RE: [PHP-DB] E-commerce Marketing ideas??

So you plan on mailing or phoning 1500 people? This will cost, and is regarded by a lot of people as intrusive no matter what a good deal you are offering. Mailing lists and calling return rates are less than 1% for profesionals.. again you will end up with <15 customers for a lot of work. Find some books on the subject and start reading, dont just take my advise. Somebody suggested offering content + service for free then charging for advertising and better service. I've willing handed over company cash for these sort of services and products because i get to use them and evaluate them and the company. If you run such a site that is good and popular you can even make money off advertising. This seems to be the current "e-business" model, time will tell how good it is. Personally i favour big products for big bucks to a few clients rather than small products to millions of clients for none to little dollars. They both work if you are customer focused but the former seems easier and less of nightmare. (Its easier to keep 3 clients very happy than 1000000 slightly happy). Having said that the 'free-business' model above also fits this. Make a site that makes 1500 free users happy, guarenteed >1% will want more, and be willing to pay for it. Also consider your market, you dont want your potential customers to be people with few discretionary dollars. You want people with buying power who are willing to spend on your idea, you may find that poor colledge students may be unwilling to pay for the latest audio cd, but may pay for a site that allows fast and secure MP3 files out of Jamacia (hey who knows). My suggestion is to target other business in successful sectors for example; Mining, Oil (is on the rise again), Goverment. (success? but they have lots of money), Other dot.com successes (I know when i make my first $1M ill be buying those stereo monitor gogles to play Unreal T on)... these potentials have money. Always aim for the high end of these markets. Do a S.W.O.T (Strengths, Weaknesses, Oportunities, Strengths) analysis and business plan. Define your goals (making money isn't the hardest part, keeping happy is), and expect setbacks. You _must_ also seek advise from others on this. Write it all out then talk to a trusted and successful business person. Dont trust me, talk to someone you know will be honest. This is important because your idea may be worth $0 to everyone else. If you write it all down it'll only cost you time, but if you start buying lists, buying postage stamps or calling 1500 people you will be spending your $. The best example i have is a guy who i went to school with who wanted to grow hydroponic asparagus. Hydroponic because its the best plant technology, and asparagus because he loved asparagus. Now we live in a fairly remote city with a very small market for high-end hydroponically grown asparagus. At the end of the day he had all the asparagus he could eat, but was broke and in debt. I always wonder if he still likes asparagus. Just because you like something doesnt mean everyone else will. Also just because something is high tech and pretty niche doesnt mean you can charge a lot for it. These are two of the 100's of common marketing mistakes i'm sure you learn from a good book. (Now there's a product "Marketing for Geeks", "Dating and Mating for Geeks", "Fourwheel Driving for Geeks"... i better go patent that one ;) I would really think about the free-site model as it will only cost you a small amount set up plus your time, you get to test your idea, and you will learn heaps about marketing and business on the way. You will also be able to assess yourself. Get a 9-5 job (or dont quit yours yet) make your business work with late nights and lots of effort then the dollars will come your way. Most new business start with a lot of work by one person (or a lot of money). This is sooooo off topic, but hey if anyone else is interested chime in off list as ive about said all i know (wow my whole marketing experience on one page... i'll have to put a hold on that "Marketing for Geeks" book.) mn PS: Last piece of advice, never trust advice from a mailing list!!!! I could be a second year marketing drop out from Toongabbie University. Also never trust people who use too many exclamation marks or "quoted words". NB: I am currently looking for a co-author on the newly announced " * for Geeks " series.... any takers for "Corporate Backstabbing for Geeks" or maybe "Sales Technique for Geeks" (also titled "Lieing your Arse Off for Geeks") Mark Nold markn@alverstone.com.au Systems Consultant Change is inevitable, except from vending machines. On Wednesday, 12 July 2000 11:14, Nam Nguyen [SMTP:namnguyenphp@hotmail.com] wrote: > > Hi Mark, > > Thanks for your information. But I think I will mail and phone instead > because I have seen enough of spam and don't believe in spam either. > > I admit that I have no experience in marketing. If you have any ideas to > share with me and the list, I would be very interested to know. > > Best regards, > > Nam. > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at > http://www.hotmail.com > >