Your Marketing - From The Couch To The Cash Register

When you put time or money into any marketing plan, your only objective is to MAKE A SALE. Are you sure your marketing is going to get your customer from their couch to your cash register?

When somebody hears your message or sees your logo from some medium you have created, what does the path from that first ‘touch’ to your cash register look like?

We call this path the yellow brick road. If your yellow brick road is well built, then your customer will follow a developed path from a recognition point to your cash register. If your road is not well built, there is confusion in your message and because of others’ more developed avenues, this customer will end up at your competitor’s cash register. Therefore, your road must stand out, and it must be designed in a way that will lead the customer through a predetermined path with a transaction being the primary goal.

An example of a marketing plan without any such road is one that puts advertising out into the community and does not have a clear actionable next step; or one that has the clear and actionable step, but the step is too big for the customer who is not ready to make an immediate purchase. A person who has been casually contemplating the purchase of your product will not react to a “One Day Sale Next Friday” advertisement. She may consider dropping by your store next Friday during your advertised sale, but chances are that will be forgotten after five minutes. This customer has no path to follow because the timing and the conditions were not yet right for her.

Your advertising in this case, has been somewhat wasted. A woman who will make a purchase in the next six months received it, but the only option that you gave her was to buy next Friday. You do not know who she is and you have no way of following up with her.

Your own aimless advertising cost yourself a warm lead.

The only way to keep in touch with this person is to continue to run costly advertising, and maybe, just maybe, when she is ready to purchase, she will receive another one of your mailers or hear your radio commercial and she will come right in and buy from you. I would not hold my breath if I were you.

Now we’ll run the same example with a message that clearly has a road for this customer to follow. You run an advertisement in the Sunday paper. The advertisement is designed in a way that creates a clear path: a visit to your website. She will visit your website because you have an offer that both interests and engages her; something that caught her eye and sparked her interest. This could be anything from a product recommendation tool your website offers, to a free book about how to pick the perfect product. You will intrigue her enough that she will take the first step down this path. This is powerful because when she goes to the website or calls you on the phone, you will capture her information.

The minute that you capture her information, you have capitalized on your marketing investment. Information, when it is in the right hands, is as good as cash.

Therefore, instead of positioning your advertising, or any other marketing program, to go right for the sale, you should instead also create a more comfortable step for people to take that will give them something of value in exchange for their information.

When you have their information, this puts them on your road. Once they are on your road, you will have everything choreographed so that you touch these future customers as often as possible in a systematic way. With these frequent touches you will be keeping that top-of-mind awareness and you will be flying a holding pattern until they are ready to buy.

Each piece that you put out into the community will have a specific objective about where you want them to go. You will have to choose the destination (website, phone, or to stop in) based on your chances of success of actually getting them there. This being said, obviously, you want them to come into the store, but this is the hardest objective to achieve.

You must understand the proper objective of marketing. This objective will be one of three things. It will either lead the future customer to click, call, or stop in. It is important that you understand your own path as to deliver a clear message to the customer.

When your path is well structured, it will lead right from the customer’s couch to your cash register.

Tom Richard is the author of Smart Sales People Don't Advertise: 10 Was To Outsmart Your Competition With Guerilla Marketing To buy this book or to subscribe to Tom's weekly ezine, visit http://www.tomrichard.com/

Handheld Point of Sales Changing Restaurants

A few years ago in Europe a small restaurant chain made history. The future had arrived when they took their first order and sent it electronically to the kitchen. That simple act forever changed the future of high volume restaurants. Their little experiment was expand to over a dozen restaurants and netted them a 20% increase in revenue within months. The system paid for itself and created profits by decreasing table turn time by delivering orders to the kitchen in the blink of an eye and increasing the amount of time the wait staff could spend with their patrons.

Such a simple and wonderful idea has been slow to catch on. Many restaurants fear the initial cost investments and the technical nightmare of installing software on handheld devices. Several of major restaurant software manufacturers have released handheld versions of their software. Most of these lack the ease of use and installation needed to make them viable. There have even been a few attempting at making software that can recognize handwriting. Although the concept seems sound in practice it is far from easy to master.

Some time ago I was challenged to write a customer Point of Sale Software System for a customer. I spent a long time thinking about hand held PCs and how best to incorporate them into the package. Easy installation and the ability to run on almost any platform became my primary concerns. I soon hit upon a realization that I could create the application with an HTML front end. I had already created three versions of a Point of Sale system we used in house. I had created our Point of Sale System as an Internet application because we perform a lot of on-site service. Being able to access a customer?s bill and update it from right there at their location was a power we desperately needed. It also allowed for easy integration into our supplier network and allowed the owners to access company data from anywhere and since they?re always halfway across the country it solved a lot of problems.

Taking the tools I had already created and using them to construct a Restaurant Point of Sale was fairly easy and straightforward. There were tons of changes and modifications made and features added, but the core functions of selling a product and recording it are the same no matter what you sell. The end result was a Point of Sale Software Application that can be accessed and used on almost any platform system with no special software to install. The benefits to using this kind of model for software development are far too numerous for me to type. I think you can get an idea of the advantages to businesses of any size. Think of just a few of the advantages to a medium or large sized company. For a large chain of restaurants to be able to increase profits by more than 20% is a staggering figure and well worth the paltry hardware and software costs. With an Internet Based Application they can also increase profits by decreasing the time needed to install and manage software across all locations. Imagine being able to update the software for 400 locations instantly. Imagine how much would be saved by not needing to install software for the vast majority of the machines used for Point of Sales. The amount of money a large company could make just by streaming their technology and taking advantage of it is just staggering.

In all of this I forgot to mention the best part. Think about how cool it is to sit down and have a waitress take your order on a handheld. That?s just too cool and I love it. The same great software can also be used as a Kiosk where patrons enter their own order. I can see the day when you sit down in a fast food restaurant and a computer-generated face takes your order and a small robot brings it to the table or it gets dropped from a chute. Not all restaurants would benefit from all technology, but the advantages of hand held ordering are at the bottom line and a lot of restaurants are going to reap in the profits.

Please consider this article for publication in your newsletter or on your website. Permission is granted to reprint for free with author box and byline intact. Please send me a copy of your publication if you choose to include my article. TITLE: AUTHOR: Ed Duval URL: www.AndTechComputers.com

MAILTO: support@andtech2020.com

Author Box - ? Ed Duval (2006) Ed Duval is contract writer and software developer for www.AndTechComputers.com and Creator of the HotPotato Restaurant Point of Sale Software System. With over a decade of experience in software development he shares his unique insight on today's point of sale software systems.

Restaurant Point Of Sale

 In restaurant point of sale a product passes through certain distinct stages during its life. This cycle of stages is called Product Life Cycle or PLC. The PLC is normally presented as a sales curve spanning the products course from introduction to exit. Concept lies in the fact that each stage in the restaurant point of sale is characterized by a typical market behavior and consequently each stage lends itself to the application of a certain specific marketing strategy. Understanding the PLC concept and managing it effectively can help prolong the profitable phases of the life span of a product.

A typical product at restaurant point of sale passes through distinct stages during the course of its life. During the market pioneering stage, the product is in its introductory stage in the market. Here there may not yet be a ready market for the product. Sales are low; the product undergoes teething troubles; profits seem a remote possibility; demand has to be created and developed; and customers have to be prompted to try out the product. One of the crucial decisions to be taken at this stage is the pricing strategy to be adopted for the product.

The ease and speed with which competitors can bring out similar products is perhaps the most important factor in deciding the pricing strategy at this stage. Another crucial area demanding attention is market development and promotion. That?s where demand has to be created and developed. The firm has to invest heavily in promotion before it sees any returns.

During the market growth stage, the demand for the product increases and the size of the market grows. That?s when one has to stay ahead of his competitors and persuade the customer to prefer his brand. He cannot dictate the price to the customer; he cannot dictate the terms to the channel.

Point Of Sale provides detailed information on point of sale, point of sale displays, point of sale hardware, point of sale marketing and more. Point Of Sale is affliated with Affordable Point Of Sale Systems

Point Of Sale Hardware

The systems model of management demonstrates that communication is what is needed for executing managerial functions and for integrating the organization with the outside world. Point of sale hardware exactly performs this function with the help of Management Information System (MIS).

MIS can be defined as a formal system of gathering, integrating, comparing, analyzing and dispersing information internal and external to the enterprise in a timely, effective and efficient manner. MIS has to be tailored to specific needs and may include routine information, such as monthly reports, information that points out exceptions, especially at critical points and information necessary to predict the future.

Electronic equipment allows speedy and inexpensive crunching of gigantic quantities of data. The computer can, with proper programming, process data toward logical conclusions, classify them and make them readily available for a manager?s use. In fact, data do not become information until they are processed into a usable form that informs.

Information needs differ at various organizational levels. Therefore, the impact of point of sale hardware will also be different. At the supervisory level activities are usually highly programmable and repetitive. Consequently, the use of hardware is widespread at this level. Scheduling, daily planning and controlling of the operation are just a few examples.

Middle level managers, such as department heads are usually responsible for administration and coordination. But much of the information important to them is now also available to top management if the company has a comprehensive information system. For this reason, some people think that the computer will reduce the need for middle level managers. Others predict that their roles may be expanded and changed.

Top level managers are responsible for the strategy and overall policy of the organization. In addition to determining the general direction of the company, they have to do whole lot of other things. Hence, it is not easily programmable. Yet they can use the point of sale hardware to retrieve information from a database that facilitates the application of decision models.
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Switching from a cash register to a computerized point of sale system was my best business move ever!

I had been putting off changing from my trusty old cash register to a computerized point of sale system, as I was intimidated and daunted by the task. I kept telling myself, changing to a new system would not really benefit my business that much, and in any event, I don't have the time.

A friend of mine, who had gone through the process a year earlier, was kind enough to sit down with me and share how he had handled the changeover process, and some of the tremendous benefits this had provided for his business. Now, two years later, I would like to pass on, how your business could also become more efficient and profitable, by switching to a modern computerized point of sale system.

Here are some of the great benefits I have come to appreciate after installing a computerized point of sale system in my business.

Isn't a point of sale system just like a cash register?

A POS software system does more than just replace your cash register. Showing your cash flow for the day is principally all a cash register does. It is unable to provide any information about profit margins; products sold or best/worst selling lines. On the other hand, a computerized POS system, can on demand instantly report on how much money is left in your cash drawer, and how much of that money is in fact profit. Product specific reports can also show how many were sold today, how many are left on the shelf and when that product needs to be re-ordered.

Helps prevent theft by just being there.

Studies have shown computerized point of sale systems typically, reduce theft by around 2.5%. That means an average small business with a turnover of $750,000 per year, could be losing approximately $18,750. This amount could be reduced or eliminated completely by simply installing a point of sale system. Inventory is watched much more carefully, because your employees know that stock is being monitored. All involved are more alert.

Reduce inventory shrinkage.

A computerized POS system monitors obsolete and broken inventory more carefully and in greater detail. Shelf inventory stock on hand counts are easily and accurately compared with computerized stock on hand counts, further reducing losses by an additional 2.5%.

Better manage your inventory.

Using detailed product reports, the flow of inventory can be managed much more carefully by monitoring increased sales. Historical product data helps in the prediction of future inventory needs. Orders should be based on what you know you sell, not on what you think you sell.

Watch your margins.

Examination of your product reports may indicate you have sold 9000 products that cost 48 cents, for 50 cents each. Or, that you have sold 200 products that cost $1.90, for $9.95 each. Correct use of your reports will help you stock more of what delivers greater profits, and fewer of what produces lesser profits.

Keep your customers happy.

Computerized POS systems, with touch screens, fast barcode scanners, fast thermal printers and many other tools, make the checkout process efficient and much quicker. This results in happier customers.

Pricing accuracy.

Completely eliminate the guesswork associated with manual pricing of your products. Using a computerized point of sale system ensures every product in your store has an associated and accurate price. Your sales staff will have no need to guess prices anymore.

Build a customer list.

Possibly, the most important and beneficial aspect of switching to a computerized point of sale system, is the ability to build a customer list and track your customers purchasing habits. Analyzing your best, worst, high profit, low profit, high frequency and infrequent customers becomes as easy as reading a report. Predicting when customers are about to stop patronizing you store means you are able to directly target market these customers with special offers or gift vouchers, in an attempt to win them back. You can use your POS system to market to a group of customers in a particular region or just to get to know your most loyal customers on a first name basis.

A computerized point of sale system has been one of the best investments I have made for my business. My business has become more efficient, more profitable and a better place for my customers.

Any doubt I may have had 2 years ago has been replaced with absolute amazement for what a computerized POS system has done for my business.

Raymond D of MELBOURNE VIC - POSActive Customer

POSA (Point Of Sale Activation) at a glance

From : intelecard.com.

POSA is a generic term that describes the many different types of transactions and services available at the point of sale that support the sale of stored value products. Thus, POSA is not only about activation, it also refers to balance inquiries, refunds, voids; refresh, report printing and can even include services, such as real-time web-based queries.

1. All offline POSA solutions are some type of PIN-printing solution.

2. Offline POSA solutions cannot provide as many features as complete online solutions.

3. Large national retail chains require online solutions because they demand a full suite of POSA features, often including in-store refresh and other custom transactions. Most of these solutions are host-to-host.

4. Payment card emulation solutions, often referred to as Visa emulation or debit card emulation, are online solutions, but because of their underlying technology, can provide only limited features.

5. PIN-printing devices eliminate the need to produce cards with individual encoding thereby reducing the cost of the card stock or eliminating it all together.

6. Some PIN-printing devices connect online to an intermediate computer system and thus are hybrid systems because they can provide real-time web-based transaction reporting but not true online functionality, such as in-store refresh or balance inquiry.

7. PIN printing almost always requires the retailer to own a special PIN-printing POSA terminal.

8. Online POSA can be integrated into existing POS software or loaded onto existing POS equipment.

9. POSA is complicated. All of these rules are generalizations.

POS (Point of Sale ) Cash Register Systems- They May Be The Best Investment You'll Ever Make

The Slope Report read, ?excellent conditions?. It was cold but sunny and the slopes were full of skiers and snowboarders. The powder? Perfect. I could see out the window a group of skiers were headed toward the lodge bar. Inside the bar they waited patiently as the bartender keyed in their seating numbers, drinks and bar tab. It took over four minutes for them to get their drinks; the same amount of time it took for them to decide on dinner at another pub.

Capturing the skiers during a weather-perfect season is simple. Capturing their food and beverage business isn?t always so easy. It requires not only need a customer-friendly environment, but also a user-friendly POS (point of sale) cash register system for efficiency. Today?s technology provides this?and more. POS cash register terminals that continuously synchronize with each other, endless report options, alcohol inventory controlled by bottle weights and computerized tap monitors, staff time and attendance, ski, school, and guest database management, and so much more are available. Let?s face it. It takes more than cooperative weather to run a ski resort.

So, when choosing a POS software system, be certain to explore all the options. Cost is always a factor, but unless the software gives you all the management tools you need and is fully supported, an initially less expensive system can end up costing you much more. There are as many point of sale cash register systems available as there are skis and choosing the right one can be confusing and time-consuming. Aside from meeting technological requirements, your POS system must remain easy to use, with speed and accuracy. Customers, Employees, Managers and Sales Staff are all affected by a point of sale system. So, imagine first what you would like the ideal computer cash register system to do for your resort; make a list of features you hope to find. Chances are you?ll find all of them on today?s market.

One software company that stands out above the rest is a Canadian-based company called Tesoro Technologies, Incorporated. Wired or wireless, Windows or Linux, networked or independent terminals, their Volant? POS System is up for any challenge. Since 1993, Volant? System developers have been designing equipment that is ?cash register tough and computer smart? to serve some of the biggest and best.

Snow Valley Ski Resort, located in Barrie, Ontario, wanted a POS system that could produce ID cards and time passes, manage a client database and ski school, as well as handling all their food and beverage and retail services. The geographical location had Director, Peter Haney, concerned at first. ? Like most ski resorts, we are very remote. We needed a satellite tower and wireless system. We also looked at a lot of providers and found that most of the companies didn?t offer the hospitality end we needed. Volant? is hospitality.?

Tesoro had to install a fail-safe, independently running system for the remote summit area that could also be integrated with the high volume operations below. Using both wired and wireless network topology, their system has operated without software failure despite the unstable power and network issues. Snow Valley Ski Resort also utilizes the database of guests and 5,800 pass holders to generate email broadcasts, which enhances their marketing plan. ?We?re real pleased with Volant?. It?s an entity that grows and evolves along with our business,? says Haney.

In fact, Volant? has revolutionized the wireless POS industry. Their creative approach to wireless mobile computing makes Volant? the perfect POS software choice for not only ski resorts, but for other venues as well, such as stadiums, trade shows, casinos, arenas, race tracks and outdoor sales areas where conventional POS cash register systems aren't practical nor feasible.

Tesoro Technologies, Inc. may be at the forefront of a new generation of guest management technology, but they?re still producing. Recent breakthroughs in point of sale development are allowing a full range of services and back office capabilities never before considered.

So, when you?re looking for a more efficient POS cash register system that can create ?excellent conditions? for your business, spend the extra time researching your options ? it may turn out to be the best investment you?ll ever make.

For more information on how Tesoro and Volante POS systems can help your business, contact them through their website http://www.volantesystems.com/ or email them at sales@volantesystems.com.

POS Software

Point of sale (POS) software integrates the physical devices in the POS systems with computer language and thus facilitates automated data processing. POS software not only monitors almost all day-to-day activities of any business, but also helps to run them systematically, keeping track of income and expenditures, inventory, stock, and clearance, billing, customer, and transaction records and customer service through touch screen information kiosks and vending machines. Speedy business transactions and accurate budgeting helps vendors increase their profits significantly. The software also helps in paging in hotels and restaurants, taking online food orders and delivery of food items.

The very first POS software was introduced by IBM, which came out with IBM 3650 and 3660 Store Systems in August 1973; the software was first installed in Pathmark Stores in New Jersey and Dillard?s Department Stores. Now, POS needs have become so wide and varied that different POS software is tailored to suit the specific needs of different industries. The most popular of these industries include restaurants and retail stores. Software for each of these industries has unique features that automate sales and customer transactions and ensure staff accountability. For example, POS software for a hotel will ensure that a guest?s personal calls are automatically are automatically billed into his account by the computer and added to other charges. And a retail outlet?s POS software will require employees to swipe their cards to record their work hours and will keep stock of all the product details. Some point-of-sale software also includes credit and debit card swipe facility, fake-check tracing, and report-generating capabilities for day-to-day and monthly transactions.

Vendors usually take trials of different software before deciding the best software for their industry. Essential for the installation of basic POS software are computers, printers, cash registers, scanners, and keyboards. Barcode printing software, cash register express software, and inventory software are essential for any business that uses a point-of-sale system.



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