a generous commission amount for each sale.

When promoting products for someone else, the visitor/conversion ratio will likely be much lower than it would be when selling your own products. So, you'll have to work a little harder to get more visitors to your website. When you do sell a product, it will be much more rewarding if you make $100 or more instead of $10 or more!

Simplify Your Business Promotions

Another area of frustration for a home business owner is promotion. There are many ways to promote an online business, but usually only a few actually work for the long term. The first thing to do is create a website of your own that you can tweak and add content to on a daily basis. From your website, offer tips and plenty of fresh content about the products and services you offer. Find your target audience and write to them. Give them the information they're seeking before you try to sell them a product.

With some home business solutions, you can receive your own website free. But, be sure it will be your own website, and that you can add to it whenever you want. Being unique with your website is very important for receiving search engine exposure.

Also, beware of scams. Check out online companies before investing any money. Use dependable home business solution directories that will investigate home businesses for you. This will save you time and money. And remember, whatever you do, keep it simple!

Easy Payoff with Simple Upgrades

Sometimes home upgrades can seem a daunting task, and on many levels. In the worst case scenario they require vast amounts of time, energy, living disturbance and of course, money. But, there are some simpler approaches to upgrading your home in order to have it looking up to snuff for the real estate market and to, ideally, boost its market value. So, no need to fret. Just consider the following easy upgrades and see what might be manageable for you while you begin to prepare your home for sale

Keywords:

Home Improvement, Home Upgrades, Simple Upgrades, Curb Appeal, Home Repair

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Sometimes home upgrades can seem a daunting task, and on many levels. In the worst case scenario they require vast amounts of time, energy, living disturbance and of course, money. But, there are some simpler approaches to upgrading your home in order to have it looking up to snuff for the real estate market and to, ideally, boost its market value. So, no need to fret. Just consider the following easy upgrades and see what might be manageable for you while you begin to prepare your home for sale.

As the foyer is the first impression a potential buyer will have of the interior of your home, you'll want to begin here. Now, you may be thinking, "But it's not the most functional and used area of my home, so why should I bother?". You'd be shocked at how many buyers are led by their "impressions" of a home, and for better or for worse, the ones that'll stick hardest, are those "first impressions". Like a first kiss, you want to go in for the kill and not offer up something boring ( or dirty, for that matter!) that'll potentially turn away prospects.

If you have carpet or linoleum in your foyer, you'll definitely want to get rid of it and move to some tile alternative. Anything that looks like stone offers a timeless quality and one of wealth and establishment. Of course, stone may be too pricey of an option. There are also choices in porcelain, that can look equally as appealing.

Thankfully this re-flooring job is going to be contained to a smaller room, so it won't be a huge time investment. What you'll need to do, is rip up the existing flooring and install a layer of plywood. Cut the tile. This while be the hardest part of the job, but you might try inquiring with the tile store and see if they'll provide a free cutting service. Next you'll be gluing, grouting and sealing. All in all, this is a job you can do in a day,. and that'll cost you in the ballpark of $200-300 dollars. ( for a four by four foot foyer)

Another easy upgrade you can do yourself to improve the overall look and feel of your home is to replace the overhead fixture in the dining room. Good lighting is critical throughout your home, but especially in a dining area where the right chandelier, or fixture can set the tone and make a lasting impact on the buyer.

When choosing a fixture you'll want universal appeal in terms of styling. Also be aware of proportions. Think of the goldilocks conundrum. You don't want a light that's too small, or too big for the space. Try to find the golden, "just right" fit.

The basics of installation include shutting off the circuit breaker in your home. Unscrew the wire nuts to remove the previous fixture and expose the wires. Next you'll use your electrical expertise to match up the wires from the lamp with the wires in the box. Shouldn't be rocket science, won't take you long, and won't break your budget. Depending on what you go for in terms of a fixture, you'll be looking at between $40-500 for a chandelier, and maybe another $40 for tools.

Okay, now don't run screaming when you read this one. Take a look at your kitchen. You may have read that the kitchen is the most important room to focus on in terms of re-sale for your home. And, even though this is true, it doesn't mean you have to go and put in a renovations that'll set you back thousands. If you and your pocket book are not ready for a complete overhaul, consider minor alterations that'll spruce up what you already have in a kitchen.

Paint can do wonders in any room, and the kitchen is no exception. Re-painting your kitchen cabinets can truly tranform the room. You'd be suprised how much wear and tear cabinetry suffers, and paint can easily bring a new fresh look to this high traffic area. A coat of paint is cheaper than refurbishing your cabinets and certainly way less than fully replacing them. You'll want to choose colors, ideally in the neutral palette and ones that blend or provide subtle contrast.

In order to start the job you'll need a drill, bits, sandpaper, primer, oil-based or latex acrylic paint or stain, paintbrushes and some spanking new hardware to complete your spiffy new paint job! If you give yourself two days and budget for about $130-$160 (knobs included), then you're flying!

After you've accomplished three significantly easy, but certainly important upgrades for your home, you'll want to attend to the niggly details of fixing whatever minor flaws might be lurking about. This will be time well spent, as you don't want your home to signal neglect or wear- this can make buyers extra suspicious and critical of the entire state of the house. Squeaky floors and doors, uneven walls textures, leaky faucets should all be attended to.

So remember, sometimes it's just a matter of some elbow grease, a few pennies and a few days to get your home good for the market.