off-line -> on-line question

[SageSound]

I've got a couple of ads coming out in a business directory shortly where I make an offer for some free information "($47 value)".

These are little 2" square ads.

I only give a short url in the ad, like "mydomain.com/abc"

Each ad uses a different part after the slash (eg., 'abc' and 'x123') so I can track the response rates from each ad.

The URL is actually just a redirect.

The actual sales page will show an info product with a price of $47.

I want to capture their name and email, but I can do that when they pick up the product. So I don't really need them to land on a "squeeze page". But ... I do need a way to thank them for responding to the ad and tell them how to get the item for free, eg, include a URL or button they need to click that has a discount code included.

I'd also like to have a simple poll where they click one of 5 radio buttons before they continue. (I don't want to share the results with them, tho.)

I'm wondering ... for anybody who's done anything like this -- driving off-line traffic to an on-line offer for a free info product -- what sorts of issues have you run into?

Are there any particular factors I need to focus on?

Anything that works well or things I should definitely avoid?

Thanks
-David

[HarrisonJ]

I would not use the /abc as part of the domain url in the ad. Just put the exact domain name, or buy another domain name and redirect that to your landing page, as I bet your response rate will be higher if you just put an exact .com domain. I wouldn't put a poll, just put an email optin in exchange for some free information.

[ebtek]

Originally Posted by HarrisonJ

I would not use the /abc as part of the domain url in the ad. Just put the exact domain name, or buy another domain name and redirect that to your landing page, as I bet your response rate will be higher if you just put an exact .com domain. I wouldn't put a poll, just put an email optin in exchange for some free information.

+1

ive heard people think of using stuff like virtual directory or mn=123 at the end of the url for tracking sources, but for the price of a domain, you'd be better off buying a few relivant domain names

[RentItNow]

I've thought to do this as well to understand WHO my customer is more. I think AWEBER is capable of this.

[kendrickyi]

yeah, maybe it'll be better to simply get another domain name to redirect them.

i think a short ad in a business directory would work the same way as google ads? you have to come up with a short headline that attracts attention and a subheadline that makes them wanna go to your website.

i don't know. that's my assumption. never tried this method before in the classified ads. i've seen it done before by one or two companies but i can't remember how they did it.

(anyway their strategy wasn't very effective on me lol)