•"Alternate Modes"
"Alternate Modes" by Bob OsgoodbyWhen choosing a company to do business with, we all agree thatcustomer service is high on our list of priorities. Thefollowing relates some types of practices a business shoulddefinitely avoid.Recently, we flew from Newark to West Palm Beach on business, andstayed a few extra days to visit with our daughter. Since thiswas the first time we flew since 9/11, we didn't know what toexpect, so we allowed plenty of time before the flight.We were pleasantly...
•"Boon or a Bust"
"Boon or a Bust" by Bob OsgoodbyEvery time you turn around it seems you see another affiliateprogram which promises you vast riches. They give you all thesales material you need and even throw in a free web page. Howcan I loose, one might think. Everything is all set up for me,and all I need is get a bigger PO Box to handle all the checksthat will roll in. Your web site will be carried by the searchengines, you have the "pre-written" ads ready to go - how can youloose?A few ads are placed...
•"Geek Speak"
"Geek Speak" by Bob OsgoodbyIn the dictionary, a Geek is defined as "A carnival performerwhose act usually consists of biting the head off a live chickenor snake". Today however, it has taken on the additional meaningof someone who doesn't fit the norm, and usually refers tosomeone highly knowledgeable in computers.If you think about it, a geek can exist in any occupation orfield of endeavor. They all have their own language peculiar totheir trade. If two meteorologists meet at a party, and...
•"Just Say No"
"Just Say No" by Bob OsgoodbyThis is what we tell our kids if they are offerred drugs. Wellthere are a lot of instances in which we as adults, should "justsay no" as well.Let's stick with the drug issue for a minute. The "pushers" leadsomeone into their addiction, by making it easy and attractivefor them. At first they might give away free samples. They tryto lure them into their fold with the promise of easy money.Getting hooked however, has serious consequences for anyone.Before they know...
•"Pay The Piper"
"Pay The Piper" by Bob OsgoodbyLet's face it, most people enjoy cardiovascular exercise as muchas a visit to the their oral surgeon - or - spending the weekendwith their in-laws. Most people's idea of the perfectcardiovascular exercise program is walking from the bedroom tothe bathroom. If you want to decrease your body fat percentage,get ripped, and have your waist, legs, and rear end look like amillion dollars, there is no substitution for cardio - but itdoesn't have to be boring and a...
•"Prime the Pump"
"Prime the Pump" by Bob OsgoodbyAnyone who has a well, knows you have to "Prime the Pump" beforeyou get any water. In order to prime the pump, you have to giveit a little water so you can then pump out a lot. Well, the sameis true in business - any business, but especially so on the web.Assuming you have a good product that is reasonably priced, howdo you market it to turn a profit. Some believe that if they"throw up" a web page the world will beat a path to their door.Others follow the no...
•"Whois" on first?
"Whois" on first? by Bob OsgoodbyNo this is not an Abbot and Costello comedy routine, but someserious information you need to know if considering your own website. If you have ever looked into getting your own domain name,you have no doubt done a "whois" lookup. If you haven't, you cansearch to see if the name you wish is available at:http://www.networksolutions.com/There are three types of extensions available for our use at thecurrent time. For example, abc.com is an example of a...
•A.I.D.A.
A.I.D.A. by Bob OsgoodbyNo we're not talking about the Broadway Play, a hotel in Paris,or even the British Comedy Group. We are talking about a simplefour step formula which will help you create powerful salesefforts that get maximum results.People want to know what benefits they will get by dealing withyou. Today, in the online arena, we use basically three methodsof contact with potential customers - Ads, such as you mightplace in a Newsletter, Sales Pitches delivered by email,...
•Affiliate Programs
Affiliate Programs by Bob OsgoodbyOver the years, affiliate programs have grown in popularity, andtoday there are literally millions of people involved. Whilesome are doing very well in these programs, others are not. Hasthe saturation point been reached, and this is no longer aviable approach? Let's discuss this a bit.There are affiliate programs, and then again there are affiliateprograms. Some are good, and others you may wish to avoid. Beforeyou pick one, realize that the web is loaded...
•Automatic Ad Submission
Automatic Ad Submission by Bob OsgoodbyDid you know there is software available which will allow you toautomatically submit your ads to web sites that accept free ads,and to newsletters that do likewise? This software will submitany number of ads you wish, in any frequency you desire."Wow - what a great idea!", you might think. I can submit my adsto thousands of these sites with a single keystroke. "What atime saver!"Some people send out a dozen or more like this everyday. Is thisdoing them...
•Bad Attitude
Bad Attitude by Bob OsgoodbyIt never ceases to amaze me that some people trying to dobusiness on the Internet exhibit a bad attitude. It can takemany forms. I recently sent out an email request to someone, andthe answer I received, was to say the least, brusque. Needless tosay, I removed his email addresses from my files, and he won'thear from me in the future.Now what is the point here? I don't know what his problem was,but he obviously had one. Maybe the dog just made a mess on thecarpet,...
•Bag Of Tricks
Bag Of Tricks by Bob OsgoodbyHave you ever noticed that in every shopping mall, there is whatis referred to as an anchor store? This is normally a large storethat attracts a lot of customers, and the other stores in themall benefit from the "spill over" customers that go there .With all the talk about online marketing, can we benefit fromthis concept. Sure - try to find popular sites that attract alarge number of visitors. Try to work out a link exchange withthem. You will get potential...
•Bane or Boon
Bane or Boon by Bob OsgoodbyEmail to some is simply a way to contact friends and family, andto keep in touch. To others, it is a very important method ofcommunicating with business associates.Unfortunately, those who send out unsolicited ads have created aproblem for both. It seems the amount of spam received dailyincreases geometrically, and try as we might, we just can't keepahead of the game.Let's talk about some of the more serious offenders. We have allreceived email, and tried to...
•Banner Ads
Banner Ads by Bob OsgoodbyWhen Internet Advertising was in its infancy, banner ads quicklybecame a major player. Statistics were readily available, andthey allowed campaigns to be planned, evaluated, and changedwithin a matter of days instead of weeks.Businesses developed with the sole purpose of managing anddistributing these ads. Click-thru rates were developed, andpeople starting placing banner ads on their web pages. Threebasic plans ultimately evolved. The first was basically a...
•Bigger, Better, Faster
Bigger, Better, Faster by Bob OsgoodbyIt seems we are obsessed with the concept of "Bigger, Better,Faster", however in the world of technology, it might very wellbe "Smaller, Better, Faster". A few short years ago, the 486 wasthe hot machine, and yes I still have one. It is now relegatedto running a few old DOS programs I just can't bear to part with,and my first cell phone was an absolute clunker.However, it seems that making things smaller is pretty muchrestricted to the hardware. Because...
•Branding
Branding by Bob OsgoodbyNo, we're not talking about burning your brand into the hide of asteer, but rather into the mind of your potential customers.We're going to discuss effective techniques for telling yourcustomers who you are, and what you do.One of the maxims of any advertising campaign is to try to makeyour company a household word. Many of the major corporationssuch as Budweiser and Wendy's have discovered how to do this, andwe could take a few lessons from them.The Internet today,...
•Customer Disservice
Customer Disservice by Bob OsgoodbyI recently had a problem, and called my ISP (who shall remainunnamed) for help. I could not dialup to the ISP and getconnected. I let this ride for a day, in the event they werehaving a problem, but the next day when I still couldn't getconnected, I gave them a call.After listening to their computerized message, which told meeverything except how to brush my teeth, I finally selected theappropriate option. I was given the approximate hold time,(which I...
•Developing a Marketing Plan
Developing a Marketing Plan by Bob OsgoodbyWe hear it said that in order to be in business, you must have aBusiness Plan, and this is true. Without one, you are like aperson in a dark room trying to find something. Eventually, youmay stumble across it, but how much time did you waste in theprocess? If you had turned on the lights, the odds are you wouldhave found it a lot faster.The Internet provides a great number of opportunities that allowsomeone to get into business quickly, but many...
•Diversification
Diversification by Bob OsgoodbyMany people in business on the Internet try to market only oneproduct. If the demand for that product is weak or if the demanddries up, they are virtually out of business. Smartentrepreneurs however diversify their offerings, and if thedemand is slow for one product or service, the others usuallypick up the slack.If you have a web site, and if you are trying to do business onthe Internet, this is a must. You can feature your diverseofferings there....
•Doesn't Have A Clue
Doesn't Have A Clue by Bob OsgoodbyThis is a real life story, so bear with me as I give somebackground information.We have a "free ad" section at our web site where people canplace a free ad for their business. Ads are submitted weekly andpublished on the web. Now, to place an ad, someone has to visitour web site and fill out a form containing their email addressand the copy of the ad. We try to make it as easy as possible,but the bottom line is many people are not serious, and don'thave a...
•Don't Blame the Messenger
Don't Blame the Messenger by Bob OsgoodbyI recently had a call from a fellow in Scotland and taking intoaccount the time difference, it was about 2PM there. He calledto complain that the ad he placed with us two weeks ago, hadn'tproduced any leads. While he was venting, I looked up the ad hehad submitted.He was in an affiliate program, and they provide a personalizedweb site, which not only gives information about the program,but also tracks the leads. He didn't include the web site in...
•Doom and Gloom
Doom and Gloom by Bob OsgoodbyMany of the "sure thing" programs that were hot last year, aren'tto be found today; you know the ones I'm talking about. Didanyone take the time to sift through the misinformation,analyses, and charts showing how with no work you could be thenext jillionaire. Naw - with misplaced faith, and believing thesoothsayers, they just plunked down their $49.50. Guess who werethe only ones to make money here.In the meantime, internet stocks, which had ridden a wave...
•Get Serious
Get Serious by Bob OsgoodbyIn browsing some of the ads on the net, it is immediately evidentthat some people just don't have a clue. I read a few yesterday as follows:"Join our MLM and earn beg income". This is either a typo orthey are promising very little in the way of earnings. Thisperson obviously didn't proof their copy before submitting thead.Another ad promised huge earnings, but gave no contactinformation. Not a web site URL or an email address to be found.Guess they figure it is so...
•Get Your Ducks in Order
Get Your Ducks in Order by Bob OsgoodbyGet Your Ducks in Order by Bob Osgoodby Some people equate the cost of an item to its value. Others comparison shop to try to find the best price. Maybe both are correct in a way, but most people try to look at the whole picture. If someone jumped out of a dark alley, and tried to sell you a Rolex watch for fourteen dollars, you might look askance at the offer. But if that's what you wanted, you would do your homework, find out the going price, and...
•Getting It Together
Getting It Together by Bob Osgoodbyonday, I took the plunge and went looking for a new car. Our"Grand Am" was getting a bit "long in the tooth", and we felt itwas time for a change.We went to a number of dealers, found a make and model we liked,and started to shop price. We got so many conflicting prices, Icame home and felt like I had been put through a wringer.But, after a bit, I settled down and decided to let the web dosome of the work for me. I called all the dealers and asked themto...
•Getting Published
Getting Published by Bob OsgoodbyWhether you are writing an article for a magazine, trade journal,online publication, or a press release, there are certainconventions you must follow. If you follow them, you have achance of it being published. If you don't, you are simplywasting your time.When a publisher contracts with you to write an article, you haveno doubt established contact with them, and know the format theydesire. If you are not being paid, and are hoping to build your"recognition"...
•Going Fishing
Going Fishing by Bob OsgoodbyEvery year about this time, we make our annual pilgrimage to thewaters of the Atlantic to go striped bass fishing. Loading theboat with all the essentials, such as something cool to quaff andpiles of sandwiches, we grab our rods and reels and sally forth.But wait - did we forget something? Sure did - we need to havebait. What are they biting on this time of year?Fortunately there is a bait shop on the way out, so we tie up tothe dock and go inside. There we talk...
•Great Copy Brings Sales
Great Copy Brings Sales by Bob OsgoodbyIf you have great copy for your ads, you are most likely doing arespectable amount of business on the web. All great copy hascertain things in common.First, and foremost it has no spelling or grammatical errors.Nothing turns a prospect off faster than these types of mistakes.In addition to running all your work through a good spelling andgrammar checker, having someone else carefully read what you havewritten is also a good idea.Use short ads of two or...
•Handsome Dividends
Handsome Dividends by Bob OsgoodbySo you followed our advice and went to all the work to build yourown website, and now it's up and running. You put a hit counteron the site, and are dismayed at the number of visitors whovisit. Aside from your personal hits when you check theactivity, there have been few if any other people stop by.You notified everyone in your address book, put up a few FFA ads,paid someone to submit your site to a few search engines, andnothing seemed to generate interest....
•How important are headlines?
How important are headlines? by Bob OsgoodbyStudies show that you have less than five seconds to get theattention of a reader. Think about your daily newspaper. Mostpeople scan the paper. If the headline gets their attention,they will probably read the rest of the article. If it doesn't,they probably skip over that story, and continue scanning untilthey see something of interest.The first thing that should be seen is your headline. If youlook at your Newspaper, the headlines are usually...
•How Much Can I Make
How Much Can I Make by Bob OsgoodbyLast week, I received an email from someone telling me she wouldlike to start her own Newsletter, and asked if she could hope tomake a few hundred dollars a week by selling ads in it. She wenton to say that she subscribed to one of mine, and has seen itgrow over the years, and wondered if that was possible.That's a tough question. In order to earn ad money from aNewsletter, there are a lot of variables that determine its adgenerating capability. Let's...
•Humor on the Net
Humor on the Net by Bob Osgoodby Many people who send out promotional email, or have a publicationsuch as an online newsletter, will ask if they should include'humor". Well, there is no easy answer to this question.Some will say that "humor" lightens things up a bit, and letspeople know you have another side to your personality. They feelit is a refreshing break from the serious message you aredelivering. Others say it is distracting and should never beused.So where do you "draw the...
•List Servers
List Servers by Bob OsgoodbyThere are basically two ways you can send out bulk email. Beforewe get into how you can, let's clarify a few points.There are basically two types of bulk email sent out.The first, which is unsolicited bulk mail, is commonly referredto as "spam". Spam is flooding the Internet with many copies ofthe same message, in an attempt to force the message on peoplewho would not otherwise choose to receive it. Most spam iscommercial advertising, often for dubious products,...
•Loose as in Goose
Loose as in Goose by Bob OsgoodbyWhen writing anything, especially ad copy, how you convey your message and your words are what count. When you get down to it, isn't it all about what you say and how you say it? A good ad stands out from the crowd. The reader is compelled to take their time and actually read it, while quickly passing by the others.My position is that first, your ad copy must be short, to thepoint and have no spelling or syntax errors. Well, in a recentarticle, I goofed. I...
•Lost Opportunity
Lost Opportunity by Bob OsgoodbyWhile I don't condone "spam", (unsolicited advertisements sent byemail) we all realize it is a fact of life. It is one of thefastest growing segments of Internet advertising today, and isexpected to triple in volume next year. The approximate 400million dollars spent last year is expected to grow to 1.2billion in 2002.Many people who have been around the Internet for awhile, haveseen this grow to big business. But like any new industry, it isgoing through...
•Lost Time
Lost Time by Bob OsgoodbyLately, there are a lot of articles about how you must publishyour own Newsletter if you wish to succeed in your onlinebusiness. Bunk! It just isn't the "panacea" it is purported to be.Publishing a Newsletter is a lot of work. Over the years, anumber of publications have come and gone because of severalfactors. First and foremost is the lack any meaningful content.Many are simply glorified ads for their product or service.People may get them once, and immediately ask...
•My Publication
My Publication by Bob OsgoodbySo you've listened to the advice, and you're going to start yourown publication. Obviously, you must have some writing ability,or collaborate with someone who does, and you must beknowledgeable in the areas you will cover in your ezine.One of the biggest mistakes a fledgling publisher can make is tofocus their publication on something they don't know much about.While it is possible to get content from contributing authors,which does add a great deal to your...
•New Years Resolutions
New Years Resolutions by Bob OsgoodbyGetting in shape and losing weight has been the most popular NewYears Resolution since they invented the calendar. The busiestmonth for new memberships in any health club is always January.If you page through any newspaper during the holiday season, youare bound to see several advertisements which capitalize on theNew Years Resolution obsession.Sad Fact: 84% of the people who make this promise never followthrough!Why?Because the majority of the people...
•One of the Few
One of the Few by Bob Osgoodby Much of the advertising you see on the web is of the "here today,gone tomorrow" genre. Some think they can throw up a web site orjoin an affiliate program, and they will have to buy awheelbarrow to carry the $20 bills in from their mailbox. Wellfolks, that "ain't" the case.There are a number of forms advertising can take, and let's firstdiscuss the ones at the opposite ends of the spectrum.Sales Advertising is designed to sell a specific itemimmediately. A good...
•Online Auctions
Online Auctions by Bob OsgoodbyAs popular as they are, online auctions should be approached withcare. Many times, merchandise is offered that either may beillegal, fraudulent, or simply doesn't exist, and the vendortakes your money and runs. So what can you do to protect yourselfif you enter bidding in an online auction.You should understand how the auction works. Many online auctionssimply list items that people want to sell. They don't verify ifthe merchandise actually exists, or if it is...
•Penny Wise
Penny Wise by Bob OsgoodbyWe've all heard the saying "Penny Wise and Pound Foolish". Itnever ceases to amaze me that someone will join an incomeopportunity program, but not effectively promote it and scoutout new customers. Most people join programs of this type togenerate income, and they pay a monthly fee to be involved.They first might try all the free advertising available, and that may or may not generate some income. However, they are using the"tried and true", but very "tired" ads...
•Positive Thinking
Positive Thinking by Bob OsgoodbyThe late Norman Vincent Peale was a controversial preacher whoburst into public consciousness with his best-selling book, "ThePower of Positive Thinking". He believed that ordinary peoplecould become really quite remarkable when they start thinkingthat they can do things, and when they believe in themselves,they have the secret of success.So many people trying to start a business, don't believe inthemselves. They look for advice from self proclaimed...
•Publish or Perish
Publish or Perish by Bob OsgoodbyWhile the concept of "publish or perish" is certainly true for acollege professor, it may not be the case for the fledglingentrepreneur. Many of the pundits say that to get known on theWeb, you should publish a newsletter. What you quickly learnhowever, is that subscribers are not easy to come by, and thatmany of the startup publications go away as quickly as theybegan.Some feel that if you accept free ads in your publication, itwill help build your...
•Rejection
Rejection by Bob OsgoodbyMuch of the "hype" concerning affiliate programs centers on theanonymity of the web, and that you won't have to have a "face toface" relationship with your potential clients. Let theautoresponders do the work, have the money deposited in your bankaccount while you sleep, yatta, yatta, yatta.People want to do business with people. If you're in sales, andcan't stand "Rejection", you're in the wrong business. Trying to market something online, does not shelter you from...
•Reputation
Reputation by Bob OsgoodbyIt has been said that person's reputation is the most importantthing they have. Good, Bad or Indifferent, whatever it is, itwill shape their life, as well as their future. Many people whostart a business fall into the "Indifferent" category, as theyhave not had time to build one. This is one reason people whoare starting a business hire a spokesperson. It is normallysomeone who is well known, and respected in his or her field.If you intend to do business on the web...
•Seconds
Seconds by Bob OsgoodbyThe one year anniversary of the start of your web businessrolled around, and you had 8,126 hits to your web site by 3,712people for the calendar year. That averages out to about 10visitors a day. In analyzing these figures, it shows that someof those people were intrigued enough to visit other pages onyour site during their visit. Like a robust meal, some came backfor seconds and maybe even thirds.Statistics show, that only a small percentage of the peoplevisiting a...
•Smoke and Mirrors
Smoke and Mirrors by Bob OsgoodbyWith the increasing number of new people joining the Internetevery day, the scamsters have an ongoing supply of new potentialsuckers. At first blush, the Internet Newbies are overwhelmed bythe technology, and don't do a whole lot. Many are retired, andsimply want to keep in touch by email with family and friends.Others are living on a fixed income, and are looking for a secondsource of income.Eventually, finding their comfort level they sally forth, and...
•Stepping Stones
Stepping Stones by Bob OsgoodbyMany people, when they try to go into business, have at best a loosely defined set of goals. A goal is the purpose towards which any endeavor is directed or in other words, an objective. While the ultimate goal is to make an income, that by itself is not a realistic goal on which to base a business. A simple analogy might be a stream with stepping stones. While the ultimate goal here is to reach the other side without getting wet, each stepping stone represents...
•Target Market
Target Market by Bob OsgoodbyIdentifying your target market is one of the things you shouldhave learned in Marketing 101, no matter what school youattended. Many of us attend the "School of Hard Knocks",and if you don't learn it there, you probably never will besuccessful in your marketing efforts.Now let's think a little. Would you really try to sell summerclothing in the middle of the winter? Not many people would.Why? There is little if any market for summer clothes inthe winter.How about...
•Test, Test and Re-test
Test, Test and Re-test by Bob OsgoodbyWe could all take a lesson from children. As they are growingup, and learning right from wrong, they are constantly testing tosee what they can do, and what is not acceptable.I see hundreds of ads everyday on the web, and while there aresome good ones, most fall into the "ho-hum" variety, and some aredownright awful. Now this isn't bad, if they are testing to seewhat is going to work, and what isn't.Many put up an ad with no idea as to whether it will...
•Testing The Water
Testing The Water by Bob OsgoodbyI don't care if you are in an affiliate program, are involved inNetwork Marketing or just trying to sell your products to a nichemarket. Just ask yourself this: How many of the "High Fliers"have their own web site, and how many of the "Also Rans" don't?No one is going to take you as a serious on-line entrepreneurif you are promoting a program with the URL such as:http://www.someonesmlm.com/member/script.cgi?59432However if you have your own site -...
•Text is for E-mail
Text is for E-mail by Bob OsgoodbyText is for E-mail and HTML coding is for Web Pages. I can'tbegin to tell you the number of E-mails I get formatted for HTML.These are basically not readable in a text mode and get quicklydeleted. While some mail readers will display HTML coding, manywill not. If you use E-mail to send information to potentialclients, always make sure that you send it in a format they canread.AOL has some pretty nifty tools and allows you to put script incolors, use italic...
•The Human Touch
The Human Touch by Bob OsgoodbySure, the e-tools available for an online merchant are great.We have up to the minute product selection on our web pages, andautoresponders that can follow up requests. We have our ownonline mall, immediate payment methods to prevent that "coolingoff" period, secure sites for financial transactions, and allsorts of e-tools at our disposal. But what is wrong? You're notbeing overwhelmed with sales, and barely making expenses.Stop for a moment. Why are potential...
•The Magic Number
The Magic Number by Bob OsgoodbyHaving published a Newsletter for over 6 years we've learned afew "tricks". Probably the most important one is that peoplewant to get their information as quickly as possible. They arenot willing to wade through tomes of information, no matter howwell written, to get the ideas presented in the article.If two identical newsletters are published, except one has arather long article, and the other has a condensed version ofthe same article, there will be a...
•The Meaning of "NO"
The Meaning of "NO" by Bob OsgoodbyAn autoresponder is really a great thing, and should be ineveryone's marketing bag of tricks. They serve a vital role inyour advertising efforts by providing someone with information inwhich they have an interest.Proper use of autoresponders can take many forms. The mostpopular, is to post a short classified ad either on a web site ora newsletter, and invite the reader to email you for moreinformation. The email address you give is actually...
•The Personal Touch
The Personal Touch by Bob OsgoodbySure, the e-tools available for an online merchant are great.We have up to the minute product selection on our web pages, andauto-responders that can follow up requests. We have our ownonline mall, immediate payment methods to prevent that "coolingoff" period, secure sites for financial transactions, and allsorts of e-tools at our disposal. But what is wrong? You're notbeing overwhelmed with sales, and barely making expenses.Stop for a moment. Why are...
•The Poop Patrol
The Poop Patrol by Bob OsgoodbyIf you live in a closed community, such as a condo or residentialcommunity, you know what the term "Poop Patrol" means. These areyour self appointed protectors, who are constantly on the alertfor any infraction of the rules of their community. Hang a towelon your railing - bang - you're busted. If you own a pet, youcan be sure that the "Poop Patrol" is watching you.Well, the Internet has its' own version of the "Poop Patrol", andanyone who actively sends email...
•The Right Track
The Right Track by Bob OsgoodbyThere's an old saying - "Even if you're on the right track,you'll get run over if you just sit there." How many people tryto set their business on the "right track" and just never makeit? Just what is the "right track"?You can be relatively sure you are on the "right track" when yourbusiness is starting to generate income. Some things you do willbe good, and while others may sound good, in reality may not be.Let's take a hard look at one of these strategies.Did...
•The Silk Purse
The Silk Purse by Bob OsgoodbyWe've all heard the saying "You can't make a silk purse out of asows ear", but yet almost everyday, people are trying -figuratively speaking of course - to do just that. There are somany opportunities being presented on the web, it is difficultto distinguish between the two. Some are the proverbial "silkpurse", and others are the "sows ear". How do you tell thedifference?You have to be very careful on the Internet. There are manylegitimate deals, but there are...
•Tinkers to Evers to Chance
Tinkers to Evers to Chance by Bob OsgoodbyChicago Cubs infielders Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and FrankChance formed the most memorable double-play combination in thehistory of baseball. In our marketing efforts, we can learn avaluable lesson from this "double-play" concept.While email is nice to use in your ads, it is not structured, andyou may not get the information you really need. You can havethem reply to a specific email address or to an email with aspecial address such as:...
•What Makes A Great Online Ad?
What Makes A Great Online Ad? by Bob OsgoodbyTrying to sell your product or service online differs from allother forms of advertising, and very few people seem to realizethat this is completely different from all other traditionalforms of advertising. Print media allows the use of attentiongetting graphics. Radio allows music or jingles and of course TVprovides both visual as well as auditory stimuli.Now a Web Page can also do this, but you have to get people thereto see and/or hear your...
•Words Sell
Words Sell by Bob OsgoodbyThey say that a picture is worth a thousand words. While this may be true if the picture is a schematic of a complicated gizmo you're trying to put together, it is hardly the case when it comes to your ads. An image should be used to get attention, and it should draw people in to read the words used in the ad. Words sell - not pictures. Each word used in the ad should lead the person to the desired outcome. In the case of a classified ad, the desired outcome should...
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