It’s  the end of July and already we’re seeing indicators of this year’s hot holiday products!

Last week I was a guest on eBay Radio to give a sneak preview of some of this season’s hottest sellers.

And you’ll be surprised at the breakout hit brand with winning gifts for kids and parents alike!

Click below to listen to my eBay Radio segment:

And if you think July indicators happen too early in the season, consider this…

Last year the summer indicators were right on, giving online retailers early notification of the hot holiday products such as: Squinkies, Nerf Stampede, Silly Bandz, wooden balance bikes, fingerless gloves for women, designer Nook covers, iPad bags for the guys, Harry Potter Lego sets and much, much, more!

Keep in mind that the 2011 holiday selling season will be the be the boast the highest online sales ever! With last year’s online holiday sales totaling more than $32.6 billion dollars in November & December alone!

So, now is the time to start sourcing this hot holiday sellers – before they sell out in stores! We’ll talk more about late to the game holiday sourcing, in an upcoming blog post.

Every Sunday millions of online business owners read their Sunday newspaper, throw it in recycling and don’t think much about it until the next Sunday

Wait! Before you recycle that paper, read on to find 7 ways you can make money in your online business  from that $2.00 investment!

Your Sunday newspaper is what I call an Idea Hotspot™. Idea Hotspots are fertile ground for money making ideas, topics to blog about, products to sell and marketing springboards!

1. Spot the trends! Your Sunday paper is filled with product ads showcasing the latest products, styles, colors and trends! All you need to do is observe! What colors, styles and products are the stores advertising? What is the messaging that you see? If an says “Save 20% on our brand new line of bicycles.” and you sell bicycles, pay attention to what they’re advertising!  What are the features, the benefits, the brands?  What are the new “it” buzzwords.  These are clues that will help you expand what you sell online.

2. Improve your sales copy. One of the hardest things for online sellers can be writing snazzy sales copy for their products. Your Sunday paper is filled with great sales copy! Look for headlines, phrases, clever sound bytes, attention grabbing headlines and jot them down.  Copywriters call this a “swipe file”  – a common practice used by copywriters and advertisers to create a reference of ideas for projects.

Note: This is not about plagiarizing other people’s work!   Swipe files are a great jumping-off point for you to use your own creativity in your copy.

You don’t need to have a degree in marketing to do some great marketing for your own business.  There are marketing ideas all around you – you can learn by observation.

3. Put your finger on the pulse of  timely blog, Facebook, eBook or teleseminar topics. What’s the world talking about? You’ll find it in the Sunday paper! Whether you’re an online retailer, an information marketer, or an author, speaker or consultant, you’ll find pages after pages of timely topics to blog about, use for Facebook marketing, create content for your product pages in your online store.

Take a look at the Lifestyle section of the paper and see what the latest fashion trends or home improvement trends are. Papers are built around these types of articles. Are you an eBay education specialist? Check out the Business sections for articles on the rise in popularity of home based businesses. Want to create and market an eBook on a topic that people are interested in? There was a great article in my local paper recently on the huge popularity of in-city vegtable gardening.

This article could spawn ideas for blog posts, a value-add eBook for your physical product sales, an eBook to sell on Clickbank, a blog post, even a brand new business that you might start as a speaker on the topic of in-city vegetable gardening!

When you look at your Sunday paper as an Idea Hotspot, you’ll be amazed at what you’ll find there!

4. Retail Resale. If you sell products online, you’re always looking for great deals on inventory. Sunday papers are chock full of coupons and limited time deals. By One, Get One Free Offers, door buster specials and clearance sales are all advertised in your Sunday paper. Grab a paper when they come out on Saturday and hit the sourcing trail early Sunday morning for some great inventory at below wholesale prices.

5. Classifieds. While Craigslist has taken a huge chunk of ads that used to be posted in the Classified section of your paper, there are still people who prefer to post a classified newspaper ad over using Craigslists. Yard sales, estate sales and merchandise for sale or for free can all be found listed in the Sunday Classified Ads.

6. Learn about upcoming consumer shows. Do you sell wedding products, home remodeling products, products geared to women, vintage jewelry, boat accessories, motorcycle products, RV accessories, sewing products, craft products? Then there’s likely a consumer products show in your niche coming to your city or a city near you soon.

If so, you’ll see it advertised in the newspaper. Consumer product shows are a great way to scout new merchandise, talk to vendors, even find out about exhibiting your products at next year’s show! Use these shows to get out there and see what’s happening in your niche or potential niche.

7. Find Centers of Influence. Every Sunday paper contains articles about experts or people who are centers of influence in a certain niche. You can learn about people to connect with on Facebook and Twitter. Maybe you’ll see the perfect expert to contact for your next teleseminar. Some of these people may even be appearing at events in your local area! The perfect way to get connected!

As you can see there are many creative ways to use the Sunday paper to make more money in your online business.  Opportunities come to those who learn to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. If you’re reading the paper anyway, why not make the most of it and read for profit!

-Lisa

With the Thanksgiving holiday in sight, and Christmas just over a month away, your holiday sales should be in full swing.

But for those who are late to the game, or need an extra boost to amp up the numbers, these 7 late-to-the-game strategies will stoke the fire in your holiday sales…

Speak Holiday.Go right now and look at your web pages, you eBay listings, your online store. How many places do you see holiday imagery, holiday messaging, holiday gift suggestions? If the answer is none or few then your products are not showing up for the party everyone else wants to be a part of.

You have to give your customers visual clues that you’re dialed-in to the holidays. Your store must be part of the fun and festivities. Even the smallest online sellers can add a few holiday graphics and use messaging on their their website to speak the language of holiday sales.

Run Different Holiday Promotions Each Week. If you want to capture the attention of holiday buyers this year, you must run new promotions on a weekly basis. While this year’s shoppers aren’t suffering from frugal fatigue, consumers are looking for a sale.

Unlike last year, they’re not hoping to find everything marked down to 50% off, but they are looking for somewhat of a “feel-good holiday special” so they walk away from the purchase feeling like they got something extra.

Sell Communication & Service. Prominent service messaging must be a part of your holiday game plan. Whether it’s strategically placed graphics on your site or you hop in front of a video camera, one of the key things shoppers should see when they come to your site is a message from you with a commitment to:

• Same day shipping
• Providing tracking numbers
• Customer service (how will they contact you if they have a question)
• Optional gift wrapping services

Free Shipping. If you’re late to the holiday selling game, one of the fastest ways to amp up your sales is by offering Free Shipping. Again this year, Free Shipping is the #1 thing that holiday shoppers are looking for.

Bundle it Spectacular. If your holiday sales haven’t yet made a blip on the radar, it’s time to pull out the big guns and get really creative with your product offerings. A necklace and matching bracelet sold separately becomes a spectacular gift set.  Pair a warm fuzzy bathrobe with matching slippers and create a special Christmas morning promotion around it.

Offer Holiday Gift Suggestions. Holiday shoppers aren’t looking for the “same ‘ole, same ‘ole” when it comes to purchasing holiday gifts. They LOVE creative ideas and unique gifts. Just because the media doesn’t recognize your product line as a “holiday item” doesn’t mean you can’t!

Don’t wait for anyone to give you permission to present your products as a holiday gift. Be bold and step out and make gift suggestions!

Get in Front of the Video Camera. If there is one thing that etailers can do this year to get found in search without the use of costly PPC campaigns and lengthy traffic driving strategies, it’s to get in front of the video camera. There is not a person reading this blog post who sales can’t benefit by doing a video review of a product you sell.

Whether it increases conversion on your site or eBay listing or helps you make it to page one on Google, video product reviews are all the rage this year. And don’t think you have to have a Hollywood stage production video to make it useful.  REAL sells. Take a look at this video review of a popular Nikon camera lens. A little humor, being real, to the point and educational. 11,000+ people have viewed it so far.  (BTW, I came across it in Google search while shopping for, you guessed it! Nikon cameras.)

Even if you’re sales aren’t yet where you’d like them to be this holiday season, you’ve got 30+ more days to keep focused on selling more. Never give up! Keep doing the right things up until the very last holiday minute and you’ll start to see the results of your efforts!

How about you? What are your plans for increasing your sales over the next 30 days?

-Lisa

Father’s Day is June 20th and it’s an important seasonal selling holiday for online sellers.

Increased web traffic and shoppers looking for that perfect gift for dad are an opportunity to not only sell Father’s Day related merchandise but also to sell that perfect item to the gift-giver who is doing the shopping!

This means increased sales across the board!

The key to making this a great selling season is to feature in-season merchandise on your website on online store.

Whether you currently stock merchandise that will fit the Father’s Day bill, or if you plan on purchasing additional inventory, there are several selling strategies that you can use to drive up those Father’s Day sales.

10 Ways to Turn Current Inventory into Father’s Day Sales

1. Go through all your existing inventory and identify what things might be suited to the Father’s Day buyer.

Think out of the box! Father’s Day sales are not just about polo shirts and neck ties.

For example, mens electric razors are a top seller, but other types of men’s grooming kits, skincare products and accessories are hot items as well.

Look at the items you already stock and determine which ones can be positioned for Father’s Day.

2. Reposition current inventory for Father’s Day. How you can market existing items for dad? If you sell gardening supplies, instead of ” a shovel” or “a lawn mower” put together a “Father’s Day Weekend Gardener” kit with everything dad needs to enjoy a warm summer day outdoors in his new garden.

Popular kits for dad include:

• Photography
• Woodworking
• Wine and beer making
• Sewing and knitting
• Gardening

3. A great Father’s Day gift doesn’t have to be brand new. Now is the perfect time to list those vintage fishing lures. Or popular vinyl albums collecting dust in the basement. In recent years, pre-owned products have taken on an entirely new life as eco-friendly consumers like to give and receive gifts that don’t use up additional manufacturing resources.

4. A Father’s Day sale doesn’t have to be a product for dad. This is where leveraging that Father’s Day shopping traffic comes in. Once someone comes online in “gift shopping mode” they are more likely to buy something for themselves in the process. Is your store up-to-date? Are you featuring the latest merchandise? Does your merchandising reflect the current season? If not, you’re missing a big opportunity to benefit from the extra sales traffic.

5. Use the keywords” and “gifts for dads” in your marketing copy and listing titles. In the last 90 days, searches for the keywords “father’s day” have skyrocketed. After you’ve identified your father’s day inventory, you must use the keywords related to this inventory to market your products. Use Google Insights and the Google Keyword Tool to determine which keywords best represent the products you’re selling.

If you’re selling a Father’s Day related gift on eBay, you want to use the Father’s Day keywords in your listing titles.

6. Offer special services. Now is the time to offer free gift wrapping, enclose a gift card, emphasize your FAST shipping policy, and offer to ship directly to the gift’s recipient… or even run a special promotion on your merchandise or extend a free shipping option Customer service does matter and buyers do not shop on price ALONE.

They’re also looking for good customer service, trustworthy sellers and convenience. Providing value added customer services will help distinguish you from the competition and give your buyer a reason to buy from you!

Make sure that you highlight these special services in your listings – TELL your buyers how great your service is and exactly what you can do to make their lives easier and their gift buying experience better!

7. Provide a Father’s Day environment for shoppers. Now is the time to add a “Gift’s for Dad” graphic to your website. Or a picture of a father and son. Visual imagery is very important when it comes to getting shoppers in the mood to buy. Offline stores spend billions of dollars a year on seasonal decor so that when a shopper walks into the store, they’re instantly put into the mood of the season. Your online shop should do the same.

8. Help your customers recognize great Father’s Day gifts! A quick scan of your eBay listing or web page should tell your buyers not only what you are selling but why this is the perfect gift for the dad on their list.

It doesn’t have to be fancy. Just a simple:

“Dads love our new stainless steel grill utensil set! Give the dad on your list the joy of outdoor cooking all summer long!”

A statement like this helps to plant in your visitors mind why this is the gift that they should buy.

9. Answer questions quickly. The biggest fear an online gift shopper has is that they won’t receive the gift on time for that special occasion. Answering questions quick instill confidence in your potential customer that their gift will arrive in the same manner. Be responsive, helpful and tell your customers why your product is the right choice for them with every customer question!

10. Offer “free shipping”. Free shipping is still the #1 favored promotion by online shoppers. Don’t even make shipping a question when it comes to Father’s Day gifts – offering free shipping will make a one-click purchase an easy choice for your customers.

You may think that the “holiday selling season” runs November-December, but take a look below and you’ll be surprised at all the selling opportunities you have for your online business coming up in the next few months. No matter what you sell or where you sell it, capitalizing on these HOT spring and summer selling seasons can make a huge difference in your income during the 2nd quarter of the year! From April to June there are 11 different selling holidays that you’ll want to ramp up for! Miss these and you’ll leave money on the table…

April

April may be the kickoff to spring, but in the world of online sales, there’s a whole lot of shopping goin’ on!

• Bathing suit season: It’s still too chilly to wear them but sales of bathing suits are skyrocketing now.  In fact, shoppers who wait much past May will find that all the best selection is gone! If you sell beachwear, it’s time to get it on your store homepage
• Prom wear: Online searches for prom wear are on the rise this month. Even though most proms don’ t happen until late May or early June, prom wear sales are increasing quickly with online searches up 60-80% from last month according to Google Insights
• Wedding season: Wedding season is in full swing as we approach June, one of the biggest wedding months of the year!
• April 4th: Easter: Easter is April 4th.  And there is still time to make last minute sales. According to BIGResearch the average amount Easter shoppers are expected to spend is $118.60, slightly up from the 2009 average of $116.59.
• April 22nd: Earth Day: Earth Day is April 22nd and sales of eco-friendly and green products abound during this time.  Don’t just look to sell traditionally “green” products. Look for the green in everything you sell. A bicycle is not only for entertainment and exercise, it is an eco-friendly way for your customers to commute to work or around town.

May

But that’s not all people are buying…

Bathing suit, prom wear and wedding season continue, but Mom boosts the sales this month!

• Sales of summer products ramp sharply in May (and June): Products for outdoor activities, clothing and outdoor living products for the home.  Don’t wait until June to feature these in your store or you’ll lose a lot of sales!
• May 4th: National Teachers Day. A week long celebration honoring teachers, if you sell gifts and decorative accessories your store should have a promotion around National Teacher’s Day.
• May 9th: Mother’s Day:  Mother’s Day is one of the biggest spending holidays of the year. Because it’s not just about buying a gift for your mom… there are grandmas, aunts, nieces, friends, co-workers and friends who are like a mom, who will all be getting gifts on this holiday too.  Recognize all the moms in your store promotions and you’re sure to increase sales!
• May 31st: Memorial Day: It vacation time, camping time, fun in the summer time and your last chance to make big inroads in summer product sales!

June

• June: Graduation. Grade school, middle-school, high-school, college and technical college – sales of graduation gifts increase in May and June! And don’t forget the little ones!  Pre-school graduation parties are all the rage.  What do you sell that would make a perfect gift for the graduate?
• June 20th: Father’s Day: Dad doesn’t fare quite as well as mom when it comes to Father’s Day spending but Father’s Day gift shoppers will be out in full force. Put together a Top 10 Father’s Day gift list and watch your sales of those products soar!
• June: 4th of July products: Remember the majority of product sales happen in advance of the holiday, so if you wait until July to pull out the red,white and blue – you’ve just lost sales to the savvy seller who merchandised their 4th of July products in June.  So get those 4th of July products out early, so your inventory is sold out come July.

As you can see there’s a whole lot of selling you can do from April through June! So it’s time to get out there and capitalize on these spring and summer holiday selling seasons. Looking for creative ideas on how to merchandise your products or source products for these selling seasons?  You’ll find them in the WhatDoISell Business Growth Center!

When you hear the words “Halloween sales” your first thoughts are likely to be of costumes and candy.

And you probably think this holiday selling season doesn’t apply to you.

But no matter what you sell where you sell it there are many ways you can monetize this holiday and create a stream of income from Halloween sales.

You see, costumes and candy sales represent only a small fraction of Halloween sales each year.

Halloween has now become the second-largest decorating holiday behind the Christmas season.

In fact this year, shoppers are expected to spend $56 million dollars on everything from high-tech wizardry such as voice activated skeletons to Halloween clothes and accessories.

You can sell…

• Indoor decorations
• Outdoor decorations
• Halloween trees
• Halloween gifts
• Halloween themed dishes, cups, platters, bowls and utensils
• Halloween themed towels, sheets, bedding
• Picture frames, books, movies,CDs
• Halloween jewelry, lighting
• Halloween cookie cutters, cake pans, candles, placemats, buckets, bags
• Halloween bathrobes, pajamas
• Limited edition Halloween Webkinz

You get the idea!  There are a LOT of ways to monetize this popular holiday.

And what if you don’t want to sell physical products, but rather information products?

How about eBooks, DVDs, or special reports on…

• How to create a specific kind of Halloween costume
• A compilation of Halloween jokes
• How to throw a fun and scary Halloween party,
• Cool and clever Halloween treats
• How to turn an old Halloween costume into a new one
• A report on the most popular Halloween costumes
• Halloween recipes
• How to build a haunted house
• How to decorate your yard for Halloween
• Halloween party games

About three weeks ago at our local grocery store, I spotted these cool Halloween snow globes with skeleton heads inside a globe filled with gold & black snow. A really clever blend of two traditional holiday decorations.  The globes were on pedestals and priced at $29.99.  Three weeks later they were sold out.

Now of course if you read the media assessment of this year’s Halloween’s sales you’ll see sensational comments like “Halloween to be Frightening for Retailers” & “Halloween Sales Turn Ugly”.  C’mon folks!  This is a $5 billion dollar industry that expects to see a slight downturn in 2009.  It’s still a HUGE market.  With thriving sales.

Of course you have to have the products that people are looking for.  Like the Halloween Snow Globes.  Or the hot costumes of the year such as

Halloween decorating gives people a lift and also helps them connect with one another, a comforting trend during uncertain times…

So give it a try – find something Halloween related to sell this year!  You might find yourself in for a real treat!