This Common Mistake Could be Costing You Thousands

[Nido]

Hi Warriors,

I just wanted to share with you a common mistake many folks do when marketing online. It's a mistake of leaving money on the table because of mis-understanding of the internet is all about.


Sometime early last year, I was sitting in a table having lunch with Dan Kennedy and some of his platinum members (I'm not a DK platinum member, I was the marketing implementer for one for 2 years...going to DK platinum was one of many perks that came with my work. Dan was talking about how many people view the internet as a business rather than what it really is which is a MEDIA to give your message and drive traffic.

Think about it.

I'm sure most of you heard of Kennedy's Message/Market/Match (aka Media) model and if you're only focusing on the internet as your sole media, you my friend are leaving a lot of money in the table.

Yes, Internet is alot cheaper than most other medias to market in but the internet doesn't necessarily bring better prospects then say offline marketing.

Let's say you used a postcard to get somone to your site. The person would have to read your letter, get to his computer, and type in your URL to see what you're all about. They are more likely to spend time on your site and find out more about you then say a prospect that got to your site with a simple click....and leave the same way too.

Plus, you're more likely to have NO competition in certain medias then the thousands you're competing against online. Try classifieds, Free Recorded Msgs, Magazines, Direct Mail, and if you can afford it, why not Radio, TV (ex. Crazy Fox ads on making money online), Free Seminars...just to name few.

And like everything else....TEST....TEST....TES

Do you guys think this is a VALID point? Did anyone test Online vs another media and would like to share their resutl?

Thanks Warriors

[Matt Maiden]

Originally Posted by Nido

The person would have to read your letter, get to his computer, and type in your URL to see what you're all about.

Have you seen those infomercials that are selling you a complete system for making money on the Internet and talk about the power of the Internet and how "you too can be making money using the incredible technolgy that the Internet has to offer".

Then they have you go to your phone and call in your order.

Matt

[TLTheLiberator]

True, the net is just one way to reach your prospects.

And it's darn cheap and tests very ultra-quickly.

How much is a postcard these days vs. free traffic from the search engines or spreading your content all over the net with the use of submitters?

After folks start making good money then they can test offline sources I guess.

TL

[Anthony Stillwell]

Matt,

LOL, I never thought of it that way.

Why not just send people to their website to order right?

Anthony

[Matt Maiden]

I understand what Nido was saying about the amount of commitment that someone has by the time they end up at your site, but it's also a problem to expect that much.

You want to eliminate extraneous steps from offer to purchase.

[Kenneth Fox]

Originally Posted by Anthony Stillwell

Matt,

LOL, I never thought of it that way.

Why not just send people to their website to order right?

Anthony

I would think they do this because the conversions and opportunity for a live person to up sell you over the phone vs. web is much greater. I don't have any statistics on this but that would be my guess.

[Mark Kaye]

Anything that the infomercials on TV do is probably what everyone should be doing....after all they are moving a TON of product!

[Matt Maiden]

Hey Mark,

Some of those products are loss leaders. Like Kenneth said they are getting you on the phone to get as much information as possible and then they will up sell you on a "special limited time upgrade right now" while you still have your credit card in hand.

[Bryan Kumar]

Nido,

While I do agree with your core message...that there are many great offline marketing resources available to us...

Originally Posted by Nido

I'm sure most of you heard of Kennedy's Message/Market/Match (aka Media) model and if you're only focusing on the internet as your sole media, you my friend are leaving a lot of money in the table.

I'd say that depends on the individual's business model, available resources, as well as lifestyle. Oh, and interest.

Sure, there are many great offline resources available to us.

But, if you only want to spend X amount of hours on your business, and you're happy with the results you're getting from putting all of the alloted hours online, I don't see a problem.

Also, if you have no interest in offline marketing and/or prefer and enjoy what you're doing online, why make things less pleasant, unless you have exhaused all the online marketing possibilities (is that possible?) and still need another way to increase your income.

If you enjoy offline methods or can automate (outsource) stuff that you don't want to do yourself, then it makes sense. Otherwise, I wouldn't want to add more moving parts to my business model unless I really have to.

Originally Posted by Nido

Yes, Internet is alot cheaper than most other medias to market in but the internet doesn't necessarily bring better prospects then say offline marketing.

Again, that depends. If it would cost me less time, effort, and money to get to the same number (and quality) of offline customers than I can get online, then it would make sense to tap offline resources. Otherwise, I wouldn't want to.

Originally Posted by Nido

Plus, you're more likely to have NO competition in certain medias then the thousands you're competing against online. Try classifieds, Free Recorded Msgs, Magazines, Direct Mail, and if you can afford it, why not Radio, TV (ex. Crazy Fox ads on making money online), Free Seminars...just to name few.

If your existing online profit model is not working and/or you'd like to add existing profit pillars to your model, then go for it.

Don't do it just coz everyone keeps saying "you gotta go offline, you gotta go offline."

First, clearly define what YOUR business model - and ideal lifestyle - is.

Originally Posted by Nido

And like everything else....TEST....TEST....TES

Yes! Find what's working for you and do more of that. Chuck the other stuff. (Or put it aside for later review, depending on future need, interest, etc.)

Originally Posted by TLTheLiberator

True, the net is just one way to reach your prospects.

And it's darn cheap and tests very ultra-quickly.

How much is a postcard these days vs. free traffic from the search engines or spreading your content all over the net with the use of submitters?

After folks start making good money then they can test offline sources I guess.

Yes. And only if they want to improve on existing results.

Originally Posted by Matthew Maiden

Have you seen those infomercials that are selling you a complete system for making money on the Internet and talk about the power of the Internet and how "you too can be making money using the incredible technolgy that the Internet has to offer".

Then they have you go to your phone and call in your order.

Sounds crazy, doesn't it? Especially if you're an online marketer.

This is where it helps to know who you're targeting.

You can assume that most people watching the ad (informercial) on tv have a phone and are familar with using it.

You can't assume that they've ordered online before or even have an Internet connection. (Also, since it's a product about 'how to make money online,' you can assume that a good number of the target audience may not yet be IM-savvy or be comfortable ordering online.)

Asking them to pick up the phone and call makes more sense.

Originally Posted by Matthew Maiden

Some of those products are loss leaders. Like Kenneth said they are getting you on the phone to get as much information as possible and then they will up sell you on a "special limited time upgrade right now" while you still have your credit card in hand.

True. Or, their business model may include a monthly/continuity program that they'd try to convince you to upgrade to.

Bryan

[Nido]

Matt: No, I can't say I've seen the Ad you're reffering to. But I'll Def. Look out for it.

Anthony: I'm sure the reason they want you to call (instead of just giving you their URL) is because they wanna upsell so you on bigger products and having a live sales person there is the best way to do it.

[Nido]

Thanks Bryan....You def. hit on some very important points

[JohnMcCabe]

Originally Posted by Nido

Matt: No, I can't say I've seen the Ad you're referring to. But I'll Def. Look out for it.

Nido, the ad Matt is referring to features a cartoon fox plugging a co-op lead gathering service. The "opportunity" is validated by a bunch of over-caffeinated people chirping how they just called the number and now they're making thousands of dollars a month with their own (unspecified) business.

The one that gets me is the guy who looks dead on into the camera and urps "I called, and my goal this month is $20,000!!"

Well, I didn't call, and my goal is $50K! So there!

If it runs like some of the leads programs I was in some years ago, part of the reason for the phone call is to record the number via caller ID. In the old days, the number on the screen rotated among a number of pre-recorded opportunity pitches and tried to get the caller to leave contact info. If they didn't, you still got the caller ID info so you could call them back.

Anyone taking business or career advice from a cartoon animal deserves their fate...

[Nido]

John, Thanks...I've seen that AD so many times. I really really hate that stupid AD to be honest with you. I think it's successful because I see it all the time...but honestly, Having a fox as your spokes person??? C'mon!

[kf]

Great points Bryan. Also, the immediacy of the phone call allows them to test which markets and times are working best for them.

And all the ads require immediate action. Built-in scarcity --- time-limited offer. Almost all those shows have a clock ticking.

Hmmm. Does that all sound familiar? Which came first here --- the chicken or the egg? The online world didn't create any of these tactics, nor do we (always) do them best.

Originally Posted by Bryan Kumar

Nido,

This is where it helps to know who you're targeting.

You can assume that most people watching the ad (informercial) on tv have a phone and are familar with using it.

You can't assume that they've ordered online before or even have an Internet connection. (Also, since it's a product about 'how to make money online,' you can assume that a good number of the target audience may not yet be IM-savvy or be comfortable ordering online.)

Asking them to pick up the phone and call makes more sense.

Bryan

Nido. Not disagreeing with you and your main point - that the Internet is just the medium.

Anyone interested in reading more on 'medium is the message' could look into Marshall McLuhan.

But back to Bryan --- I agree with your points on what you want 'your' business to look like. Everyone's end goal is different and leaving money on the table may translate into less headaches or been-there, done-that for some.