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Why is the answer to both of the above no? Simple
- they don't match your target market. Your target market should
consist of people who not only need your product or service, but
also have the wherewithal to pay for it.
Does the Internet have this same requirement?
Sure - while the Internet is worldwide and covers most of the globe,
it is probably more important to find your target market there than
anyplace else.
Most places you might advertise in don't have
detailed demographics on their visitors or readers. Some companies
are trying to get this information, but it is a long uphill battle
as most people are unwilling to give out personal information on
the web. This is one instance where you have to use some common
sense. While you may not have detailed demographics available, there
are some things you can do to sharpen the focus a bit. If you were
selling a health product geared toward older people, you can automatically
rule out the "kiddie sites" or ones that appeal to a young crowd
such as the sites where you download free music.
Web Sites or Newsletters that specialize in
humor are normally a "no-no" as the grind of getting two or three
jokes out a day, will guarantee that they will publish some that
will offend somebody. It is also one of the least targeted. Don't
get me wrong here. Humor has its place as long as it is in good
taste, is not offensive, and is part of a publication that reaches
a specific group.
So, using some common sense, you identify either
some web sites where you can place an ad, or a newsletter that appears
to cater to your potential client base.
The next step is tracking your results. This
is where many budding entrepreneurs miss the boat. There are a number
of ways to track where your inquiries are coming from. Probably
the easiest is to give an email address which is unique to that
ad. If you have your own domain, you most likely have unlimited
aliases that all come to the same email address. AOL gives you multiple
email addresses, and if all else fails, get yourself a supply of
free email addresses.
You can also use the web to help in your tracking.
Designing a unique form, which sends you an email for each ad someone
responds to, is not an overwhelming task. You can build a keyword
right into the form, that the person filling it out will never see,
that lets you know exactly where they saw the ad.
Newsletters are a good choice. If a newsletter
has been around for awhile, and has a decent number of subscribers,
they are doing something right. If your ad is not pulling, odds
are either you are in the wrong target market, or have a crummy
ad.
The first mistake someone might make is confusing
subscribers with potential customers. One newsletter with 500,000
subscribers may produce minimal results, while another with only
a thousand or so, may produce a lot. Here is where you have to determine
if the newsletter you are considering is reaching your target market.
If it is, and you have a decent product or service, which is affordable
to those you are trying to reach, you will do business.
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