One of the most important financial documents that business owners can perfect is invoices. You already know invoices are necessary for getting paid, but you likely aren’t using them to their full potential. Invoices can be a powerful way to promote and market your business. While a customer is scanning your form, use the opportunity to spread brand awareness and convert that invoice into a marketing machine. If you are routinely mailing invoices, it’s time you use your invoices to sell additional products and services to existing customers without incurring extra postage and mailing fees. You may not know it yet, but every single part of your business can be a sales and marketing tool. One way to keep your customers coming back for more is to use your invoice as more than just a payment document. Boost profits with these five effective ways to sell more with invoices.
Sell More with Invoices
Include an Announcement
Perhaps the easiest way to turn an invoice into a marketing tool is to create an area for promotion or announcements. Keep your customer interested in your products and services by using your invoices to announce any special events or offers that will be coming up at a later time. This allows you to build up interest in your customer.
You can promote any kind of information or offer you would like, from a discount or a product to a service introduction. Make sure that no matter what you are promoting that it looks attractive and engaging. Consider designating a specific area on your invoice to be the announcement box. This area doesn’t need to be constrained by any particular shape or borders, just visually enticing. If you want your customer to take action right away, you could even offer an instant discount on the current invoice in return for an additional purchase.
Send an Invitation
Do you have a big event coming up? Send an invitation to current customers alongside their invoice. Whether you are hosting an after-hour sale, leading a seminar, holding online meetings or classes, or providing entertainment, it’s easy to slip the invitation into your invoice envelopes.
Since you are only sending these invitations to current customers, make sure that recipients know this event is by invitation only. Not only will your event feel more exclusive, but customers will be more likely to RSVP, allowing you to properly plan for your event.
Slip in a Flyer
If you need more room for your promotion than you have on the invoice alone, it’s easy to slip in a flyer or sales sheet with your invoice. You’ll have a better opportunity to promote your offer without your customer getting distracted or filing the invoice away. Grab their attention on the invoice, directing them to get more information on your flyer to help them realize the flyer is a marketing tool and not part of the invoice itself. Having a separate flyer not only gives you far more space, but it also makes it easier for customers to take in the information you are promoting.
Insert a Brochure
Brochures are the perfect invoice add-on when you want to introduce clients to a larger product or service offering. It starts with calling attention to the brochure in the announcement area on your invoice. Not only does the announcement call attention to the brochure, but it also reinforces its importance within the mailing. Use your brochure to fully explore the benefits of your products and services, showing customers how you will solve their problems. Either on the brochure or on your invoice, offer a time-limited call to action to motivate customers to take the next step in the purchasing process.
Send out Mini-Catalogs
We stepped things up when we moved from a flyer to a brochure, but if you have a lot of different products or services, mini-catalogs might be the perfect choice for you. Customers love to flip through catalogs, which makes them a great way to motivate customers to buy. Consider adding a coupon code with an expiration date attached to encourage customers to act quickly.
One last tip, don’t overestimate the power of a simple thank you. In fact, adding a phrase like “thank you for your business,” can go a long way in building your brand. Invoices are bills, first and foremost, but that’s no reason to pass up an such a powerful way to promote your business. With a few simple additions, you can use your business forms to spread brand awareness and convert that invoice to a marketing machine. Safeguard has all the right business forms to help your company run smoothly while you build your brand.