Simple.. Best bang for the buck........ (Full Version)

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CEH -> Simple.. Best bang for the buck........ (5/28/2004 0:24:46)

OK, simple post here... Whats the best marketing bang for the least buck :) Looking to build traffic.



Mojo -> RE: Simple.. Best bang for the buck........ (5/28/2004 0:42:10)

Check local laws first, but mass email marketing can be very, very profitable. You just need the right list.



d a v e -> RE: Simple.. Best bang for the buck........ (5/28/2004 1:37:34)

are you condoning spam?



Mojo -> RE: Simple.. Best bang for the buck........ (5/28/2004 1:57:54)

SPAM, at least in the U.S. has been defined by several states. Nothing I posted mentioned that.

I will help get the post back on track...

IMO - After an email campaign the next step would be to hire an SEO/SEM. If you budget does not afford that, I would go with a PPC effort.


<edited on topic>



jaybee -> RE: Simple.. Best bang for the buck........ (5/28/2004 3:18:17)

As I understand it, mass email marketing is where you pay a company to send out emails to a "targetted audience" who have got themselves on an opt-in list. This seems to happen if you go to a site which, for example, allows you to send free e-cards. You are, by filling in your mail address and sending the card giving them carte-blanche to use your address. (read the small print). In theory, if it is a reputable company and you wish to stop getting the mail, you can click on the unsubscribe link and be removed from the list.

Spamming uses any email address it can get its hands on. If you click on the unsubscribe, you confirm you exist and they send you more.

IMO it's a fine line. How many people read the small print?



jaybee -> RE: Simple.. Best bang for the buck........ (5/28/2004 6:22:18)

CEH

It would help if we knew the purpose of the site so we can work out the target audience and how best to reach it.



CEH -> RE: Simple.. Best bang for the buck........ (5/28/2004 13:02:54)

quote:

It would help if we knew the purpose of the site so we can work out the target audience and how best to reach it.

I am trying a Classified ad site...... but the target is only one city. or metro area....... I am not looking to advertise world wide. And the advertising would simply be to build traffic. This site is TOTALLY free for individuals to advertise on.
I like the mass emailing ideas....... I know some will consider it spam even thou you are not trying to sale anything, only offering a free service. But as I read the law, if you follow the guidelines, mass emailing is still legal.



dpf -> RE: Simple.. Best bang for the buck........ (5/28/2004 13:32:43)

so your target audience would presumeably be the people wiho live in this city. If you come up with a mailing list of those people, it isnt spam but if you email to a list that is composed of people from everywhere, that seems like spam to me



jaybee -> RE: Simple.. Best bang for the buck........ (5/28/2004 17:01:33)

I was halfway through posting a huge reply and my machine rebooted so I lost it. So.... start again.

As the site is local start local. Paying for mass mailing won't get you the right audience. Get a good rep locally and word will spread faster than you believe.

First, what has your site or you got that is different? Once you've figured that out get in touch with your local papers. They are usually desperate at this time of year for somthing to fill up the pages. I don't mean advertising, I mean editorial. If you have something newsworthy they'll put it in for free. That's how I got my site off the ground. They did a half page with photo of local girl designing websites, putting back into the community, all that stuff. Dig out the name of a reporter and give them a ring. Make sure you have something good for them though as they run their own classifieds and may see it as competition. Work on your angle.

Then look at local groups and organisations. Church groups, Mother and Toddler etc etc. They all have newsletters, noticeboards etc. Local libraries. If it's a free service, push it. Benefits to them. Most of them will do it for free if they're getting something out of it. At most it'll cost a few cents to get a mention.

Because my site was of local interest I managed to get on the radio stations too but you'll have more of a problem doing that.

Basically, think out of the box. There is no point going for mass mailing. You won't get to the people you need and it'll cost you money and goodwill. Word of mouth will do the rest if you offer a good service.

From an SEO point of view you have a job on your hands due to the niche you're aiming at so there's no point trying to get ranking based on Classified ads. Target the site for the name of your town/area then ads. People look locally. If they search on Townsville you need to appear there. Offer to put links for local groups on your site. That'll get you relevant backlinks and they'll check out your site to see if theirs is there. When they want classifieds they'll remember you.



jaybee -> RE: Simple.. Best bang for the buck........ (5/28/2004 18:26:08)

quote:

But as I read the law, if you follow the guidelines, mass emailing is still legal.


Not in the UK it's not, or the rest of the EU for that matter.

The Privacy laws that came in in November last year have strict guidelines as to who you can and can't email. Get one bad hit on a European mail address and you're screwed. There is a charity in the UK who have all but shut down as a mail they thought was targetted landed up in a Barrister's inbox.



Mojo -> RE: Simple.. Best bang for the buck........ (5/29/2004 13:41:34)

In the U.S. you can still send marketing emails. Just don't fake any aspects of who you are in the email. Basically, just be honest and you should be fine.

quote:

Paying for mass mailing won't get you the right audience

If your selling pills or adult stuff (you know what I mean) a mass will work. Those folks (I don't deal in adult - ever) make a ton of money by throwing a very wide net.

That said, you really need a targeted audience. My email lists are built from my own customers. So, my lists are very well targeted and very well received. A well targeted list will have few angry receipients vs paying customers. For every person that flames me I get at least 100 orders - closer to 150 actually.

Always provide an easy way for people to opt out of your list.

If this forum were less sensitive/emotional I would detail my next mailing. As it is, you will just have to work out the bumps on your own.



CEH -> RE: Simple.. Best bang for the buck........ (5/29/2004 18:16:32)

Well, I've heard some good thoughts. Thanks.
But as it had been said, advertising with classified sites is a bit difficult. I did an ad in a local paper, six of them to be exact.... circulation 40 to 60000. Nothing........ No response. My only conclusion is people who use print classifieds do not use net classifieds and visa versa.
Classifieds have a little catch 22 to them...... You need the ads to draw visits....... but you need the visits to draw ads....
And after all the garbage that is on the net now I think people just do not believe anything is free. But this truly is totally free to individuals posters. The idea is to have paid ads by business's sponsoring pages.
The look of the page is OK..... Not a work of art yet :) But..... It was a bit of a trick getting the PERL script and Frontpage to "play nice" :)
With that now solved I can work a bit more on the look.... Any thoughts there would be appreciated..... Since I haven't mentioned it yet.... the site is www.MidAmericanClassifieds.com

Another part I am having trouble with is content. As I here now "content is King" But what kinds of content can be on a classified site that are relevant?
Well....... Thanks for all the input



jaybee -> RE: Simple.. Best bang for the buck........ (5/29/2004 19:56:09)

quote:

My email lists are built from my own customers


Precisely, you have an opt-in list which is fine. What people are objecting to is picking up email addresses from anyone and then shipping off mails.

CEH's problem is there is no customer yet so there is no mail list.

Adverts in local papers don't tend to work. Unless people are specifically looking for something they just don't see the ad in the middle of all the other ads. That's why I said go for an editorial or local groups newsletters.

Page content needs to carry some text about the site and contain your keywords. You have town names in there. Do something on the homepage about serving those towns.



cooper -> RE: Simple.. Best bang for the buck........ (5/29/2004 22:40:05)

Mojo,

Where do you get your email lists?



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