Using CIM's For Lead Generation

Central Internet Markets like eBay are very good lead generators. Here are two examples of how you can use CIM's as lead generators in question and answer format.


Selling High Quality Jewelry Online


QUESTION: Dear David -- Thanks for the e-Bay secrets book..I must admit for the price it is a wealth of information..and I can tell you really "got bloody" out there doing this..so no smoke and mirrors like some publications..

Question ??

I want to sell ... jewelry items...any suggestions other than (e-Bay) for possible auction sites..the jewelry is high end..and I notice most eBay auctions are under $25..I'm hoping for about a $250 price point here..very nice/high quality/collector type of merchandise..would cost $450+ in most retail stores.. (
the question has been edited to conceal the identity of the subscriber's source)


ANSWER: In general, if you're looking to sell a quality item--- with a higher price tag, you can go two ways:

1) Sell the item to targeted list of people who buy high quality jewelry. Look at SRDS for current list availability or go to www.edithroman.com.

or...

2) Sell a *lower priced* lead generation item such as an Irish Pin, Brooch, ring, etc ($1-$10) then use that list of buyers to sell the more expensive items.

My suggestion is to use the "2 step" method in #2: Start with a lower priced item as a lead generator...then up-sell. Your success rate will depend on the copy you use to sell the higher priced item and how well you have generated
qualified leads for it.

There are certainly many other ways to sell in this manner- but eBay is still a very good one and relatively low-cost. You can try other CIM's (Central Internet Markets), but the lead-generation technique is the best way to go. And eBay is still the "King" of CIM's. They get more traffic and have more users than anyone else.

You can also try Yahoo and Amazon z-shops. Start with the low-priced Pin or Brooch (even if you sell them at a small *loss*- the names and addresses you capture and the upsell will put you in profits. Just make sure you capture all the names and addresses of the buyers in a database. Then immediately (within 2-3 days) follow-up with each one to sell them the higher priced items. Use tight, personal copy and a color photo with each letter. If that proves t be too expensive... send out the letter and refer potential buyers to a web site page with more information, a color photo (jpg) and ordering information.

There is a very simple principle at work here: People are more willing to buy something similar to what they have just bought. People who just bought a book on cooking are more likely to buy the next offer they receive about a cook book; People who buy gold jewelry are more likely to buy more gold jewelry, etc...

Anyway, that's my two cents....eBay used to be a great place to sell items of questionable value for high prices- now it's much better used as a lead generator. If you didn't have a chance to download the update to eBay Secrets, you can now at: http://epublishingetc.com/downloads/secrets.pdf


Generating Traffic To Your Web Site Using CIM's

QUESTION: I would like to see info on how to use eBay to "sell" free ebooks. In other words to generate traffic. You have hinted at doing this. But I have not seen specific details. eBay Secrets does not get into this exactly either. I think this would be useful as I understand you have used this technique to generate traffic to your sites in the past. Just an idea. - John G.

ANSWER: Thanks for the question John. Here goes:

You have an eBook you want to sell- but you also want to generate traffic to your web site. But you did some research and most of the ebooks on eBay sell for less than $20 and yours is $49.95, $69.95, $99.95 or more.

Here's what you do: Create a 'mini' version of your book...a 5-20 page "report" in the same subject of your larger work. You put it up for sale on eBay for .01 cent because eBay does not allow "Free" items to be listed.

If your copy is good in the listing and you have a Title for your listing that is enticing, curiosity arousing or outrageous...people will click on your title and read your sales copy.

Once they do, be sure that you engage them...be personal...honest and make them curious.

Throughout the copy you can mention you Web Site's URL... if people are interested in what you're offering many will click on the link to your web site to get more info.

At that point you have several options.

One suggestion is to have a special page set-up welcoming visitors who clicked on your link on eBay. Something like this:

Thank You For Visiting My Site- eBay Visitor!

Then you close your sale for the 'free ebook'. Make sure you have a form on the same page they can fill out with their name, address, zip and email. Send them the free ebook or report or whatever you created as a lead generator.

Now, some people will just bid on your report on eBay and never visit your site...others will go immediately.

A second suggestion is to set up your 'eBay Welcome' page on your web site with some strong sales copy...and an ordering link. You'll get traffic from eBay...and you close the sale on your web site.

By the way...eBay hates this...they do not like to have sales take place 'outside' their site...well duh!

If they close down your auction... (which I doubt they will, but you never know) there's a third way you can still generate leads...but not direct traffic to your site.

Use the same method #1 above: Create a listing, a good title, and sell a 'report' for .01 cent on eBay with NO links back to your web site. eBay can't complain.

After the close of the auction, collect the name, address and email of the winning bidders and send the reports to them. A few days later, follow-up with an email, letter or whatever and offer your bidders the "full" report or book for the $59, $69, etc higher price. Of course the 'free report' you sent them also includes an offer to 'upgrade' to the higher priced report, too.

Once you have the leads coming in from eBay on a regular basis it will become automatic.

It's a pretty simple system and it works.

I've often mentioned that generating leads for your business can be very expensive, especially if your advertising in print space. The first time I used this technique on eBay I generated 7 leads per listing at a cost of just 30 cents. That's right 30 cents for EVERY 7 leads! 70 leads= .90 cents, 700 leads= $30! ...That's less than 5 cents each!

When I followed up with each lead and I closed 20% of the leads with a product that I sold for $240.

Here's the "Formula" in numbered order:

1. Create an 'eBook' or 'eBooklet' educating people about your product or service or create a "report' that's a mini version of the book you're really selling;

2. List it on eBay in the appropriate categories at a nominal opening bid and put a link back to your website;

3. Collect the 'qualified' leads (name, address and email) and then follow-up with them to sell them your full book, manual, course, etc.

I'm currently running a 'blind' ad on eBay for a 'free' report using one of my eBay ID's (I have 4 separate ID's) -- the up-sell is an info package/course I'm selling. You can see the ad at: eBay ID=
Online-auctions

A 'blind' ad is simply one that doesn't reveal what the opportunity is. But you'll also notice that I don't include a link back to a web page. I'm testing it to see if I generate more leads than if I put the web page link in the copy. We'll see :-)


A Potentially VERY HOT Seller On eBay, Flea Markets and Gift Shops

Not Currently Being Sold On eBay!!

Here's a product that has a great deal of potential, on eBay...but also at flea markets, in garage sales, and local gift shops:

Jitter Rings. I'd never heard of then until I saw a post at Dien Rice's excellent forum,
Seeds of Wisdom that mentioned them.

Take a look at the web site of this company:
http://www.jittermax.com/

They have several wholesale distributors in the US and I contacted Greg Solomon in Florida (preston01@juno.com). Greg got back to me right away and gave me some more details:

"The rings are packaged in case lots of 24 rings per case. Single case
price is $216.00/case plus shipping. Multiple (2 or more) case price is
$192.00 plus shipping. Retail pricing from $14.00 to $19.95. These are
the original Jitter Rings which you will be purchasing direct from the
manufacturer.

I am presently awaiting our next shipment to arrive from Taiwan within
the next couple of weeks. Since there will be a slight delay until I can
fill your order please accept a copy of the newest Jitter Ring video that
I am sending you. The video has some pretty incredible stuff on it.
Show it to the neighborhood kids and they will beg you for the rings."

I haven't go the video yet- but I bet it's cool. I'll let you know as soon as I get it.

I think he's right. This could be the next hot toy in the US and kids will go crazy over it- when they see it in ACTION.

Jump on this one-- even if they don't sell on eBay- show them to a few gift stores in your area and you could be doing a nice wholesale business supplying them to the stores.

- DV


Entire Contents © Copyright 2001 by David Vallieres. All rights reserved.