2 Step Question...

Hi all,

I'm a daily lurker but infrequent poster...thanks for the excellent forum!

I've been thinking about trying a 2 step program where a classifed ad encourages a request for more info (or magic floppy, etc). Rather than include a phone # though, I was thinking about using an autoresponder e-mail address...

Has anyone out there tried this with success?

Thanks!

Richie Carey

Classified are a good way to get leads but by not having a phone number, you will lose a lot of the possible contacts. There are many folks who do not have email addresses and many others who don't have the computer on so will do it later (yeah right!)

It would be better if you have both the email address and phone number. You should use an 800 number if advertising outside of your local area.

You can either have the number go to a machine where they can leave their name, address, etc. or to a service where a live person gets the information for you.

Don't assume that because you are on the web that all your potential customers are also on the web or really comfortable with it.


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It probably wouldn't change my answer. It is very difficult to translate someone else's results to a project you're working on.

Online, offline... it really doesn't matter. You see one slight change from another person's marketing foray can drastically alter the results you receive. That's right just one change. A different product... a different day the ad appears... a different media the ad appears in... a different way the prospect has to contact you for more info... a different headline for the ad--all can and will change the results you receive.

If this test you're thinking of costs less than a couple hundred bucks, why not just run the test?

If you are talking about an online advertisement and you're selling an online product then a phone number may not affect your results. However I caution against using Internet based classifieds, generally speaking (very generally) I don't think they work very well. They haven't worked well for me and they haven't worked well for others I know that have used them. Which shifts this discussion to off-line classifieds. Anything done off-line should probably have a phone number along with it. I think just having an autoresponder would drop response.

But again, someone else's success or failure using any type of marketing tool has very little bearing on your ultimate success or failure.

Take care,

Mike Winicki

> Hi all,

> I'm a daily lurker but infrequent
> poster...thanks for the excellent forum!

> I've been thinking about trying a 2 step
> program where a classifed ad encourages a
> request for more info (or magic floppy,
> etc). Rather than include a phone # though,
> I was thinking about using an autoresponder
> e-mail address...

> Has anyone out there tried this with
> success?

> Thanks!

> Richie Carey

Hi Steven,

Thanks for your response...

> Classified are a good way to get leads but
> by not having a phone number, you will lose
> a lot of the possible contacts. There are
> many folks who do not have email addresses
> and many others who don't have the computer
> on so will do it later (yeah right!)

Very true...if the back-end product *requires* a computer with internet access however, my thinking is that this method might provide a bit of pre-qualification...

> It would be better if you have both the
> email address and phone number. You should
> use an 800 number if advertising outside of
> your local area.

True as well...I may test an ad with both telephone and e-mail address vs. one with e-mail address only...

> Don't assume that because you are on the web
> that all your potential customers are also
> on the web or really comfortable with it.

I didn't mean to sound as though I was assuming that...I should have mentioned the need to pre-qualify computers users, hence the idea of the autoresponder...

Thanks for the input!

Take care,

Richie

Hi Michael,

Thanks for your reply...fyi I did mean offline printed classifieds...I should have been clearer about that :-)

> If this test you're thinking of costs less
> than a couple hundred bucks, why not just
> run the test?

You're absolutely right and I do intend to test this...I really only tossed this out as a general question regarding the use of autoresponders in offline classified ads...always nice to hear a success story so I thought I'd ask around :-)

> know that have used them. Which shifts this
> discussion to off-line classifieds. Anything
> done off-line should probably have a phone
> number along with it. I think just having an
> autoresponder would drop response.

I'm almost sure it would drop overall response...what I didn't mention in my original post was the idea of pre-qualification...the product in question would be intended for computer users...as somebody recently mentioned here (possibly Don Alm) it doesn't make sense to send a 'magic' floppy or CD to a non-computer user...

> But again, someone else's success or failure
> using any type of marketing tool has very
> little bearing on your ultimate success or
> failure.

Very true!

It's funny, it's obviously very common to see a website URL in printed display ads these days...you don't often see an e-mail address (tied to an autoresponder) in the ad...at least I haven't noticed this very often...maybe a customer service address where a human MIGHT get back to you in about a week...very seldom any follow up after that initial contact...

I wonder if an e-mail address in a printed display ad including a call to action would yield results (subscribe to our free online newsletter, etc). If you're going to spend the big bucks on displays ads, it might be nice to try to build an opt-in list along the way....

Have a great day all!

Richie

> Hi Michael,

> Thanks for your reply...fyi I did mean
> offline printed classifieds...I should have
> been clearer about that :-)

> You're absolutely right and I do intend to
> test this...I really only tossed this out as
> a general question regarding the use of
> autoresponders in offline classified
> ads...always nice to hear a success story so
> I thought I'd ask around :-)

> I'm almost sure it would drop overall
> response...what I didn't mention in my
> original post was the idea of
> pre-qualification...the product in question
> would be intended for computer users...as
> somebody recently mentioned here (possibly
> Don Alm) it doesn't make sense to send a
> 'magic' floppy or CD to a non-computer
> user...

> Very true!

> It's funny, it's obviously very common to
> see a website URL in printed display ads
> these days...you don't often see an e-mail
> address (tied to an autoresponder) in the
> ad...at least I haven't noticed this very
> often...maybe a customer service address
> where a human MIGHT get back to you in about
> a week...very seldom any follow up after
> that initial contact...

> I wonder if an e-mail address in a printed
> display ad including a call to action would
> yield results (subscribe to our free online
> newsletter, etc). If you're going to spend
> the big bucks on displays ads, it might be
> nice to try to build an opt-in list along
> the way....

> Have a great day all!

> Richie

When it came to classifieds. Jim has one classified ad that can actually be used to sell a wide variety of products (and Jim has a wide variety of products). I've forgotten what the ad says but it is good. I think the point Jim has made is that if a prospect is interested in one type of product they'll probably be interested in other products that are similar (I know--"duh"). He then had a stable of related products that he could market to this one prospect that was bold enough to raise their hand. I love that technique.

You should consider something similar. No matter how much money it's costing you per lead, not wasting any inquiry is big when it comes to building a profitable company.

On the other thing yeah, I think putting an email address in a display ad to try to build a list is a good idea.

Take care,

Mike Winicki