Internet Marketing

I Help Businesses, So I’m A Prostitute

That’s what I was just called by someone in a Facebook group. She said: “Even prostitutes get paid when they put out. Just sayin. :)”

WHAT?

Here’s the context. I posted this question in two different Facebook groups: “Has anyone here ever given a course or seminar to local businesses about how to sell their products on Amazon?” (Both the groups, by the way, are support groups for online retailers. And I’ve spoken at several conferences about online selling, ecommerce, and Amazon.)

I then explained that the opportunity had come up locally and that while I would not be paid directly I saw it as a way to promote my ecommerce expertise while sharing valuable information. I then asked for advice or tips on how to deliver such a seminar.

The people in Facebook group one – I’ll call it MST – were very helpful and supportive. Loved the idea, gave me examples and tips and suggestions on what to cover.

The people in Facebook group two – which I’ll call ThreeP – were aghast. Why would I train my competition? More to the point, why would I train THEIRS? Why would I help any business sell on Amazon, thereby creating more competition for the businesses who already sell there?

In addition to the prostitute comment, I was told:

“If you don’t care about your own business, at least have some respect for others in your area who will be crushed by this.”

“Obviously it’s an ego thing for you. I think this business is the wrong line of work for you if you need the spotlight… is it worth it to poison the well for others?”

I tried to keep things civil; I had no idea my question would prompt such a negative reaction, and it upset me. (I guess the smiley face at the end of the prostitute comment was supposed to make me feel better, but it didn’t.)

But if I’m to believe the ThreeP people (at least the ones who commented in that thread) – helping a business succeed is not only a stupid thing for me to do, but doing it diminishes their own.

That is so patently stupid… to begin with, they’re in a support group to help each other succeed. If that’s not training your competition, what is? And am I to believe that no doctor or insurance agent or landscaper or whoever should ever train a new employee, because they might maybe someday open up their own business?

And if you expect to be in business without ever encountering any competition, you won’t be in business long.

While that comment upset me, I did get a lot of support from online friends, and I’ve had some time to reflect on it. Here’s what I learned.

First – be careful who you hang out with (online and off). It’s particularly easy for someone to post a rude or unthinking comment online. There’s no personal filter; people say things on Facebook or blog posts that they would never say to someone in person. I feel sorry for the other members of that ThreeP Facebook group; I hope they don’t think that the attitude displayed there is shared by everyone in the industry. And it’s certainly not a group I want to be associated with any longer.

Second – I could not help but think of the attitude toward money displayed in both groups. Rabbi Daniel Lapin (author of “Thou Shall Prosper” and “Biblical Secrets from the Bible”) uses this metaphor. People see money as cake, or as candlelight. If money is cake, then there’s a finite amount, and everyone fights for a bigger piece (or at least a “fair” slice.) If money is candlelight – then sharing it illuminates everyone, and it does not diminish my light at all.

The people in the MST group see money as candlelight; the people in the ThreeP group see it as cake.

Third – humor helps. I intend to use being called a “prostitute” in a humorous way when I can. It’s a great subject line for an email, right? I may even use it in a speech at a conference next week! I like the idea too of turning an insult into something positive.

And I guess I’ll just keep being a prostitute, then. (Hmm, could be fun business cards too!)

Things To Do In Connecticut

If you are planning a trip to Connecticut and you would like to learn first-hand which are some of the most exciting places to visit here, you have reached the right page. Without further ado, here are a few of the highlights of the city and the reasons why they continue to be so popular even today.

The Mystic Seaport – New England’s Reacreation Place

The museum is located over 17 acres on the ex George Greenman & Co Shipyard and its builders have used no less than five dozen historic buildings and four huge ships to recreate old times. The addition of more than 500 small vessels nicely placed along the Mystic River is an extra touch of the Mystic Seaport. Come here and do not walk away without at least admiring the amazing crafts and trades created by traditional handymen. You will find out all about the history of the place with the help of the interpreters there and, as a surprise for most visitors, the whaleboat or ship rescuing live demonstrations will surely keep your spirits high. A smaller museum which plays the role of a children’s playroom can also come in extremely handy for parents travelling with kids. Finally, the seaport itself is composed of a general store, a jail, a boat shop, jail, pharmacy, chapel, sail loft, and a school. If you think you should postpone your trip to Connecticut because you’ve just discovered you have a broken lock somewhere around the house, simply contact the fellows at www.247locksmithservice.com and they should immediately cater to your urgent locksmith needs.

The Wadsworth Museum

This museum was built by Daniel Wadsworth, whose father made a nice fortune off trading, banking, or manufacturing. Daniel married Faith Trumbull, who was the niece of famous artist John Trumbull. The museum itself was constructed on the ground where the family had its home and it was later on taken by Elizabeth Colt, the widow of Samuel Colt; she added a thousand more pieces to the museum when she donated the items that she had bought after selling Colt’s weapons.

Unsolicited Feedback to a Web Design Prospect

I was recently approached by a prospect. After a brief phone conversation, they sent detailed specifications for a website design job, including software preferences, and a checklist of how they’re evaluating web designers. They also told me their budget.

I had LOTS of concerns by this point. The idealistic part of me wanted to tell them what was wrong with their approach and their budget. The practical part of me wanted to just move on to the next client, since they’d already made up their minds.

So I said “No, thank you.”

This is what I wish they’d understood; what I would have liked to have told them.

I think your approach is wrong and it’s woefully underfunded.

Let me use an analogy that might make sense.

Joe wants to go to California – he’s going to a convention, and decides to take his family to Disney World too.

He decides to buy a car for the trip – even though he doesn’t know how far away California IS and what the roads are like.

He decides he needs a BMW, but only has the budget for a Ford Focus.

He doesn’t budget for the trip itself – for gas or oil or meals or hotels.

Based on the evidence I’ve seen so far, your web design committee is doing something similar.

You have two goals (destinations) – more members for your association, and more customers for the members. You’re trying to please two groups of people. What they need, and what it will take to achieve each goal, is very different.

You’ve made a decision that a website – with very specific pages, functions and software – is how to get there, even though there are many ways to use the Internet to reach those goals.

You don’t have the budget for such an extensive site.

Plus you’ve asked me to use directory software that may not be compatible with a content management system such as WordPress. I can’t even find a price for that software – you have to talk to a sales rep to get it. (Remember that old saying, if you have to ask the price, you probably can’t afford it?)

There seems to be no money in the budget to market the site on an ongoing basis. If you want it to be found for all the search terms you mentioned, that does not happen automatically – you need to pay for search engine optimization or advertising. That’s several hundred dollars a month, minimum.

In my professional opinion, you need to back way up. Start over. You should be talking to professional web marketers (not just people who build websites) – and asking questions such as, “We’d like to use the Internet to accomplish these goals. This is our budget. What do you suggest we do?”

I’m afraid that if you don’t, in six months from now you’ll be looking for a “web designer” again, only you’ll be $2000 poorer.

Just in case you’re wondering, I’d suggest a smaller, more focused website and an aggressive Facebook marketing campaign.

Poor Website, Poor Sales – 46% Fewer Customers

What if I told you that improving your website could result in up to 46 percent more customers?

It’s a staggering number, but that’s one way of looking at the results of a survey done last year in the UK by 1&1 Internet. They interviewed 2000 adults, and found that 46 percent of consumers cancelled plans to spend with a business after finding a poor quality website.

Poor Website Poor Sales 37 percent of consumers walked away completely – did not spend any money at all with the company in question. An additional 9 percent chose to spend less.

All because the website was perceived as being of poor quality.

Oliver Mauss, the CEO of 1&1 Internet Ltd. explained that “… keeping an ugly or badly functioning website online can comprise a risk to sales revenue. Consumers have ever higher expectations, and it is essential that every company website inspires confidence.”

34 percent of consumers felt that, in general, the small business websites they see are “tired” and “unimpressive.” 41 percent of consumers find errors such as typos or broken links.

Nearly half of consumers – 49 percent – felt that having a bad website made a worse impression on them than not having a website at all.

(What makes a bad website? Well, if you have to ask, it probably needs at least some improvement. Request a free Web Assessment and I’ll give you some insight.)

If your site is more than a few years old, or if it was cheaply done, there’s a good chance that it’s costing you money. (However, price is no guarantee of performance; I’ve redesigned $10,000 sites that looked “cool” but didn’t get the phone to ring.)

Mauss concluded that “Businesses that invest carefully in their web experience will see higher levels of customer spend, retention and referral.”

Economizing on your website is a false economy, since the risk of driving away prospective customers is so large. A quality website leads to more sales, and some web designers will work with you on pricing or payment to make it easier to fit the initial investment into your budget.

I’d be delighted to talk with you about a site redesign; please contact me, no obligation!

Established Website for Sale, Just $24.97

Not just a webSITE, but a web BUSINESS…

Your Very Own Fully Automated Website Business Which Will Work For You 24 Hours a Day/7 Days a Week/365 Days a Year on Auto Pilot

This website is an AMAZING value, look at what you get![list style=”green-check-1″]

It includes a FREE domain name.
It’s set up for MULTIPLE streams of income!
Lots of content – fully editable by you – already on site
There’s a fully stocked Amazon-based web store.
It’s set up to sell products through Clickbank, and make money from Google Adsense ads.
100s of related videos
There’s an unlimited auto responder for a newsletter[/list]

[font family=”Cufon” size=”30″ color=”DE0202″ textshadow=”0″ alignment=”center” weight=”normal” style=”normal” lineheight=”110″]Sounds too good to be true, right?[/font]

That’s because it is.

One… the loneliest number in marketing

Maybe that email newsletter you started a few months ago has really taken off, and you’re getting new customers and re-orders by the truckload. [font family=”Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif” size=”26″ color=”DE0202″ textshadow=”0″ alignment=”center” weight=”normal” style=”normal” lineheight=”110″]Yes! Ka-ching![/font]

That’s wonderful! Don’t mess with something that’s working, keep it up!

Just don’t count on it continuing forever. Having one campaign that works well for you in one particular media is great, but that can change in an instant, and you need to be prepared.

Stuff happens. Facebook decides to terminate your account. The local radio personality who was personally endorsing your business lands a new job in another state. Your website ranking plummeted when an aggressive rival moved into town.

There’s just too much risk involved in having one, solo marketing medium.

As your financial advisor has probably told you before – you need to [font family=”Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif” size=”32″ color=”DE0202″ textshadow=”2″ alignment=”center” weight=”bold” style=”italic” lineheight=”110″]diversify![/font]

Diversity leads to stability when it comes to marketing. I’m certainly a big proponent of websites and Internet marketing, but that’s not the be-all and end-all of any marketing campaign. You’re very vulnerable if all your marketing efforts are online; that’s one of the reasons I started my direct mail, postcard marketing business a few months ago. By having more than one way to reach prospects, you not only minimize your risk, but you increase your exposure across a wider spectrum of customer media preferences.