Timeless Online Marketing Rules

[Dano77]

Hey guys,

I was watching my early mentor and boss Corey today on an old 2004 DVD to try and get some motivation and borrow some of his energy.

While listening, I came up with these rules, and even pinned them to my board on my wall.

#1. PEOPLE SURF ONLINE FOR SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS NEVER LOOKING TO BUY!

#2. WHATS IN IT FOR ME? WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR ME?
(order form/press release/homepage/newsletter)

#3. GIVE IT TO ME FOR FREE

#4. CREDIBILITY/EDUCATION/INFORMATION, NOTHING FOR SALE INITIALLY.

(NEVER SAY, Products, Buy, Shopping Cart etc..)
DON”T SELL JUST HELP.

#5. DON’T GIVE PEOPLE TOO MANY CHOICES

#6. DON’T SELL MULTIPLE PRODUCTS. SELL 1 – then upsell.

#7. PROVE IT.

#8. GET THEIR MINDSET

#9. UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION (WHY THIS SITE/PRODUCT OVER OTHERS?)

Sorry for the all caps thing, i figured it'd look great that way as a poster for my wall.

Just thought I'd share the ENERGY, enthusiasm and drive my old friend had and pass it on to another generation of online marketers.

Dan

[katiec]

I completely agree with the "Too Many Choices" thing. This is exactly why I can never pick somewhere to go out to eat unless I'm given two or three choices at the most.

[tommen]

Good points!

#3 Give it to me for free: This is why it´s a good idea to have a newsletter with an excellent freebie so you can get people on your list.When they are on the list, it´s time to give useful information and recommendations to your "money-programs".


#5 Don´t give too many choices: This is true at least in blogging.If you give too many options (affiliate program banners), people get confused and do nothing.

[AnnaHamer]

This is EXACTLY what I am trying to do, but I am finding it difficult. I am almost becoming to helpful. Who is going to buy anything when the answers are already there? It is very difficult to get that balance right.

[Dano77]

LOL, Corey was famous for saying something like...

"I want people to buy my product, subscribe to my newsletter, or get off my site and stop wasting my time..."

Truth is too many sites are trying to do too much.

*AND* at the same time... Too many sites are a BLATANT
sales pitch when they should look like an informal letter to the customer that MAY very well have the information free on the page somewhere.

Dan

[Dano77]

AnnaHamer: Classic question...

The answer is this...

The secret ingredient it took me years to learn oh your goonna love this!! Listen to this...

Give them what they need to do... Every bit of "what" you can dig up... All the what to do here, what after that, before that...

BUT..

Sell the "HOW".

That's the secret sauce big internet businesses are built on.

Works in every niche.

[ItsDubC]

I'm having trouble understanding #6. I always thought that the more products you have for sale, the better. Maybe I'm misunderstanding the context

[Dano77]

Ya #6 is sort of a Per page or even per website kinda thing.

Really you should only have one thing they can buy on your home page, then upsell them other products later via email and followups.

This is true of direct sales and ebooks, not shopping cart style sites.

Dan

[AnnaHamer]

Originally Posted by Dano77

AnnaHamer: Classic question...

The answer is this...

The secret ingredient it took me years to learn oh your goonna love this!! Listen to this...

Give them what they need to do... Every bit of "what" you can dig up... All the what to do here, what after that, before that...

BUT..

Sell the "HOW".

That's the secret sauce big internet businesses are built on.

Works in every niche.

Got ya! Penny is well and truly dropping. Going to write content to my hearts content, but sell products that they can actually do what I am talking about.(If I can find them) with an affiliate program.
So If I am doing a niche about bench building I give them the plans the tips, but sell them the wood and tools..Love it.

[Dano77]

That's one way of looking at it...

In the info business... Like say selling plans for a birdhouse...

You might give away different types of seed that will attract various types of birds, or discuss the correct type of wood, or the correct style of house vs another style...

OR even offer placement tips and where you should put it in your yard, near trees, in the shade etc for maximum birdwatching...

BUT... The plans are $9.95 for example.

[Bayo]

The sample and powerful stuff is so easy and underutilized, that its become the Internet Marketing 'Secrets' we're sold everyday

Good post.

[AnnaHamer]

Originally Posted by Dano77

That's one way of looking at it...

In the info business... Like say selling plans for a birdhouse...

You might give away different types of seed that will attract various types of birds, or discuss the correct type of wood, or the correct style of house vs another style...

OR even offer placement tips and where you should put it in your yard, near trees, in the shade etc for maximum birdwatching...

BUT... The plans are $9.95 for example.

Do you know where I can get products and not ebooks for my site? Everything is getting there, I know what I want to do I just can't find the products to monetize

[Dano77]

PM me the market you're trying to target and maybe I can brainstorm some ideas or send some suggestions your way.

I'd hate to expose great ideas to your market and have someone run with them on you.

Dan

[MitchL]

Originally Posted by AnnaHamer

Do you know where I can get products and not ebooks for my site? Everything is getting there, I know what I want to do I just can't find the products to monetize

Hello Anna,

This is my first post in the forum, just browsing around you know.

I think what you need to do is find a product first, then build around that.

Mitch

ps: just finding my feet in the sea of information in the forum - forgive me if I missed the point

[jamawebinc]

Originally Posted by Dano77

AnnaHamer: Classic question...

The answer is this...

The secret ingredient it took me years to learn oh your goonna love this!! Listen to this...

Give them what they need to do... Every bit of "what" you can dig up... All the what to do here, what after that, before that...

BUT..

Sell the "HOW".

That's the secret sauce big internet businesses are built on.

Works in every niche.

I started a thread on this awhile back. Actually a couple of threads to hear differing opinions. It had to do with the "newest" saying that has permeated over the past couple of years (and I have it in quotes because it's not really new) is to "move the free line."

Some people swear that many gurus are giving away a ton of "How To" info not just "What?" info. And many of them lambasted me for suggesting the free line isn't all it's cracked up to be.

I had direct contact with a very well known successful info marketer who told me the following in a private email. And it's an exact quote.

----
The key in info-publishing is in not giving away "how to" - or in strategically giving it away as it's a very small piece of what they get when they buy.

Despite all the talk about "moving the bar on free" - without exception, everyone I've met who does this pays a heavy price.

Those who promote this concept do so because they want YOU to perceive that THEY are giving away free content. They are - but it's NOT "how to." It's only "what." And there's a big difference between HOW and WHAT.
----

So take from that what you may. But I found it very interesting.

[jamawebinc]

Originally Posted by Dano77

Hey guys,

I was watching my early mentor and boss Corey today on an old 2004 DVD to try and get some motivation and borrow some of his energy.

While listening, I came up with these rules, and even pinned them to my board on my wall.

#1. PEOPLE SURF ONLINE FOR SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS NEVER LOOKING TO BUY!

I know Corey's stuff very well. I'm not convinced on #1 on today's internet. I know I have, many times, gone online specifically to buy something.

When I was sick I was looking to buy a book, or an ebook to help me get better.

I do look online specifically to buy things like electronics, books, airline tickets, etc.