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-   -   "Accidental Traffic" idea, but, as usual... (http://www.sowpub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6517)

-TW August 20, 2009 09:08 AM

"Accidental Traffic" idea, but, as usual...
 
OK -- here's what happened a few minutes ago...

I'm watching a national news show on tv. Story comes on about a flower shop in IL who is getting 150 calls a day on their 800# for CASH FOR CLUNKERS because their # is very similar to the NATIONALLY ADVERTISED help line for cash for clunkers.

I immediately did some research -- I found that edmunds.com offers an affiliate program. The idea would be (of course) that, instead of just having the UNprofitable annoyance of 150 wrong #'s a day, it could be turned into (at least) SOME profit, potentially. Send the wrong callers to an easy to remember website which would have the affiliate link on it.

I called the owner of the store -- explained all this -- and, due to my stellar selling prowess -- she didn't really get what I was trying to explain, said thank you, and went right back to getting national attention for being annoyed by wrong numbers.

In other words, I did not sell her on the idea.

Yet another example of trying-to-help-people-with-win-win-marketing-ideas, ending up in total waste of time, energy, + thought.

(((sigh)))

-- TW

PS: If you'd like to try (it on her), pm me -- I have all the info.

Sandi Bowman August 20, 2009 11:26 AM

Re: "Accidental Traffic" idea, but, as usual...
 
Instead of sending them to a website, why not offer them a free gift to thank them for contacting your company. If it's a florist shop, they'd get a small bunch of flowers or a single rose...and the company'd get goodwill and the customer's name and address to send them special promos, if they agreed.

A discount card sent with the gift might encourage visitors and further contact that could prove profitable.

THIMK! ;)

Sandi Bowman

MichaelRoss August 20, 2009 03:58 PM

Re: "Accidental Traffic" idea, but, as usual...
 
TW,

You under stand what you meant, most here could understand, but THEY don't and because a confused mind says "no", they say "no".

The easiest thing for them to do is take a name and number, tell the caller someone will call them back, and Sell The Lead to the actual business.

Or

Subcontract someone to such a business through them.

Michael Ross

Phil August 20, 2009 04:52 PM

Re: "Accidental Traffic" idea, but, as usual...
 
Create your "own" little Media Spin by re-creating press and media releases into your own Newsworthy publicity... :)

Profit by using some well thoughtout marketing tactics and product ideas...

Just study the Endless press and media releases throughout the daily Cyberspace for all kinds of innovative & Creative stories and ideas...

Nice little Fortunes to be made Simply by reading and Using the news... ;)

TW, Thanks for highlighting the news story...
http://illinoishomepage.net/content/...xt/?cid=101801

Phil

Adman August 20, 2009 07:08 PM

"They" don't understand!
 
The "Florist" did NOT have a clue as to what you were talking about and probably thought you were trying to "cash-in" on THEIR attention.

Case in Point; I got the SAME reaction from a Florist;

Many eons ago I had a Burglar Alarm biz in the burbs of Chgo with a good relationship with the local police dept. (I was friendly with some of the detectives)

A local radio program was promoting a "Bumper Bux" program where the guy who ran the "Oldies Show" on Saturdays would read off license plate numbers he had seen that week and.....the first person thru his door would get $1,000!

This was a promo program to get listeners to his show. This went on for about 13 weeks and had built up lots of momemtum and....for his LAST WEEK promo he got the station to agree to give a whopping $10,000 to the first person thru the door with the chosen license number.

Well....the show started at 10am Sat morn. The announcer read off 3 license plates. The FIRST owner of one of the license plates who appeared at their station BEFORE NOON...would get $10,000.

So...as the program unfolded, the announcer kept rattling off the License Numbers and NO RESPONSE!

Around 11:15 he started getting panicky and worried that he wouldn't have a BIG winner.

So...as I was listening to the urgency in his voice....I thought, "Hey! I wonder if one of my detective buddies would know the Name & Phone # of these 3 plates.

So...I called over to the police station and found that "Charley" was at his desk. I asked Charley if he'd "do me a favor" and give me the Name & Phone # of the 3 license plates.

He did...and I phoned the first 2 and no answer. The 3rd answered. It was a local Florist Shoppe. I introduced myself and told her that IF....I told her EXACTLY WHAT TO DO WITHIN THE NEXT 30 MINUTES....IF....SHE RECEIVED ANY MONEY FROM WHAT I TOLD HER....SHE WOULD GIVE ME 10% OF ANY MONIES RECEIVED!

She agreed.

So....I told her that IF she went down to the Radio Station BEFORE Noon and gave them her License Plate Number....they would give her some money.

And I reminded her of our "10% Agreement".

She agreed and went down to the station whereupon when she entered the station...all heck broke loose. The announcer went Ape. He had his winner and signed a check over to her for 10 grand.

Well...they placed a mic in front of her when they handed her the check and she said; "Ya! This is really strange. Some guy called me and told me that if I went down to your station before noon...I could collect some money AND...whatever I collected he wanted me to give him 10 percent!

With this the announcer said, "Well! There ARE a lot of "Opportunists" out there and whatever YOU want to do with YOUR money...is entirely up to you!"

With this the show ended and you can probably guess the results.

Yup! About an hour later I called her and said "I" was the one who told her what to do to win some money and she had agreed to give me 10% of whatever she received.

Her comment was; "Well! It was MY License Plate Number that was chosen and me and my husband do not think you are entitled to anything!"

Thus....I told her to "enjoy her new found wealth" and hung up.

Thus is "Human Nature".

Hope you enjoyed reading.

Don Alm

-TW August 20, 2009 09:19 PM

Re: "Accidental Traffic" idea, but, as usual...
 
Sorry to hear that Don. I guess we could paraphrase an old adage...

"100% of something is better than 90% of something."

Oh well.

Ankesh August 21, 2009 07:56 AM

Re: "Accidental Traffic" idea, but, as usual...
 
Lessons from my experiences:

#1
People don't know what "affiliate" means or what an affiliate program is. Selling them on an affiliate program over phone won't work most of the time.

If you want a better response, try sending a one page letter. With a blurb on the right hand side that explains what an affiliate program is.

#2
People hate direct unsolicited advice. You may think that your advice may change someones world - but most people won't appreciate the idea. Because helping them without their asking us means we are under appreciating them and their abilities.

(You personally may not think that and love unsolicited advice - but thats the flag that gets raised automatically for most folks...)

So - whats to be done?

1. Either stop giving unsolicited ideas and advice.

2. Or make the ideas indirect. Don't tell them "Do this." Instead tell them a story: "X did this and got this benefit."

Leave it up to them to connect the dots (If X did this and got this benefit... I should do it too because I'm looking for a similar benefit...)


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