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A Couple of Really Sneaky Tricks
There are two sneaky tricks that I will explain here. I am not advocating these practices, I am just showing you what people are doing.
Trick #1
I will show you an example and then I will show
you how you can relate it to your business.
A client of mine provides a service for submitting your web site to all the different
directories, search engines and indices.
He stated that he wanted to undercut his competition by offering his services for $99.
Everyone else was charging anywhere between $150-$400 for this service. His operating cost
was almost nothing as he had a local programmer design an automated submitting program
that submitted the URL and descriptions he specified to all the directories and search
engines automatically.
He had been doing this for a while, but still wasn't getting and large quantity of
orders for his services; even at a price far below his competition.
Basically, he decided to sell his services for $299 on his website, but
actually sell most of his services for the discounted price of $99. Let me explain.
He had a lottery at his site. It also announced this free lottery to all appropriate
newsgroups, AOL and CompuServe forums, etc. to generate traffic (to register for the
lottery).
It was a draw for free registration on 200 directories, search engines and indices.
After he got 1000 registries to the lottery (or every four days, which ever came first),
he would send out email messages to the participants.
Note: His product is very time sensitive.. That's why it had to be done every four
days. Let me explain in the next few paragraphs.
From this draw, he would pick one person to win the free service. He would consider
everyone else to be a second place winner, taking the other 999 email
addresses he captured with his free lottery and send them the following email.
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Congratulations! You have been chosen as a second place winner for
the use of our Web Site registration service from the lottery that we held just yesterday.
This service allows you to submit your home page to over 200 internet directories, search
engines and indices world wide. As a second place winner you are entitled to a $200
discount, which allows you to use the service for only $99. This is only valid until
X-XX-96
You may perform your registration by visiting our special registration page at
http://ABCregistry.com/special.htmll or email us for an order form. Please note in the
comment box that you are the second place winner in our lottery to receive the special
pricing.
Tell your friends about our service and feel free to place our "Registered
by" logo someplace on your homepage. The Registered By" logo and instructions on
how to add it can be found at http://ABCregistry.com/link.htmll.
Sincerely,
Don Johnson
President
ABC Registry
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You can imagine how many sales this generates every month. It is to the point now were
he barely sells any packages at $299. Almost everything is at $99. People feel that they
have "lucked out" and can get real value for their money from this lottery idea.
Again, it's not in what you have to offer, but how you offer it.
It has even gotten to the point now that the description of his site in the directories
and search engines reads something like "free draw to win free submission to over 200
directories". If people don't buy his service at $299, they usually register for the
draw (he captures their email address) and has a chance to sell them at the discounted price of $99.
A little tricky, but it works.
Trick #2
By publishing this article, I am not endorsing what is going on. I just want to let
your know what is possible and what some people are doing. I admit I have tried this
technique, but to be very honest, it is not worth the risk of getting caught and
completely destroying all your chances of marketing to a newsgroup again. There are so
many ways to make enormous profits online, you don't have to resort to this type of
technique to do it.
Here is it:
Well the "dirty trick" I am referring to is to take on a different
personality using the AOL, Compuserve Forums or Newsgroups discussions.
We will use a newsgroup for this example.
You use a few of your friends internet accounts to do a few fake "lead
generating" posts. For example, from your friend John's account, you might post to
four newsgroups:
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From: John@aol.com
To: rec.collecting.sport.baseball
Does anyone know about a really cool fold-out plastic storage case for my cards? I read
something in the group about it a few weeks ago, but I can't find anything now. Anyone
that can point me in the right direction would be appreciated. I think it was called
"Card Companion" or something like that.
Thanks.
John
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Post #2 from your friend Rob 's account may be:
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From: rob@hook.net
To: rec.collecting.sport.baseball
John,
I know what you are talking about about... I saw an article about it in the Collectable
Magazine, but I'm damned if I can find that article now. If you found out were they are
from, let me know. It is supposed to even have a locking feature and I now need it (I
should have probably bought it when I saw the article, but I always have 20/20
hindsight).
Does anybody know?
Rob
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Post #3 from your friend Jim's account would read:
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From: Jsmith@ix.netcom.com
To: rec.collecting.sport.baseball
The case is called "Card Collecting Companion". I got mine about 2 weeks ago
and love it. It has this really neat fold up feature so I can fit it in my briefcase. I
ordered it at 1-800-555-1212. I think I paid about $50 for it. You may be able to special
order it from your local card collecting store if you ask.
Jimmy
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Do you think that will generate interest in your product? You bet it will! Just don't
get caught... you creditability will be zilch in the newsgroup from then on, spoiling any
sale in the future and closing off that avenue for promotion. Besides... I can show you
many other ways to "legitimately" market your product or service on newsgroups
that are just as powerful, without ever getting flamed. In my opinion, the technique
explained above is not worth it, but decide for yourself.
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