I sent out a solo add via an Internet Marketing Newsletter with
(supposedly) 22 000 subscribers. It was an ad for Mining Gold on the
Internet (Shawn Casey's ebook). My affiliate tracking indicated only
thirty hits and no sales! Everything but the heading was Shawn's
advertising spiel (which seemed good to me, but I'm no expert). The
only thing I put in was the heading. Shawn reckons my heading was
rubbish (Mine Gold on the Internet Today!) In retrospect, I agree. But
still with 22000 subscribers I'd expect more hits. Any thoughts on (a)
making sure the ad gets read (b) increasing hits (c) increasing sales
(d) choosing a guaranteed good newsletter (e) getting a guarantee that
the newsletter has 22000 active subscribers (f) making sure the
subscribers are 'likely to buy' consumers
Hi,
You might want to read Google Answers' guidelines on pricing at
http://answers.google.com/answers/help.html#C - $2.00 is a teeny sum
for what you're asking. Multi-part questions like yours usually start
around $10-$15.
Having said that, what newsletter did you advertise in? It might be a
good starting point to answer your question. Also, why did you choose
that particular one?
It's my first time using this service and want proof that it is useful
before I spend large amounts of money.
How do i know the 'experts' are not just ordinary Joes looking to make
fast buck?
The newsletter was Higher Ground Marketing and I found it after
looking through an ezine directory. It had the most professional
looking listing in the business section. It also had a professional
looking (if slightly flashy) website. I also inspected the newsletter
and it seemed pretty professional. I engaged in an e-mail dialog with
the owner who seemed turned on and friendly.
My headline in the subject line and at top of the ad was 'Mine Gold on
the Internet Today!' (I'm embarassed to admit). Shawn, who's been very
good at giving feedback, has given me a neat tool for generating
headlines and I guess something like 'People Are Raving About These
Few Short Steps That Lead To A Quick Cash Profit' is the kind of thing
you need. Not coming from a marketing background I've tended to think
of pushy headlines as a bit of a scam. Hence my not putting any
thought into the headline! I'm changing that mindset fast!
Could the bad hit rate be purely down to the headline. I guess ,
coming from a science background, I should send out the exact same ad
in the same newsletter with the improved headline. But it's my money
that's paying for the experiment so think I'll change some other
parameters at the same time (i.e. another newsletter, maybe one I
actually read myself!)
It might also be that Shawn's package, although pretty good in my
opinion, has been around too long and people have either bought it or
decided to ignore ads about it. I sthere any research about a 'good'
ebooks birth and death cycle? How can you get in at the birth of a
good ebook and make some money off affiliate advertising?
Or is the internet dead?
Maybe it would be better to finish the ebook projects I'm working on
and push them!
Maybe it would be better to get a real job? (Oh no not that!!)
Anyway, acorn, how do I know you're worth more than $2? Give me a
really good tip this time and I'll pay you more next time. How about
some real practical advice with proof to back it up?
Hi -
If you'd like, before increasing your list price, you may browse
previous answers that have been asked at various price points to get a
feel for the quality of answers provided.
jbf777-ga
GA Researchers
Hi,
Don't get too discouraged by our responses to your pricing. Since
you're new, you weren't going to know that you could click on my name
(or any of the other researchers) to find out our ratings, the kind of
answers we give, etc. Nor would you necessarily know that you should
check out other questions to see what an appropriate price would be.
Now you do :-)
[By the way, you can also tip for great answers...so promising a good
tip is also a possibility, and more likely to get an answer than
saying you'll pay more 'next time'.]
You wrote in your clarification: "It's my first time using this
service and want proof that it is useful before I spend large amounts
of money."
Well, how much did you spend on that ezine ad? Was cost also a factor
in choosing to advertise in Higher Ground Marketing? You admitted
that you didn't even subscribe to the newsletter yourself, so do you
know what the advertising competition was for similar products in the
same issue? And, as the publisher is selling a similar product
himself, how did your ad stand out in comparision to his inline
advertising?
(I just checked out the Higher Ground Marketing website and cringed,
frankly.)
FYI, one of the free books you can download from the site says
:"Advertising one shot deals in an ezine is rarely profitable. You
have to be really good at writing direct response ads to make money
consistently that way."
And let me also ask you this...do you actually own a copy of Mining
Gold on the Internet? And did you make $1,000 in the first 5-15 days
as advertised? If someone were to contact you about the product you
are selling, could you answer any of their questions from your own
experience.
Thanks.
Acorn Going Solo » Going Solo Has a Newsletter!::
We won't sell your e-mail address or share it (even if we're begged to! the difference of the Going Solo Newsletter, which is a one-way form of opened up the Going Solo Wiki http://going-solo.pbwiki.com/ to everyone -- not sure
http://going-solo.net/2008/04/30/going-solo-has-a-newsletter/HOME |
As I said, andy, I would like to change just one parameter but I'm
coming to the conclusion that at least 4 things sucked about my ad,
which means there's many different changes I could make. Now that's an
expensive series of experiments! Better just to stop everything
sucking at once and make my bank manager happy.
Shawn thinks my headline sucks and acorn thinks the HGH site sucks.
After hard thinking, I agree! Therefore surely I need to change the
newsletter and the headline! Also I followed Shawn to the letter in
looking through an ezine directory. I think it's surely better to
choose a newsletter I know. I'll probably try that next time.
Shawn also thought the ad copy could be improved (it was his own, so a
nice touch of modesty there!)
You say an ebook says "Advertising one shot deals in an ezine is
rarely profitable. You have to be really good at writing direct
response ads to make money consistently that way."
I can believe this.
I did buy 'mining gold' and there is an entirely convincing video
example of Frank Kern (expert marketer) earning several hundred
dollars through one ad. Send one a day and there's your $1000 in 5
days. Of course Frank, no doubt, is really good at getting everything
right. He, no doubt, knew which newsletters to choose, how to write
good headlines, etc.
Too smart, elcon. The book is not just about selling the book it is
about selling ANYTHING with newsletter ads. As I read the book, and
watched the excellent associated videos, I thought it was worth trying
to sell it. It seemed like a good product. I did not make any claims
to having made any money.
Where it is weak, I think, is in choosing newsletters to place ads.
Anyway nice talking to you guys.
Shawn's giving me better feedback though.
If anyone wants to see Shawn's web site to get a feel for his product,
drop me a line.
Hi mar4mac
The gist of your question is:
"How to tell a 'real expert' from an 'ordinary Joe' ?
Some people have knack for this - and they often become
succesful entrepreneurs. Others are better off getting a 'real job'
where they are told what to do, but paycheck is predictable.
How can you tell this advice comes from an expert?
Having a scientific background myself, I like
your idea of testing by changing one parameter.
The parameter one should start with is 'credibility':
If you ask Shawn for 'your money back', since his 'guaranteed' method
did not work, you will get no money, just another pitch.
If you ask Google Answers to refund your money for this answer,
you will actually get them back - no questions asked.
(I do not reccomend it, but you are free to do the test).
Since Google Answers honors its commitments, researchers
would not last here if they would not provide a real service .
It does not guarantee expertise - but it is a good indication of it.
In my expert opinion, this is the best you can get for $2
(This answer is actually worth $150 - but you are
getting the benefit of 'possible new account' discount).
Here is general info on MLM
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/pyrdalrt.htm
and here is more general info on 'warning signs'
http://www.fraudsandscams.com/
Web Sites that Offer a Critical Review
http://www.whatisgood.com/nwm/MLMweblinks.htm
SEARCH TERMS
MLM, pyramids, ponzi schemes,
"Mining Gold on Internet"
good luck
hedgie
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How do you make sure your solo newsletter ad sells?