Why You Should NEVER buy a solo ad, and what to do instead

24 replies
Yes!

I am totally prepared to be ripped apart by what I am about to say... (and maybe even lose a few friends in the process but that is ok. If you have a valid argument... lets hear it) but...

STOP buying solo ads from solo ad sellers!


I would bet my good pinkie toe that 99% of people who have purchased solo ads, or even most solo ad sellers will know what I am saying is the truth:

Solo ad sellers lists are beat to death. This is not an opinion... This is a fact. It is required by the job description.

Don't you want your offer going out to someone that hasn't already had 9 other similar offers from that person today?

Think about this: They make their living emailing their list. They only get paid if someone clicks the link. So if they don't get the number of clicks purchased... they have to email again, and again... and again. Often times on the same day.

And the emails have to get more and more..... we will just say ... "aggressive" as to not totally slander the solo ad biz. (some of my good friends I have made in this industry are full time solo ad sellers. I'm sorry. But you know it is true). Sometimes getting really "creative" in order to get the click. Sometimes regardless of what your original swipe called for.

To take it a bit deeper...

Solo ad sellers usually swap emails with other solo ad sellers to replenish their list, who swap with other solo ad sellers, who swap with other solo ad sellers... and so on..

So the same names just get past around add infinitum..... Then those same people you are advertising too are also on about 100 other solo's lists and get their inboxed filled with 500 emails a day. Flooded with offer after offer every single day. Because that is the nature of the business of a solo ad seller.

They get paid to send "sponsored" emails to their list. If they don't email.. they dont get paid. It is what they must do. I get it.

SO WHAT TO DO INSTEAD???


Great question!

Buy solos from people who don't do it for a living! Simple.

I hear so many people saying they can never find solo ad groups that have lists for their specific niche outside of IM.

Well this solves that. I guarantee you not in a million years could you run out of places to get solo's in ANY niche you want, VIRTUALLY UNTAPPED and dirt cheap!

Here is just a short list of where you can buy solo's that the list is not beat to death and dirt cheap:
  1. Product Creators: Someone who has just sold a product has a FRESH BUYERS LIST. They are likely still excited about what they just purchased and if the product did it's job, they are still opening every email they creator sends. What you then get is a highly engaged list that the sender already has their full attention and trust, and more likely believe the recommendation. Much more than say someone who recommends something new to their list every 4 hours. Doesn't hold as much weight
  2. Blog owners: There are thousands of new blogs created a day. Lots of them get pretty popular. Most have no idea how to monetize them... if at all. Lots of hobby bloggers who would spitup their cookies if you offered them $50 to mail to their 50,000 subscribers/fans. Majority of these new blogs know nothing past adsense. You will be a godsend to them. (this is similar to the old but effective method of finding people on youtube who make these viral videos with 5 million view and zero monetization. They just do it for fun and passion. WE LOVE THESE PEOPLE)
  3. Forum owners: Similar to the above. Most forums are driven out of passion and have no real monetization. Email the webmaster with a similar offer. Only takes one before you have a massive result to untapped audiences
  4. Popular Facebook pages: See above
  5. Popular Twitter Profiles: Same thing here
  6. Amazon Best Selling Authors: ok there are tens and thousands of authors in any niche imaginable in amazon. Same with the blogs, most just write for passion. Couldn't you offer a small link in the back of the book for $50. That is a permanent placement. Not a onetime email shot.

THIS ONE I AM THROWING IN AS A BONUS


Direct mail: I can see you already gasping! How expensive right? Not even kind of. What do you usually pay on average for a SOLID email solo click? $0.35 and UP right? You can send fully printed and mail merged postcards to targeted lists for as low as $.44 a postcard.

Now think about this before you write it off as more expensive:

How likely are you to be the ONLY email in that persons email box that you send that solo to? Probably better chance Nicki Minaj becoming a nun right? The average person gets about 50+ emails per day. and I would probably say double that for anyone reading this on the forum.

So it is easy for your solo email to get lost in the sea of madness.

Did you know the average here in the US is 2-3 piece of physical mail per day? So the odds of actually getting your postcard delivered on a day where you are the ONLY piece of mail is pretty high.

And they HAVE to see it. They have to physically hold your offer in their hands.

We are talking 100% open rate! And people save them. Stick them on the fridge. Tell others about it.

How many emails do you save a day? How many do you actually go back to?

Don't over look direct mail. Try it once. Take that same amount you are about to blow... err... ummm... spend on a solo and just do ONE single mail shot. Compare the results. If it does not at least DOUBLE your control piece for your email ... I will eat my sock.

Done now: getting off soapbox. Enjoy


Originally Posted by heavysm View Post

I happen to agree with you. I actually just sidestep solo ads in general

Also, realistically I think the solo ad world should be separated from actual email marketing.

Persuasive story based email sequences that actually engage the reader is very different the the hoard of email swipe files many marketers put together.

Bottom line, though, is that the mindset for a solo ad seller (who solely sells solos) and the email marketer is just different. One pulls money from their list as fast as possible whilst the other can wait a little while as the subscribers plows through a few of their emails. These are just different goals, really.
#buy #how to drive traffic #paid advertising methods #paid traffic #solo #solo ad alternative #solo ads
  • Profile picture of the author Edwin Torres
    I still buy solo ads regularly and yeah, they are known to bring in some "not so responsive" people. At the end of the day though, its our job to properly persuade them into being responsive.

    If you mail stuff to them that talks about their pain and frustrations...give them that "Cinderella Shoe" fit.....it shouldn't be too hard making a profitable email list out of it.

    I like your alternative recommendations though....emailing product creators is an awesome strategy. I've never tried it, I'm afraid they're gonna try to charge me like $500 for a 100 click solo which is insane haha.
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    • Profile picture of the author smedia11
      Originally Posted by Edwin Torres View Post

      I still buy solo ads regularly and yeah, they are known to bring in some "not so responsive" people. At the end of the day though, its our job to properly persuade them into being responsive.

      If you mail stuff to them that talks about their pain and frustrations...give them that "Cinderella Shoe" fit.....it shouldn't be too hard making a profitable email list out of it.

      I like your alternative recommendations though....emailing product creators is an awesome strategy. I've never tried it, I'm afraid they're gonna try to charge me like $500 for a 100 click solo which is insane haha.

      Good luck teaching them anything when your day 2 open rate is 0% ;-)
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  • Profile picture of the author Coach Comeback
    HA! give it a try. they are not as expensive as you think. Not ALL product creators with a decent buyers list are "gurus" that would command GURU pricing!

    But think how much more targeted and responsive that emails would be. Especially if you find one that has a related product to your offer. You will more than make up for it in quality and conversions I promise you
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  • I think to say solos are dead is a little premature. For example I only wrote in my blog the other day about a solo I had that gave me a conversion rate of around 62%, and more importantly 6 sales. However I do agree there are far more less than quality sellers out there than there ever was before.

    I would also say why take an either/or approach, I think there are some great methods mentioned here, so mix and match and ALWAYS research properly any providers of any service
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  • Profile picture of the author JensSteyaert
    I have to say that i agree.

    You should definately avoid buying from solo sellers who just built their list so they can sell solo ads. I've been on some of these types of lists just to check out what they are doing and all they do is send one offer after another, not even taking the time to write some decent content in their mail and only caring about a high click through rate (because that's what makes them money after all).

    It's also not very logical. Why would you sell clicks for $0,40 and get a bunch of unsubscribes with every mail you sent if you knew you could make $1 from that very same click?

    All your tips are certainly great alternatives, thanks for sharing.
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    • Profile picture of the author Coach Comeback
      Originally Posted by The Beginner's Friend View Post

      I think to say solos are dead is a little premature.

      I would also say why take an either/or approach, I think there are some great methods mentioned here, so mix and match and ALWAYS research properly any providers of any service
      I am not saying solo's are "dead". Not by any means.

      What I am trying to say is what Jens might have said more eloquently than me

      Originally Posted by JensSteyaert View Post

      I have to say that i agree.

      You should definately avoid buying from solo sellers who just built their list so they can sell solo ads. I've been on some of these types of lists just to check out what they are doing and all they do is send one offer after another, not even taking the time to write some decent content in their mail and only caring about a high click through rate (because that's what makes them money after all).

      It's also not very logical. Why would you sell clicks for $0,40 and get a bunch of unsubscribes with every mail you sent if you knew you could make $1 from that very same click?

      All your tips are certainly great alternatives, thanks for sharing.

      My suggestions only states don't buy solo's from people who built a list solely for the purpose of selling solo's.

      Reread what Jens said.

      There are 100 different ways to buy solos if you want. My suggestion is buy them from people who have an engaged list and from people who's business model does not rely on the "churn and Burn" mentality with no appreciation for their subscribers and no loyalty. They are just a number to them
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      • Profile picture of the author DianaLensbury
        It's true to say that a good percentage of your solo ad subscribers are probably burnt out but a percentage won't be and it's your job to segment your list based on click-thru actions - Getresponse allows this.
        It's what you have to do with most 'mediocre' traffic sources and it's slightly orgasmic to see the responsive stats that you can get from a segmented list.
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  • Profile picture of the author cherrytom
    By the time I got to learn about SoloAds my money had run out! So far, I've bought only the lowest (and therefore cheapest) amounts of clicks offered, and failed miserably to get any sort of ROI, let alone make a profit. My mentor, though, invests heavily in SoloAds, spending many thousands of dollars a month, but he gets an excellent ROI --- often making $10,000 a day, and sometimes a lot more. It wasn't always like that for him, of course. He started off buying 200 or 300 clicks and kept reinvesting his profits until he got to where he is today. I'm hoping to follow suit but, for the moment, I have to concentrate on driving free traffic, which is a bit of an uphill struggle and very slow! My biggest mistake was in not finding a mentor sooner. I guess I was too arrogant and thought I knew it all, and I spent many thousands of dollars chasing after shiny objects until, finally, almost broke, I realized I was not going to get anywhere without a mentor. I spent the last of my money on his coaching and it was worth every penny!
    Keep smiling!
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  • Profile picture of the author Matthew Trujillo
    True, a solo ad business should only be a secondary form of income not a primary. When I see people that appear to do this for a living they are very questionable vendors to me at that point. Also I steer clear of vendors who cannot answer simple questions such as me viewing there landing page and offer. Another thing to watch out for are people leaving testimonials for these guys it has turned into a "you leave a positive review for me I'll do the same back" type of business. I also dislike the vendors who are middlemen for other traffic vendors and are not sending out the traffic that they own. If you screen your solo ad vendor correctly and you start with a low amount of clicks and track your marketing you can keep track at which vendors are converting and which ones are not. Solo Ads can be good but also risky if you don't know what to look out for. Not all solo ads are created equal. You should never depend on one traffic source, as you mentioned there are many ways to market your business online. Lastly, solo ads cannot be entirely to blame as there are many variables such as your sales funnel and follow ups.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve B
      A fairly well known marketer (most oldies here would recognize his name) confided in me once that he segments his list into buyers and non-buyers.

      The buyers side (minority) is reserved for him and him only. He will rent out the non-buyers side (majority) for solo ads and other monetization techniques. He doesn't advertise the fact that he will mail to his list for you. But when someone asks, he will oblige by mailing to his non-buyer segment.

      Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author nicheblogger75
        Originally Posted by Steve B View Post

        A fairly well known marketer (most oldies here would recognize his name) confided in me once that he segments his list into buyers and non-buyers.

        The buyers side (minority) is reserved for him and him only. He will rent out the non-buyers side (majority) for solo ads and other monetization techniques. He doesn't advertise the fact that he will mail to his list for you. But when someone asks, he will oblige by mailing to his non-buyer segment.

        Steve
        I think this is quite common and probably is done by most of the people who build lists for the sole purpose of selling solos, ad swapping, and click banking. However, I do still use solo ads very effectively. I have about 10-12 really good sellers that I use often and always have great results. I can't tell you how many hundreds of dollars I spent on bad sellers just to uncover the few good ones I have though!
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        • Profile picture of the author jayfree1799
          I understand you all totally! I am considered a newbie and have did a lot of research on this stuff but I find myself running out of time with me being a Active Duty Soldier who is always back and forth out of country....I don't want to spend unwanted money on bad Solo sellers, I would rather find a select few to work with...I also understand there is still a lot for me to learn..Thanks for your comments
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          • Profile picture of the author l1one
            I disagree with the conclusions of the OP. If you are buying from a quality solo provider they will be getting fresh leads everyday from multiple sources. They shouldn't be overselling their lists either.

            You should be asking them how they build their lists and how many clicks they sell on average per day.

            Moreover, what makes you think mailing post cards is so much better? When I go to the mailbox if it's a card I immediately stick it in file 13. I don't even think twice.

            At least with an optin you can email them over and over at a nominal cost.

            Also, there is a lot of scammers in those Facebook and Skype solo groups. There is no accountability.

            If your in the MMO niche you can go to Udimi where at least there is true arms length feedback. A good refund policy. VERY strong filters are in place as well. Each click is checked against Spamhouse RBL, they are monitored for proxies and they got some other secret sauce going on to monitor for bots.

            Look there are some dirt bag sellers, but it is wrong to label all professional sellers as bad and abusive to their lists.

            My opinion is that your not doing your due diligence carefully enough.
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            • Profile picture of the author Coach Comeback
              Originally Posted by l1one View Post

              I disagree with the conclusions of the OP. If you are buying from a quality solo provider they will be getting fresh leads everyday from multiple sources. They shouldn't be overselling their lists either.

              You should be asking them how they build their lists and how many clicks they sell on average per day.

              Moreover, what makes you think mailing post cards is so much better? When I go to the mailbox if it's a card I immediately stick it in file 13. I don't even think twice.

              At least with an optin you can email them over and over at a nominal cost.

              Also, there is a lot of scammers in those Facebook and Skype solo groups. There is no accountability.

              If your in the MMO niche you can go to Udimi where at least there is true arms length feedback. A good refund policy. VERY strong filters are in place as well. Each click is checked against Spamhouse RBL, they are monitored for proxies and they got some other secret sauce going on to monitor for bots.

              Look there are some dirt bag sellers, but it is wrong to label all professional sellers as bad and abusive to their lists.

              My opinion is that your not doing your due diligence carefully enough.
              Totally expecting solo ad sellers to take this as a personal attack.

              I NEVER said "all professional sellers are bad"

              I said that the business model of a list that is paid to blast with emails daily from random people, would likely be less engaged as if I bought a solo to like Seth Godin's list. Someone who has a relationship with his list and may only send 1 promotional email a month. As apposed to a list that gets hit with 5 offers a day.

              2 different dynamics. Sure they work. And people have success... otherwise the business model would not exist. Just sharing my own personal opinion on what a true "sponsored" email is




              Originally Posted by crowsnest7 View Post

              Thanks Coach,

              This is a great post with lots of good tips. Which ones have worked the best for you?

              Also, have you had any luck approaching best-selling Amazon authors and offering them $50 to get a link in their book? I might be interested in giving this one a try, but I'm thinking most would ignore my offer. Maybe less money to lesser-known authors.
              Everyone is different and it is a numbers game. The point where most people fail is because they send 5 emails and don't get a response then give up and say it works.

              Bottom line, every single author is just another person like you and I. You may get a response from the very first email you send, it may take 100.

              But that is the same with anything. If you were sending the solo traffic to your optin page... you could get 10 out of 10 visitors to sign up... and you could get zero. You just have to keep at it until you get the result you want.

              Give success no other option

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              • Profile picture of the author heavysm
                Originally Posted by Coach Comeback View Post

                Totally expecting solo ad sellers to take this as a personal attack.

                I NEVER said "all professional sellers are bad"

                I said that the business model of a list that is paid to blast with emails daily from random people, would likely be less engaged as if I bought a solo to like Seth Godin's list. Someone who has a relationship with his list and may only send 1 promotional email a month. As apposed to a list that gets hit with 5 offers a day.

                2 different dynamics. Sure they work. And people have success... otherwise the business model would not exist. Just sharing my own personal opinion on what a true "sponsored" email is
                Oh man, isn't it fun to read responses from those who haven't really read what you wrote? LOL

                I happen to agree with you. I actually just sidestep solo ads in general, namely for markets like personal development, and I use a lot of youtube and other highly trafficked sources for my leads. They're generally just more responsive and that open/click through rate stays solid past the first week of my email sequence.

                One thing I'll add though...solo ad people should buy from solo ad people. I don't mind them getting the throwaway emails that don't get opened or read. Those swipes don't have any value, so why open the email to begin with?

                Also, realistically I think the solo ad world should be separated from actual email marketing.

                Persuasive story based email sequences that actually engage the reader is very different the the hoard of email swipe files many marketers put together.

                Those swipe email tend to be created for the purpose of getting opens/clicks and minimizing the spam rate. I personally don't really consider this real email marketing, sort of in the same way that i don't consider adsense to be a business model; with either model you're making money from people leaving your page to spend money elsewhere. It might be easy money, sure. But in the end your efforts might be better spent selling them on various products that is relevant to their targeted interests, which is what email marketing is.

                Bottom line, though, is that the mindset for a solo ad seller (who solely sells solos) and the email marketer is just different. One pulls money from their list as fast as possible whilst the other can wait a little while as the subscribers plows through a few of their emails. These are just different goals, really.
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                • Profile picture of the author Coach Comeback
                  Originally Posted by heavysm View Post

                  Oh man, isn't it fun to read responses from those who haven't really read what you wrote? LOL
                  hahhaha yes! Everyone seems to enjoy that game that made that guy a millionaire in office space



                  Originally Posted by heavysm View Post

                  I happen to agree with you. I actually just sidestep solo ads in general, namely for markets like personal development, and I use a lot of youtube and other highly trafficked sources for my leads. They're generally just more responsive and that open/click through rate stays solid past the first week of my email sequence.

                  One thing I'll add though...solo ad people should buy from solo ad people. I don't mind them getting the throwaway emails that don't get opened or read. Those swipes don't have any value, so why open the email to begin with?

                  Also, realistically I think the solo ad world should be separated from actual email marketing.

                  Persuasive story based email sequences that actually engage the reader is very different the the hoard of email swipe files many marketers put together.

                  Those swipe email tend to be created for the purpose of getting opens/clicks and minimizing the spam rate. I personally don't really consider this real email marketing, sort of in the same way that i don't consider adsense to be a business model; with either model you're making money from people leaving your page to spend money elsewhere. It might be easy money, sure. But in the end your efforts might be better spent selling them on various products that is relevant to their targeted interests, which is what email marketing is.

                  Bottom line, though, is that the mindset for a solo ad seller (who solely sells solos) and the email marketer is just different. One pulls money from their list as fast as possible whilst the other can wait a little while as the subscribers plows through a few of their emails. These are just different goals, really.

                  This is the best response over. So well put. Actually, expressed it better than I actually did. That is the main point of this entire thread. The relationship with the list is key. The mentality is completely different! Thank you for this so eloquently put response!!

                  NAILED IT!!!!!!!
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                  • Profile picture of the author Ian Jackson
                    Originally Posted by Coach Comeback View Post

                    Yes!

                    I am totally prepared to be ripped apart by what I am about to say... (and maybe even lose a few friends in the process but that is ok. If you have a valid argument... lets hear it) but...

                    STOP buying solo ads from solo ad sellers!


                    I would bet my good pinkie toe that 99% of people who have purchased solo ads, or even most solo ad sellers will know what I am saying is the truth:

                    Solo ad sellers lists are beat to death. This is not an opinion... This is a fact. It is required by the job description.

                    Don't you want your offer going out to someone that hasn't already had 9 other similar offers from that person today?

                    Think about this: They make their living emailing their list. They only get paid if someone clicks the link. So if they don't get the number of clicks purchased... they have to email again, and again... and again. Often times on the same day.

                    And the emails have to get more and more..... we will just say ... "aggressive" as to not totally slander the solo ad biz. (some of my good friends I have made in this industry are full time solo ad sellers. I'm sorry. But you know it is true). Sometimes getting really "creative" in order to get the click. Sometimes regardless of what your original swipe called for.

                    To take it a bit deeper...

                    Solo ad sellers usually swap emails with other solo ad sellers to replenish their list, who swap with other solo ad sellers, who swap with other solo ad sellers... and so on..

                    So the same names just get past around add infinitum..... Then those same people you are advertising too are also on about 100 other solo's lists and get their inboxed filled with 500 emails a day. Flooded with offer after offer every single day. Because that is the nature of the business of a solo ad seller.

                    They get paid to send "sponsored" emails to their list. If they don't email.. they dont get paid. It is what they must do. I get it.

                    SO WHAT TO DO INSTEAD???


                    Great question!

                    Buy solos from people who don't do it for a living! Simple.

                    I hear so many people saying they can never find solo ad groups that have lists for their specific niche outside of IM.

                    Well this solves that. I guarantee you not in a million years could you run out of places to get solo's in ANY niche you want, VIRTUALLY UNTAPPED and dirt cheap!

                    Here is just a short list of where you can buy solo's that the list is not beat to death and dirt cheap:
                    1. Product Creators: Someone who has just sold a product has a FRESH BUYERS LIST. They are likely still excited about what they just purchased and if the product did it's job, they are still opening every email they creator sends. What you then get is a highly engaged list that the sender already has their full attention and trust, and more likely believe the recommendation. Much more than say someone who recommends something new to their list every 4 hours. Doesn't hold as much weight
                    2. Blog owners: There are thousands of new blogs created a day. Lots of them get pretty popular. Most have no idea how to monetize them... if at all. Lots of hobby bloggers who would spitup their cookies if you offered them $50 to mail to their 50,000 subscribers/fans. Majority of these new blogs know nothing past adsense. You will be a godsend to them. (this is similar to the old but effective method of finding people on youtube who make these viral videos with 5 million view and zero monetization. They just do it for fun and passion. WE LOVE THESE PEOPLE)
                    3. Forum owners: Similar to the above. Most forums are driven out of passion and have no real monetization. Email the webmaster with a similar offer. Only takes one before you have a massive result to untapped audiences
                    4. Popular Facebook pages: See above
                    5. Popular Twitter Profiles: Same thing here
                    6. Amazon Best Selling Authors: ok there are tens and thousands of authors in any niche imaginable in amazon. Same with the blogs, most just write for passion. Couldn't you offer a small link in the back of the book for $50. That is a permanent placement. Not a onetime email shot.

                    THIS ONE I AM THROWING IN AS A BONUS


                    Direct mail: I can see you already gasping! How expensive right? Not even kind of. What do you usually pay on average for a SOLID email solo click? $0.35 and UP right? You can send fully printed and mail merged postcards to targeted lists for as low as $.44 a postcard.

                    Now think about this before you write it off as more expensive:

                    How likely are you to be the ONLY email in that persons email box that you send that solo to? Probably better chance Nicki Minaj becoming a nun right? The average person gets about 50+ emails per day. and I would probably say double that for anyone reading this on the forum.

                    So it is easy for your solo email to get lost in the sea of madness.

                    Did you know the average here in the US is 2-3 piece of physical mail per day? So the odds of actually getting your postcard delivered on a day where you are the ONLY piece of mail is pretty high.

                    And they HAVE to see it. They have to physically hold your offer in their hands.

                    We are talking 100% open rate! And people save them. Stick them on the fridge. Tell others about it.

                    How many emails do you save a day? How many do you actually go back to?

                    Don't over look direct mail. Try it once. Take that same amount you are about to blow... err... ummm... spend on a solo and just do ONE single mail shot. Compare the results. If it does not at least DOUBLE your control piece for your email ... I will eat my sock.

                    Done now: getting off soapbox. Enjoy
                    imho...
                    As a coach, I think you should have given a balanced argument in your OP... further in your thread, following the comment from l1one, you are indeed having to. On the cautious assumption that your target market is perhaps Newbies... well they're potentially going to take your initial word/OP as Gospel.

                    Originally Posted by l1one View Post

                    I disagree with the conclusions of the OP. If you are buying from a quality solo provider they will be getting fresh leads everyday from multiple sources. They shouldn't be overselling their lists either.

                    You should be asking them how they build their lists and how many clicks they sell on average per day.

                    Moreover, what makes you think mailing post cards is so much better? When I go to the mailbox if it's a card I immediately stick it in file 13. I don't even think twice.

                    At least with an optin you can email them over and over at a nominal cost.

                    Also, there is a lot of scammers in those Facebook and Skype solo groups. There is no accountability.

                    If your in the MMO niche you can go to Udimi where at least there is true arms length feedback. A good refund policy. VERY strong filters are in place as well. Each click is checked against Spamhouse RBL, they are monitored for proxies and they got some other secret sauce going on to monitor for bots.

                    Look there are some dirt bag sellers, but it is wrong to label all professional sellers as bad and abusive to their lists.

                    My opinion is that your not doing your due diligence carefully enough.
                    Absolutely, I agree, and I will be coming back to you for more solos




                    Just my 2c
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    • Profile picture of the author crowsnest7
      Thanks Coach,

      This is a great post with lots of good tips. Which ones have worked the best for you?

      Also, have you had any luck approaching best-selling Amazon authors and offering them $50 to get a link in their book? I might be interested in giving this one a try, but I'm thinking most would ignore my offer. Maybe less money to lesser-known authors.
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  • Profile picture of the author Edwin Torres
    I've been on the hunt trying to find new solo ad sellers. Before I went to purchase I asked them how did they build their list, and they ALL said "I bought solo ads and did adswaps" which is not a good thing.

    I guess I have to keep hunting for people who have built their list through other means.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jim Symonds
    Thanks Coach, for an interesting and thought provoking discussion.

    It gives pause for cause and food for thought about solo ads for sure.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rory Singh
    I've had a bad experience with solo ads and probably won't ever use them. However, this doesn't mean that there aren't any good solo ad providers. I know OP said NOT All providers are bad. But there has to be some good one's out there and people really will have to 'experiment' (and invest) in them long enough to find the 'good' ones.

    Not every marketing method will work for everyone. You have got to find the (1) that works for you personally.

    Work, effort, consistency, focus. skill and belief will be needed for anyone to move forward online.
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  • Profile picture of the author Vinny3001
    In a guessing game according to your experience and in terms of percentage, how many are the good guys vrs the bad guys (50% good solo ad providers x 50% bad solo ad providers for instance)?
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  • Profile picture of the author seogurus
    Solo ads are the not the be all end all of making money on the Internet, but they are an integral part of a balanced advertising portfolio.

    My motto is to skim a little bit of profit from a various list of proven Internet advertising tools...Tools such as solo ads, traffic exchanges, video marketing, and so on.
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  • Profile picture of the author writeaway
    I love the clickbait title

    I also love the advice.

    The bottom line: Focus on targeted buys from people with fresh lists and loyal communities

    Buying from professional sellers will lead to you wasting your time and money
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