|
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. |