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Need help with an idea / business

by btyiw
13 replies
I currently have a web site which collects leads and calls from potential sellers on craigslist looking to unload their goods, specifically electronics. Similar to a pawn shop with the exception, we offer cash for their goods, but the sale is final with no holding onto items.

I outsourced the emailing process of collecting leads from sellers on craigslist and sent an email blast to all potential customers with a generic message offering to purchase their product then provided them with a website to get more information.

Here comes the issue, out of the few thousand potential customers, I received one call and a few visits to the site. What do you think the issue can be? Email copy? Website copy? Etc?

Give me as much feedback and direction as you can so I can refine this... thanks!
#business #idea
  • Profile picture of the author jamesrich1
    They do not trust you. Also, email open rate for a good marketer is 10%. Keep testing your subject and your email body copy. You might have better luck with voice broadcasting.
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    • Profile picture of the author btyiw
      Originally Posted by jamesrich1 View Post

      They do not trust you. Also, email open rate for a good marketer is 10%. Keep testing your subject and your email body copy. You might have better luck with voice broadcasting.
      Thanks for the suggestion, the voice broadcasting might help drive even more traffic and leads. I'm definitely going to look into this.
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  • Profile picture of the author maddyy
    Try using videos!
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  • Profile picture of the author rusty1027
    I don't understand something - you've outsourced collecting their emails then you send out an email blast - wouldn't you do much better if that first contact was an actual offer of their product?
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  • Profile picture of the author stoltingmediagroup
    It's difficult to answer whether part of the issue might be your email copy or website copy without seeing samples of either, however, based on the end result mentioned in your post, an educated guess would be that a large percentage of your email blast ended up in spam folders, (unread), (the delivery rate was low) and from the few emails that did make it through to peoples inboxes, only a few recipients actually opened it and read it, (the open rate) and from those few, even less actually clicked on your links, (click through rate) and from those few, you were left with the end result as per your post. (conversion rate). Learn how to track and analyze the first 3 rates, (be able to answer how many emails bounced, were delivered, opened, read, and clicked on, then you will know what to improve on, resulting in a better conversion rate.
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    • Profile picture of the author btyiw
      Originally Posted by stoltingmediagroup View Post

      It's difficult to answer whether part of the issue might be your email copy or website copy without seeing samples of either, however, based on the end result mentioned in your post, an educated guess would be that a large percentage of your email blast ended up in spam folders, (unread), (the delivery rate was low) and from the few emails that did make it through to peoples inboxes, only a few recipients actually opened it and read it, (the open rate) and from those few, even less actually clicked on your links, (click through rate) and from those few, you were left with the end result as per your post. (conversion rate). Learn how to track and analyze the first 3 rates, (be able to answer how many emails bounced, were delivered, opened, read, and clicked on, then you will know what to improve on, resulting in a better conversion rate.
      The email copy was very generic and something I put together in less than a minute. Yes, I know I should have spent some more time on it but the creative juices weren't flowing at that time.

      I'm thinking combination of email and website copy could have possibly killed any potential leads.
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      • Profile picture of the author sethdrebitko
        You might do better with a more down to earth website. These are just folks trying to offload their stuff and they might be receptive to what they think is a real person.

        In fact why do you even need a website to buy their things instead of just automating offers? The way I see your funnel is this:
        1. Find someone who already wants to sell things and is waiting for offers.
        2. Convince them to visit a website that explains why they want to sell things (which they already want to do) and then fill out a form.
        3. Then you make the offer.

        Instead why not try:
        1. Finding someone who wants to sell something.
        2. Make and offer.
        3. Upsell the potential of other purchases.
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        • Profile picture of the author LilBlackDress
          Is your business model like Gazelle? If so I would try to see how they are doing their marketing and promotion and follow that lead. They seem very trusted and respected. I have used them with good results.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jeff Burritt
    Banned
    Probably be easier to tell if you felt comfortable posting link to your site. Just a thought.
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    • Profile picture of the author btyiw
      Originally Posted by Jeff Burritt View Post

      Probably be easier to tell if you felt comfortable posting link to your site. Just a thought.
      www(.)cash-for-phone(.)org
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  • Profile picture of the author danaipan
    try using some testimonials too!!
    They don't know you, so they don't trust you. as far as they are concerned you might me just another scam.
    Show some proof of your work and don't give up.
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    • Profile picture of the author btyiw
      Originally Posted by danaipan View Post

      try using some testimonials too!!
      They don't know you, so they don't trust you. as far as they are concerned you might me just another scam.
      Show some proof of your work and don't give up.
      Good suggestion, probably lacking the use of testimonials, thus the trust in service.
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  • Profile picture of the author KickAss Marketing
    It's probably more of a trust issue. Most of the recipients of your emails/advertising materials might have though of it as some scam.

    I suggest that you deviate from the generic messages and try to make more customized messages/materials for each customer. Also, take some measures to earn more credentials that you could include in your messages so the potential customers would be more urged to take the "bait".
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