Aviator Sunglasses by Ray-Ban.

The Wrap Dress by Diane von Furstenberg.

And of course… Chanel No.5

Three classic, timeless products that still sell — consistently — despite being far from “new” and “shiny.”

What’s the secret to that kind of consistency?

It’s a great question.

One that lots of people ask me.

“Melissa, I’ve got a product/service that sold OK at first, but now, sales are dwindling. How do I keep people excited about it… once it’s not ‘new’ anymore?”

If you’ve got a product, service, class, etc. that’s feeling old, musty and ignored, here are three ways to pump up the sales:

1. Refresh your visuals & descriptions.

When’s the last time you took some enticing new photos? Or updated your product description?

If it’s been a loooong time, your website visitors probably don’t even “see” the product, anymore. It’s such a familiar sight, it’s been tuned out.

Refresh the lingo and images… and presto! The product will POP.

As you write your brand-new description, try to describe the product like it is your ALL TIME FAVORITE THING EVER. (As if you were gushing to a girlfriend about your ultimate guilty pleasure TV show, over the phone.)

Here are some tips on how to tap into that energizing, omg-you-need-this-now tone of voice — and write product descriptions that make people freak out with excitement.

2. Re-introduce it, over and over and over again.

You can’t launch a product, tuck it away in a sad, dark corner of your website, never mention it again… and expect it to keep selling.

You’ve got to keep the energy rolling.

One of my favorite shops, ban.do, does an amazing job with their “always available” product line.

They post daily Instagram photos of their products… like phone cases surrounded by exploding confetti, desk accessories next to a bright bowl of Lucky Charms cereal, and hair bands wrapped around bottles of champagne.

They encourage their fans to share their own photos of ban.do goodies on Instagram, too. With a ban.do hashtag, natch.

(I jumped on the bandwagon with this photo!)

Instagram might not be your thing, but there are plenty of other ways to keep your product fresh in people’s minds.

Maybe you want to give a public shout-out to a superstar customer, every week?

Or do a monthly giveaway through your newsletter?

Tweet mini-reviews from happy customers?

Or release a slow ’n steady stream of hilarious promotional videos…like the people at Chubbies Shorts and (my all-time fav!) Vat19?

Choose something that feels pleasurable and fun.

Who knows? You might start to see your own product in a whole new light!

3. Make it hot ’n trendy.

Got an e-book on goal setting? That’s a killer item to talk about during the month of December, when everybody is thinking about New Year’s Resolutions!

Got a service where you revamp people’s resumes and help with their job hunt? Statistically speaking, September and January are two of the best months to apply for a new job. Write a blog post where you lay out the facts…and use it as an opportunity to remind people about your service package!

Got a product that’s luxurious and seductive? Position it as the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift for the one you love… or maybe, yourself!

Think about upcoming holidays, cultural events (like award ceremonies, sporting events, huge movie premieres and celeb weddings), fashion trends, workout trends, and big topics and stories that are buzzing on everybody’s lips.

(Yes… this is your official excuse to curl up with a big pile of glossy magazines. For research!)

When you tie your product into a trend, it instantly becomes hot and intriguing, all over again.

All of that being said?

The truth is that not every business offering is meant to live forever.

If there’s something you’ve created that you just aren’t jazzed about anymore… not proud of it, not excited to talk about it, maybe even a little ashamed of it… it could be time to “retire” it and make way for something new.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with letting an old, outdated offering just… go.

You did the work. It was born. It lived. You learned. Now it’s done.

Time to clear a path for something WAY more profitable and fun. 🙂