Getting more sales is usually at the top of most small business owner’s wish lists. But how can you make that wish a reality?

Here are 7 ideas to leverage your efforts into additional sales.

1. Follow up.  After someone buys from you, don’t just sit around and wait for them to come back; follow-up with a “thank you” email (or note).  This needs to happen soon after the sale and should not try to sell them anything.  It should simply thank them for their business in a genuine way.
   Your later follow ups (there should be a regular schedule in place) should include an offer of some sort.  The possibilities here are endless – announce a sale, tell them about new products that will be available soon, remind them to stock up on consumable items, etc.
   Your follow up frequency will depend on the nature of your market, the products or services you sell, and the resources you have to commit to putting the offers together.
2. Upsell and cross-sell.  It’s a fact that people who just bought something are much more likely to buy something else.  Use your order page (or checkout counter) to tell customers about a few extra related products you have for sale. They could just add it to their original order.
3. Cross Promote with related businesses. Create a valuable package for your customers by working with other businesses.  Find a business who sells complimentary products and strike a deal to promote each other. The possibilities here are limited only by your imagination.
4. Leverage Product Delivery.  When is your customer likely to be most excited about their purchase?
   When they open the box.
   Take advantage of this excitement by including an offer for other related products you sell in the package. You know that you are talking to well qualified prospects, so this is a great opportunity to get new sales.  The best part is that it costs you nothing to send this offer because the postage or shipping charges are being paid anyway to deliver the purchased product.
5. Get Free Advertising.  Send your customers free products with their product package. People love to get free stuff, particularly useful free stuff.  The freebies should have your ad printed on them. You will get best results if you give away something that will be used (in view of others) regularly. It could be bumper stickers, ball caps, t-shirts, pens, umbrellas, etc. This not only gets your name in front of many more people than you could ever contact directly, but the person using your free item is probably a happy customer. The item with your name on it can start a conversation and give your customer an opportunity to refer someone.
6. Use Gift Cards. Sell gift cards (or certificates) for your products. This is an easy way for current customers to introduce you to people they know. You’ll make sales from the purchase of the gift cards, and when the recipient cashes it in, you can upsell to get them to make additional purchases.
7. Reward your customers for referrals. It’s natural for people to want to tell others about things they like.  You can encourage your customers by offering them an incentive to refer business to you. Just make sure that the value of what you are giving for the referral is less than what it would have cost you to go get that new customer yourself.

There you go. Seven ideas to multiply your sales for little or no additional cost beyond what you are already spending.