Problem with customers taking action

Thanks for your input, Al. I think that we do offer a good service and pay above average payments though. We don't have any customer complaints. My question was basically, how do we remind these customers to return their package? With this type of business model, would businesses include like a bonus incentive with an expiry date to create urgency? Or reminder email?

I agree with you on the fact that many people would not use this service, but I don't think it needs too much thought to decide whether or not you want to send in your jewelry to a website. I would imagine that this would be one of the first things going through a customer's mind.

We've sent customers reminder emails after a few weeks before, and that noticeably increased return rate. I would just like to know how I can streamline this process, or if there's a more traditional approach.

It's not just that sales tend to be in the 8-15 attempt, but a person is in a different mood, every day. Personally, I would have an excuse to e-mail them every day or two. And then make a phone call maybe 2 weeks in. Why so soon? Because interests fade. Needs change.

Have you ever had a relative call you, saying they need $500? Do they still call you a month later? No. Why? The need goes away, or they find another source. But either way, it happens quickly.

I'm assuming they needed to sell their jewelry, because they needed money now. We may be interesting in marketing information, or books on marketing..for years. But imagine you are thinking of selling your family's jewelry, to raise fast cash...how long will that need last? Until the impulse goes away, or that need disappears.

These "I need money for a ..." needs, may go away quickly. Of course, test. But I'm guessing that there is a point, where the results of further contacts drops off to almost nothing.

And, let's be honest, this is an impulse decision.. It isn't a studied financial decision. So, the faster it can get done, the better. I might even use that as the appeal in the e-mails.

Anyway, I'm reading Predictable Revenue: Turn Your Business Into a Sales Machine with the $100 Million Best Practices of Salesforce.com....(on your recommendation) because hearing "sales tend to be in the 8-15 attempt"...still drives me crazy. I need context, so I can sleep at night.


I would think that this would be your most productive list. I've never been able to come close with any other list, even referrals. I wonder if the OP can get lists of buyers of other such services...payday loans, car title loans, gambling systems. I bet there is a lot of crossover.


Added later; My single best cold calling list, when selling in people's homes...was a list of Finance Company customers, that were going to pay off within 90 days. We financed through that company. I wasn't allowed to mention how I got the name, or that I knew they had a loan with the company. Those were the conditions. About half of the names bought from me. I don't mean half of the people I presented to bought. I mean half the list bought. Nearly everyone I presented to, on that list, bought. And of course, the financing approvals were guaranteed. Literally, 100 cold calls (I wouldn't let anyone else do them. Just me) generated 50 sales or so. It was a vein of gold lasting about a year.

The reason it stopped is because the manager got fired. These customers were supposed to be called by him, to sell another loan. Of course, I was really doing his work for him, gladly. And the home office noticed that every new loan from their paid out customers was for the same amount of money. Oh well.

Mr. Whitacre, first of all thank you for the compliment, means a lot.

I will say I read over this post a number of times. All of my years in online development has lead me to focusing primarily on CRO ( Conversion Rate Optimization ) My very first gut response to this was the numbers were wrong. 60% yeah right.. of all the people that clicked that were interested maybe. BUT even going through and reading once again I get the impression that they are CLOSING 60% of everyone that clicks an ad.

Honestly hard number to put your mind around.. and THEN to read that they are at a break even point financially with THAT conversion rate. Honestly a even harder number to get your head around. There simply comes a point when you are trying to squeeze juice from a dehydrated piece of fruit. with enough pressure you may get that last little drop... but to expect 10 15 or 20% more... I am just not seeing it.

Given the numbers at a face value there is obviously nothing wrong with the traffic source, there is nothing wrong with the offer, there is nothing wrong with the conversion. What is wrong is the expense of traffic vs the leeway for profit. IF your business model REQUIRES you to convert 80 90 and100% to obtain profit.. you simply are kidding yourself.

The above solution ( previous post ) I will personally GUARANTEE will reduce your overall offer conversion, but will increase the number that do convert to follow through the process. Is this really an answer to the problem at hand and the answer is no. The problem is deeper than how many convert.

The issue is the expense of the conversion. I would whole heartedly suggest you get your data gathered up in a manor that represents every term and its cost, The number of clicks at each cost, the number of commitments at each cost, and finally the number of conversions ( package sent, and metal received ) and sit down and analyze the living crap out of it.

We are talking having an accountant look over this. finding that PPC guy that optimizes return for a living. Someone with experience and knowledge in online conversion cost, that can point out the ever elusive magic number.

Whats the magic number you ask? The number where expense is delivering a return. ( max cost of spend on PPC ) You may have terms that are so expensive no matter how well you convert you may never see return. you may have terms where the conversion is so low, it is only building your average cost. Again, you need to start looking at the whole picture one piece at a time.

I really don't know about the OP's experience with PPC... but I would suggest getting a real good understanding of the matrix within Google that ultimately determines the cost of a click. They are looking for CONTENT and CONTEXT match. The keyword a user types vs the keyword usage on the landing page. ( this assists in "quality Score" )

A solid PPC campaign is not a multitude of terms all pointed at a single page. It should be landing pages that match terms. ( the exception being the ability for dynamic keyword insertion )

Instead of hearing all this crap from me maybe a link to an article is in order: You're Doing AdWords Wrong (Here's How to Make It Right) a slight bit dated.. but still very relevant.