A Good Sales Conversation Provides Value Even Without a Sale by Shane Smith * [55]

Salespeople are expected to do two things well. First, offer an expert opinion. Second, represent a company that provides an expert solution. If someone is going to buy from us, they should believe we understand their situation and can improve it.

But I think there is an opportunity to create value even before they become our customer. In customer value circles, we talk a lot about value being co-created with the customer, not handed over at purchase. The sales conversation may be where that starts. Before we even present our expertise. Before we even explain our solution. We can create value by helping the potential customer recognize the true significance of a problem they may have overlooked, learned to live with, or assumed could not be solved. And we can improve the chances of them realizing this, not by pointing it out to them, but by guiding them to find it on their own, with our help, of course.

Questions Can Do More Than Diagnose

Consultative selling has long emphasized asking questions. But many consultative sales questions are still designed primarily to help the salesperson diagnose the buyer’s situation and set up for the close. The salesperson asks. The buyer answers. The salesperson gathers enough information to determine the problem and then recommends the solution. Not unlike a doctor before prescribing a solution.

There is another way to think about those questions. What if the questions are not primarily designed to help the salesperson discover the problem? What if they are designed to help the buyer discover it? There’s a difference there. It is closer to what a good counselor does. A counselor does not simply announce, “Here is your problem. And here is how we can fix it.” Instead, the counselor asks questions that help someone examine their own situation, connect things they may not have connected before, and reach conclusions through their own thinking.

The Problem is Likely Already There

Many buyers are living with problems they have never really identified as problems. Or, more commonly, they know the problem exists but have decided it is not serious enough to address, or they assume it is not addressable at all. They have adapted to it. They have created workarounds. They have told themselves, “That is just the way things are.”  Psychology gives us several ways to explain this, including status quo bias: our tendency to prefer the familiar situation, even when it is less than ideal. Imagine a business owner who spends several hours every week manually correcting mistakes created by an inefficient process. She knows it is annoying. She knows it takes time. But she has done it for so long that it has simply become part of running the business.

The sales professional’s challenge is to reframe the issue and get the buyer to simply look at the current situation differently. Hence, the problem begins to feel more real and substantial. Here are 7 questions that can provide illumination on the situation and possible corrective actions.

→ What does your process look like?

→ Are you happy with it?

→ Are there any inefficiencies with it?

→ How much time does that usually take?

→ How often does it happen?

→ What else could you be doing during those hours?”

→ How much has that cost you over the last year?”

Awareness Creates Value

Note, the salesperson has not introduced a solution. Yet, value begins to appear before the sale is consummated. The buyer begins to recognize a problem that they have had for years but have never dealt with it. They realize that a frustration they had accepted now deserves immediate attention. That new awareness has value. The salesperson has helped the buyer understand something important about their own situation that they might otherwise have continued to overlook.

We haven’t even made any recommendations yet. We have not said, “We can fix this.” We have simply guided the buyer toward recognizing that a meaningful problem exists and that it deserves attention.

What if the Prospect Says No?

Say our business owner does the math. The problem costs her $2,000 a year and fixing it would cost $10,000. She probably won't buy. Did the conversation fail? Not necessarily. She knows exactly what the frustration is worth and can finally make a clear decision about it. That’s perceived value. And she’ll surely remember who helped her to see it.

We can call this a transition from defensiveness to curiosity. Many sales conversations begin with a subtle defensive posture. The buyer knows what’s coming. They know our job is to sell. So, they sit back, figuratively cross their arms, and wait for the pitch, prepared to say ‘no’. The salesperson begins explaining expertise. The buyer begins evaluating claims. The salesperson tries to persuade. The buyer looks for reasons to resist.

But it’s different when the buyer arrives at the problem through their own thinking. Once they recognize the significance of the issue, they naturally begin wondering what can be done about it. Instead of “What are you trying to sell me?” They begin leaning forward, thinking, “So what would you do about this?” Only now does the salesperson’s expertise become especially valuable. And the buyer is ready to hear it.

Creating Value Before the Solution

Demonstrating value is an essential idea behind the N.I.C.E. sales framework (Notice, Interact, Care, Execute). Both parties know that a problem exists. But we need to help the buyer find it themself. Rather than immediately announcing a diagnosis, the sales pro uses sequential guiding questions to move the buyer toward recognizing the urgency of the business situation and an effective and efficient response.  

In sum, the described sales process creates awareness and clarity and builds trust. It creates sound value before the seller even offers a realistic proposal. The irony is that when we stop rushing to prove how much expertise we have, buyers are more interested/intrigued with our sales message and become more likely to buy.

* Dr. Shane Smith is an entrepreneur, educator, and founder of The Nice Guy Entrepreneur, where he helps business owners become more confident and comfortable with the parts of entrepreneurship that don’t always come naturally, especially selling. With more than 30 years of experience in business and higher education, Shane combines real-world entrepreneurship with an academic background in business, marketing, and consumer psychology. His work focuses on understanding why people buy, how trust and customer value are created, and how entrepreneurs can sell without becoming the stereotypical salesperson they may dislike. He is the creator of the N.I.C.E. sales method and the author of How to Sell When You Hate to Sell. You can reach out to him at Shane@NiceGuy.biz or visit www.niceguy.biz

 

7 Lessons Learned About Creating Value - A Photographer's Perspective by Brandon Neal * [54]

Building a successful photography business is about much more than taking great photos. Clients are not simply buying images. They are buying an experience, confidence, communication, reliability, creativity, and ultimately, the feeling that they have trusted the right person with something important. As I have grown my digital photography business, I have learned that creating customer value often requires looking beyond the camera. Some of my biggest lessons have come from learning how I present myself, how I communicate, who I build relationships with, and even when to say no.

Here are 7 customer value strategies that have shaped how I approach my photography business today.

1. Be Yourself — Authenticity Creates Connection

As an entrepreneur, I sometimes felt like I needed to hide parts of my personality to attract higher-ticket clients. I thought professionalism meant becoming a more polished, serious, or reserved version of myself. I worried that showing too much personality might make me seem less credible or make potential clients question whether I could handle larger projects.

Over time, I realized the opposite was true. Professionalism does not require you to erase your personality. It requires you to be dependable, communicative, prepared, and capable of delivering what you promised. Clients want to know who they are working with. Especially in photography, where the experience can be highly personal, authenticity can help establish trust before you ever pick up a camera.

Today, I try to let my personality be part of my brand while still maintaining a high standard of professionalism. The goal isn't to appeal to everyone. It is to attract clients who appreciate both the work I create and the way I work.

2. Let Go of What Feels Familiar

One of the hardest parts of entrepreneurship is realizing that what worked yesterday may not be what gets you where you want to go tomorrow.

My photography business has gone through several pivots. My services, branding, pricing, target clients, and approach to content have all evolved as I have learned more about what my clients need and where I can provide the most value. It can be tempting to stay with something simply because it is familiar. But familiarity and effectiveness are not always the same thing.

Sometimes creating more value for customers means changing the way you deliver your service, introducing new offerings, investing in better equipment, improving your systems, or even moving away from work that no longer aligns with your goals. The willingness to evolve has allowed me to create a better experience for clients instead of forcing them into an outdated version of my business.

3. Boundaries Improve Your Customers' Experience

At first, setting boundaries can feel like you are creating barriers between yourself and your customers. I have learned that healthy boundaries can actually make you a better service provider. Clear expectations around scheduling, communication, revisions, pricing, deliverables, payment, and availability help eliminate uncertainty. When clients understand what they can expect from you, they can feel more confident throughout the process.

Boundaries also protect the quality of the work. If a photographer says yes to everything, responds at all hours, constantly changes their process, or accepts unrealistic expectations, eventually something suffers — whether that is the work, the client experience, or the photographer's ability to deliver consistently.

For me, setting boundaries has allowed me to be more intentional about the clients and projects I take on. Saying no when something isn't a good fit ultimately gives me more capacity to say yes to the projects where I can provide exceptional value.

4. The Right Price is not the Same for Every Client

Pricing is one of the most complicated parts of running a service-based business. It is easy to think there must be one “correct” price for everyone. But customer value is not always determined by the number of hours you spend taking photos.

Different clients have different needs, budgets, expectations, timelines, and potential outcomes. A small personal session and a commercial project may both require a photographer, but the value created for each customer can be dramatically different.

I have learned to think about pricing in terms of the overall value of the project rather than simply the time spent behind the camera. That does not mean charging arbitrary prices. It means understanding the scope of the work, the expertise required, the deliverables, the client experience, and the impact the final product can have. The right price should make sense for both the value being delivered and the business's ability to deliver that value consistently.

5. Relationships are Business Opportunities

Some of the most valuable opportunities in my photography career have come from relationships. Classmates, professors, colleagues, business owners, creative partners, past clients, and people I have met through school and professional experiences have all played a role in expanding my network.

Photography is particularly relationship-driven. Someone who hires you today may recommend you to another business tomorrow. A professor may introduce you to an organization. A former classmate may eventually become a business owner who needs creative services.

That is why I believe networking should not be viewed simply as “trying to get business.” Build genuine relationships. Be helpful. Stay connected. Do good work. Treat people well. You never know where a relationship will lead, and even when it does not immediately lead to a project, it can still create knowledge, collaboration, friendship, or a future opportunity.

6. Your First Impression Happens Before the First Meeting

Every touchpoint matters. A potential customer may interact with your business long before they ever speak to you. They might discover you through Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, a referral, or your website. Before they send an inquiry, they may already have formed an opinion about your professionalism based on what they see. That makes your digital presence part of your customer experience.

Your website should clearly communicate what you do. Your social media should demonstrate the quality and consistency of your work. Your inquiry process should be straightforward. Your communication should be clear and timely.

Professional photography itself also creates customer value because visuals influence how people perceive businesses and brands. High-quality images can communicate credibility, tell a story, showcase products, introduce a team, or help customers understand what a business represents. But the photographer's own brand needs to communicate those same qualities. If your work looks professional but your communication is confusing, the customer experience suffers. If your website looks great but you take days to respond, trust can disappear.

7. You Don't Have to Appeal to Everyone

Perhaps one of the most important lessons I have learned is that trying to appeal to everyone can actually make it harder to serve anyone exceptionally well. As a photographer, I could theoretically offer every type of photography to every type of customer. But the broader the message becomes, the harder it can be for a potential client to understand why they should choose you.

Narrowing your focus can make your value proposition clearer. When you understand the types of clients you work best with, the problems they are trying to solve, and the experience they expect, you can build your services around those needs. That creates a better experience for both sides.

The client knows what they are getting. You know what you are delivering. Your marketing becomes more focused. Your communication becomes more relevant. And your expertise becomes easier to recognize. You don't need everyone to become your customer. You need the right customers to recognize the value you provide.

> Lights, Camera, Action - Creating Exceptional Customer Value 

Photography is a creative service, but the value I provide is not limited to the final gallery. It is in the confidence a client has when they know their photographer is prepared. It is in the clarity of the booking process. It is in the communication before and after a shoot. It is in knowing that someone understands the importance of the project.

Building a winning photography business has taught me that customer value is created through hundreds of good, small decisions. Be authentic. Adapt when necessary. Set clear expectations. Price based on value. Build genuine relationships. Make every first impression count. And focus on the customers you can serve best. In sum, the camera may be what gets you started, but the customer experience is what can keep your business growing.

* Brandon Neal is a South Florida-based photographer, creative director, and entrepreneur, and the founder of BRAN MEDIA, specializing in photography and short-form video. Brandon brings together his creative expertise and entrepreneurial perspective to help brands, businesses, and individuals masterfully tell their stories and connect with their audiences through visual content. Through building his photography business, Brandon has developed a strong focus on customer experience, relationship-building, and creating value beyond the final product. His work and entrepreneurial journey have taught him the importance of authenticity, adaptability, clear communication, and understanding the unique needs of every client. Contact him at brandon@bran-media.com or visit his website www.bran-media.com

Decision-Grade Customer Metrics - Turning Marketing Data Into Real Value by Hafiz Rahman * [53]

Most marketing teams aren’t running short on customer data. They're short on customer numbers they actually trust enough to act on.

Open up almost any marketing review and you’ll see the exact same paradox. The dashboards are packed. Attribution reports arrive right on schedule. You have got engagement scores, funnel stages, lead grades, NPS, campaign ROI, and a customer lifetime value figure that seems to change depending on who calculated it. Yet when it comes to the calls that actually drive value: which segment to invest in, which experience to fix, or which customers to save; the choice still goes to whoever argues loudest in the room.

The issue isn't a lack of information. It's that almost none of it has earned the right to guide a real business decision. Here are three practical tests to help your metrics earn that right.

Test 1: Trust. Would You Bet a Customer Relationship on This Number?

A metric is only useful if the people using it genuinely believe it. Too often they don’t, and usually for good reasons. If you ask three different people in a company to define an “active customer,” you will almost always get three different answers. Marketing counts anyone who opened an email. Product counts anyone who logged in. Finance counts anyone who actually paid. All three points of view are defensible, but together they guarantee that every meeting starts with an argument over the data instead of a plan to help the customer. A reliable metric needs four things:

 · A single clear definition

· One accountable owner

· A direct connection to a real customer outcome

· A clear, traceable path from raw signal to the final report

When “churn” means one specific thing, owned by one person, tied to a clear retention goal, and easily traced when questioned, the debating stops and the real work begins. Trust isn’t just a nice extra here. It is the absolute baseline for making good decisions, because no team will take action on a number they secretly doubt.

The takeaway for marketing is straightforward. Before launching a retention drive based on a churn metric, or shifting budgets based on your CAC, ask yourself a quick question: if this number turns out to be wrong, who owns it, and how would we know? If you can't answer that, you aren't making a data-driven choice. You’re just guessing with extra steps.

Test 2: Value. Does This Metric Steer the Relationship, or Just Describe It?

Marketing is full of numbers that give the illusion of progress while only measuring activity. Impressions, clicks, followers, open rates, and leads generated all measure raw effort. None of them, on their own, tell you if a customer is better off or more likely to stick around.

Every one of these superficial metrics has a much stronger shadow metric, one that reflects actual customer value rather than marketing motion.

· Downloads have a shadow in activated users

· Sign-ups have a shadow in repeat purchases

· Followers have a shadow in returning customers

· Pipeline has a shadow in retained revenue

The rule is simple to state, even but it needs discipline to practice: for every surface level metric you want to celebrate, find its shadow, and let that shadow drive your choices.

This is where true customer value meets measurement. A metric deserves a spot on your dashboard only if a shift in that number means a real shift in customer value. Open rates can stick around as a basic signal, but they should never dictate where you spend your marketing budget. That job belongs to the metrics directly linked to the outcomes you care about.

Test 3: The Decision Test. What Decision Does This Actually Change?

The most useful question in marketing analytics is also the one people ask the least. Before building a dashboard, ordering a report, or setting up a fancy new attribution model, ask: what decision does this change, who makes that call, and will they actually act on it?

Most reporting requests fail this test, which is actually a massive win. If a metric wouldn’t change a single choice about how you treat a customer, you don’t need to build it.

Save that effort for the few numbers that truly matter:

· Which segment to prioritize this quarter?

· Which friction point to remove from the user journey?

· Which at-risk customers need immediate attention?

· Which campaigns to scale up or pull completely?

When a marketing team filters every request through this single question, they stop producing dashboards that go unused and start focusing on where value is actually created.

This test keeps trendier tools in check, too. AI and predictive models are only as valuable as the decisions they help improve. A churn prediction model nobody has the resources to act on provides zero value, no matter how accurate it is. Point the same model at a decision someone owns and is ready to execute on, and it becomes a genuine driver of growth and retention.

Bringing It All Together

These three tests work best as a team. Trust makes a metric safe to use. Value ensures you are tracking real customer outcomes instead of useless noise. The decision test ensures you only build what actually gets put to work.

Putting your customer metrics through all three won’t leave you with more numbers. It gives you a higher bar, resulting in a marketing team whose data earns a respected place at the executive table.

If your marketing meetings are still devolving into battles over whose dashboard is right, start small. Pick one contested metric. Give it a clear definition, an owner, and a target outcome. Make sure it steers the customer relationship instead of just describing it, then ask what decision it changes. A single reliable, value-driven, action-ready number will do far more for your business than a screen full of metrics nobody trusts.

About the Author

Hafiz Rahman is an engineering, data, and AI leader with over 28 years of experience building reliable data systems for high-growth subscription and consumer businesses. He is the author of Decision System: How Companies Turn Trusted Data Into Decisions That Change Outcomes and Solving Business Problems Using SQL. Based in Melbourne, Australia, he writes about turning contested data into decisions that drive real business value. Connect with him at linkedin.com/in/hafizengineering or hafiz@devizur.com.

Using AI and Algorithms to Grow Your Business - The New Digital Marketing Playbook by Drew Blumenthal * [52]

Marketing has changed dramatically over the last decade. Traditional channels like print, television, and radio have given way to digital platforms shaped by data, algorithms, and artificial intelligence. Today, marketing success is no longer about who can be the loudest. It’s about who can understand customers better, respond faster, and create more value.

Artificial intelligence is at the center of this shift. It does more than automate tasks. It helps businesses analyze behavior, identify patterns, predict needs, and improve decisions over time. This allows marketing to move from reactive campaigns to more proactive, data-driven strategies. AI-driven marketing isn’t about pushing louder promotions—it’s about serving customers better through smarter systems.

Smarter Systems Create Better Customer Value

AI helps businesses not only to understand their customers better but to use that understanding to create more value for them. One major e-commerce brand used AI-driven predictive audience modeling to enhance its marketing efforts. By analyzing user behavior, the AI system was able to identify a segment of customers likely to convert in the coming weeks. This allowed the brand to focus its budget more efficiently, ensuring that resources were invested in high-potential segments. As a result, sales during the holiday season surged significantly, thanks to a more targeted and data-driven approach.

In today’s world, where marketing is increasingly personalized, AI tools are essential for providing relevant experiences. AI helps businesses deliver tailored messaging across large audiences, making every communication more impactful. Algorithms segment audiences based on their behaviors, interests, and intent, improving the accuracy of targeting.

Applying AI to Improve Conversion and Lead Generation

The application of algorithms goes beyond just targeting. It extends to conversion optimization. Take the case of a real estate client who used AI to refine their website’s lead generation system. The AI segmented users based on their browsing behavior, presenting personalized calls-to-action based on their engagement with the site. Visitors who were more interested in luxury homes were shown high-end listings, while first-time homebuyers were directed toward educational resources. This tailored experience resulted in a 30% increase in qualified leads, as users were more likely to take meaningful actions aligned with their needs.

Another success story comes from the financial services sector, where AI played a crucial role in lead qualification. The system analyzed customer data to identify behaviors indicating interest in specific services. By filtering out low-intent users, the system helped sales teams focus on high-value prospects. As a result, the company saw a remarkable 40% increase in conversion rates.

These instances underscore the ability of AI to not only attract traffic but to optimize the user experience and increase conversions.

Predicting Customer Behavior with AI

AI has the power to predict customer behavior, turning marketing into a proactive process rather than a reactive one. A digital marketing agency, for instance, leveraged machine learning algorithms to optimize campaigns for a client in the travel industry. By analyzing key performance metrics like click-through rates (CTR) and cost-per-acquisition (CPA), the AI was able to adjust ad placements in real time, ensuring the ads were shown to the most relevant audience at the right time. This real-time optimization resulted in improved customer engagement and a better return on investment.

In another case, the agency was able to automate bidding strategies based on predictive analytics, adjusting spend according to forecasted purchase intent. This combination of machine learning and real-time optimization not only improved campaign performance but also enhanced budget efficiency, ensuring the client’s resources were being used where they were most likely to generate conversions.

Focusing on Customer Value Over Vanity Metrics

The true value of marketing today comes from focusing on meaningful outcomes rather than just vanity metrics like impressions or clicks. AI can support businesses in understanding these key outcomes. By using AI to analyze customer behaviors and segment them based on intent, businesses can make smarter decisions about where to allocate resources.

For example, one client in the e-commerce space used predictive audience modeling to focus its marketing efforts on the customers most likely to convert during a major sale. The result was a significant increase in sales, demonstrating the power of data-driven decision-making and highlighting the importance of prioritizing quality over volume in lead generation and conversion.

Building Strong Customer Experiences Through AI

Creating exceptional customer experiences is fundamental to building trust and loyalty. Strong customer experiences are built on clarity, relevance, and trust. One client, operating in the real estate sector, used AI to fine-tune its website experience for different types of visitors. AI-driven algorithms segmented users based on their behaviors and preferences, showing them personalized content and calls-to-action. This allowed the company to engage visitors in a more relevant way, significantly improving their lead conversion rate.

AI also enhances personalization at scale. Businesses can now deliver tailored messaging and experiences across broad audiences without manual intervention. For example, predictive analytics helped an agency working with a travel brand to anticipate which products or services were gaining traction. This insight helped the team move the budget toward the most promising campaigns, ensuring that the marketing dollars were spent on the most relevant and timely promotions.

AI-Driven Metrics: Measuring What Really Matters

In the past, marketers often relied on surface-level metrics like impressions or clicks. Today, however, it is essential to focus on metrics that reflect real value—such as conversions, engagement quality, and customer satisfaction. AI helps marketers track these meaningful metrics and make adjustments based on real-time data. By analyzing past behavior, AI can forecast which customers are most likely to take valuable actions, ensuring that marketing strategies are always aligned with business goals.

For example, AI can predict when a customer is most likely to make a purchase, helping businesses time their communications for maximum impact. Whether it’s optimizing campaign schedules or automating bidding strategies, AI ensures that businesses are always working toward the most important outcomes: higher conversions, better customer engagement, and long-term loyalty.

Trust in the Age of Algorithms

While AI can improve efficiency, trust remains the foundation of sustainable growth. Customers are more likely to stay loyal to brands that communicate honestly, deliver consistent value, and understand their needs. For instance, AI tools can help businesses provide more personalized customer experiences, but trust is still built through authenticity and dependability. Companies that focus on delivering value through transparency and ethical use of AI will establish stronger, more lasting relationships with their customers.

AI should not only be a tool for automation but also a way to enhance the human touch that drives trust. Transparency in how customer data is used, as well as a commitment to ethical practices, are essential for maintaining that trust. In the end, AI should be used to augment human judgment and decision-making, ensuring that every interaction with the customer feels authentic and relevant.

Key Takeaways:

1. AI enables businesses to understand and predict customer behavior, improving targeting and personalization.

2. Algorithmic conversion optimization can lead to higher lead quality and improved ROI.

3. Predictive analytics helps businesses anticipate future customer actions, ensuring more proactive marketing strategies.

4. Real-time optimization and AI-driven insights help marketers make smarter, data-backed decisions that lead to meaningful outcomes.

5. Trust, transparency, and delivering consistent value are paramount to building lasting customer relationships, even in an AI-powered world.

By integrating these AI-driven strategies into everyday marketing practices, businesses can shift from simply generating traffic to creating real, sustainable growth. AI isn’t just a tool—it’s a partner in building more intelligent, customer-centric marketing systems that deliver long-term success.

* Drew Blumenthal is a digital marketing strategist, entrepreneur, and the founder/CEO of Digital Drew SEM, a performance-driven digital marketing agency based in New York City. Drew has worked with a diverse range of clients—from established brands to fast-growing startups—helping them scale through thoughtful digital strategy, Google Ads, Meta advertising, SEO, and smart analytics. His agency’s results-focused approach blends creative insight with data precision, making complex digital channels accessible and profitable for businesses of all sizes. This blog post is an excerpt from his new book Digital Drew's Playbook - Winning at Marketing and Ads in the Age of AI available at Amazon. Contact him at digitaldrewsem@gmail.com 

Building an eBay Business - A Marketing Playbook by Art Weinstein * [51]

      If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Jeff Bezos

eBay is an internet pioneer founded in 1995. Over the past 30 years, this Silicon Valley giant created a huge digital marketspace with more than 130 million active buyers worldwide and $10 billion in revenue. While eBay does e-commerce in almost every country in the world, about half of their business is from the U.S.  Do you have an interesting product to sell or unique market niche to exploit? Perhaps, you want to re-home some extra cool stuff around the house or turn a favorite hobby into a side gig to generate a second income? eBay offers incredible flexibility whether you want to work just a few hours a week to earn extra income or quit your day job and run your own small business. My Interest in eBay

As a marketing professor, I have taught courses in Customer Value and Marketing Strategy for more than 30 years. Previously, I was a marketing researcher and ran a Small Business Development Center.  I have written 8 books and 135 scholarly papers/case studies on customer-centric marketing practices. I spent most of my academic career researching and writing about technology and entrepreneurial firms and have consulted for some of the largest tech companies in the world. I have carefully studied the eBay business model, and as a consumer, I made occasional purchases for hard-to-find items from various eBay sellers. As I have a considerable amount of music CDs, boxed sets, vinyl, and  DVDs; one-of-a-kind rock band memorabilia; sports and other collectibles, I thought eBay might be an excellent outlet to share some of my excess inventory with buyers that have similar interests. That said, I pursued this "side hustle" over the past year. This assumption was validated as I have sold more than 265 items to highly satisfied customers in 40 states. eBay has recently named me a Top-Rated Seller as I have a 100% customer feedback score with 205 five-star reviews. Some of my interesting recent sales include an Alaskan mini-totem pole, a genuine hand-made wooden Australian boomerang, Asia (rock band) framed song lyrics, Beatles 45's, chess pieces bookends, George Carlin DVDs, Jacques Cousteau painting, New York Mets team sets of baseball cards, miniature Las Vegas slot machine toy, Tom Brady hoodie, Tutankhamun coffee table book, and various U.S. mint proof coin sets.  Marketing Ideas and Insights I ramped up my knowledge of all facets of e-commerce and analytics via eBay’s impressive and easy-to-use sales platform. As a new seller with deep marketing acumen, I developed a viable and enjoyable hobby business. Along the way, I learned many business insights which I am pleased to share with others thinking about getting involved with this organization as an independent contractor. Below is a work-in-progress A-Z perspective. You will likely find many of these marketing tips very useful should you choose to work with eBay or pursue other e-commerce ventures.

Artificial intelligence (AI)
Bundling
Competitive analysis
Diversify
eBay community
Feedback
Get frequent updates via the app
Hobby or business?
Inventory control
Jump in with both feet
Keep at it
Logistics management
Metrics matters
New product development
Offers (managing)
Promote/advertise your items
Quick customer service
Regular communication with prospects/buyers
Segmentation, targeting, and positioning
Timing and seasonality
Understand your customer’s needs/wants
Variety
Weekend effect
eXamine what works, doesn’t work
Yes, be positive!
Zero in on your niche

The A to Z eBay Marketing Playbook - Part 1 (A-F) An expanded version of the above outline is being developed into a guide called "The A to Z Playbook for Building an eBay Business - 78 Winning Entrepreneurial Strategies." Here's an advance look at the first 6 concepts/18 strategies:     > Artificial Intelligence     AI has been called the most significant human invention since electricity. The power of AI can solve world problems in medicine or lead to societal destruction via military warfare. As a red-hot marketing tool, one useful application is writing ad copy which is essential in listing items on eBay. The company provides an excellent AI tool for this purpose which facilitates writing detailed, informative item descriptions. ·      Use the AI tool, but use it cautiously. It provides an instantaneous and workable draft that is creative and covers most essential product information. ·      From my experience, I found the AI-generated ad copy to be about 85% effective as factual errors are often made and some key selling points are neglected. Hence, a revision is necessary. ·      AI works for most items but rare and one-of-a-kind pieces will require the old-fashioned approach, good story telling without an AI assist. Ø Bundling Bundling means to package 2 or more units as a single item with a discounted selling price. This strategy can work effectively if you are selling low-priced items. Buyers appreciate the opportunity to buy multiple related items at a reduced price. Also, they only need to pay the shipping fee once. ·      I have found bundling works extremely well for the music products I sell. Rather than offering a single CD at $10, I may package 3 CDs by a single artist at $25. ·      You can design multiple bundle packages and reconfigure based on market demand – i.e., add, revise, or delete to your online store inventory. ·      At times, I’ll use an unbundling approach. For example, PROG magazine often includes beautiful, four-color postcards of the featured artist that month in the 100 + page magazine. I have sold these items separately to interested buyers. Ø  Competitive Analysis eBay customers are smart and well informed about pricing for the merchandise offered. It is critical for the eBay seller to be even more knowledgeable about competitive options and prices. ·      Use the eBay site as your main tool to shop the competition. If you cannot beat their prices find other ways to offer added value (e.g., free or discounted shipping, use on-site advertising to reach new prospects, etc.)  ·      Go to Amazon, Etsy, and other online sellers, as needed.   ·      Use specialized websites to research prices. For music products, I have found sites such as   discogs.com and valueyourmusic.com to be helpful. Ø  Diversify  Financial planners urge their clients to diversify their investments and not rely on a single stock. This is great advice for eBay sellers, too. Start your venture with multiple, related product lines to maximize your chance for business success. ·      Choose a main product line and add the most inventory in this category. Currently, my top line are music products - mostly CDs and boxed sets - which accounts for nearly half of my sales. ·      Add a small number (perhaps, 2 to 4) of additional revenue lines. My other areas of emphasis are books/magazines, rock ‘n roll memorabilia, sports collectibles, and commemorative coins. ·      Test market potential new product opportunities. I am currently exploring stamps. Ø eBay Community  The eBay business model offers a unique infrastructure. Devotees can win (buy) or sell almost anything. Trading on eBay is characterized by low selling costs, vast selection, motivation to engage in repeated transactions, and technological empowerment. To maximize your success, master the platform and all of its powerful features. In particular, get to know the Home Page, My eBay, Messaging,  Performance Measures, and Selling Tools. ·      The search box gives you a quick overview of what other vendors are selling and their prices. ·      Take advantage of eBay’s seller suggestions and training materials. ·      Create and continuously refine your eBay store. Ø Feedback  Generating excellent feedback from buyers should be a seller’s priority. Prospective customers carefully review detailed seller ratings (on a 5.0 scale) with respect to product description accuracy, shipping costs, speed of delivery, and communication. Customers are encouraged to leave comments for sellers and most of them do that. ·      Sellers should briefly respond to buyer comments to thank them for their business and personalize the transaction. ·      Enclose a packing slip with each purchase with a generic “we look forward to doing business with you again on eBay” message followed by a handwritten personalized note (a few words will suffice). ·      Deliver 100% satisfaction for each customer and every purchase. Briefly reply to every consumer that leaves comments. This will lead to repeat business and demonstrate your commitment to excellence for prospective buyers. Questions/Action Items 1. If you sell on eBay (or other e-commerce platforms), what strategies/tactics work best for you?     2. Comment on one or more of the guidelines in the Marketing Playbook: AI, bundling, competitive analysis, diversification, eBay community, and feedback. 3. What are some great niche opportunities for success on eBay, other online platforms?    * Art Weinstein, Ph.D. is the blogmaster of Customer Value in the Now Economy. He may be reached at artweinstein9@gmail.com.