Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 08:06:18 -0500 (EST)
Message-Id: <200012171306.IAA00861@garofalo.adgrafix.com>
To: Steve@songseek.com
From: eHits <listserv@eHits.com>
Reply-to: NoReply@eHits.com
Subject: "Ask Vicki" - Is the Internet a Bust?

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________________________________________________________


                      ASK VICKI

                  Victoria Steele on 
              E-Commerce & Web Marketing

                   December 17, 2000

                "Move over Dear Abby, 
         ...there's a new girl on the block"

________________________________________________________
Sponsor:

        SHOW ME HOW TO EXPLODE MY TRAFFIC !!

            http://www.Traffic2000.com
________________________________________________________



            [Editors Note: The following letter has been 
             edited to eliminate unacceptable language]


Dear Vicki,

I am SICK and FED UP with this whole Internet BS.

To date, I have yet to receive one single order from
my website.  NOT ONE !!!  And I have heard others say 
that they tried an online business without success.  
So Vicki, tell me the God's honest truth: 

    Is Doing Business on the Internet a Bust ???

Please print this letter, I KNOW that others are 
in the same boat that I am, the slow boat.

Sincerely,

"Fed Up" in Fremont


             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Dear Fed Up,

I'm going to tell you exactly why your web business
hasn't had any orders, plus I'm going to give you 
useful resources to get you going. (you'll want to
save the links I'm about to give you)

First I want to address your comment that you've heard
others say that their online business hasn't worked.
Take these two quick examples:

EXAMPLE 1
A bagel shop opens up in a strip mall.  Three months 
later it goes out of business (for various reasons).  
The former owner then tells everyone that strip malls 
don't work.  As you so elegantly put it, "it's a bust."

EXAMPLE 2
A new business spends $10,000 on magazine advertising
for the month.  They blindly place ads, without any 
real marketing experience.  They do not "test" their 
ads in smaller publications first.  And they do not 
use a marketing consultant.  Later, after their ads 
don't pull successfully, they go around town mouthing
off that print advertising doesn't work.  

REALITY CHECK...
Are there successful businesses in strip malls?  Yes, 
bazillions of 'em.  Are there companies out there who 
are successful with print advertising?  Yep, bazillions
more.  Bottom line, it is very irresponsible for an 
inexperienced marketer to make claims that strip malls 
or print advertising don't work.

Which leads us to your question: "Is the Internet a bust?"
Just like my above examples, people "try" an online 
business, fail at it, then mouth off that the Internet 
doesn't work.  In my opinion these people are either 
ignorant, or they don't want to admit to others (or to 
themself!) that they've failed and don't know what the 
heck they're doing.

Listen, Fed-up in Fremont, I took a look at your website,
and I'd like to be as candid with you as you were with
me.  Here goes.  No matter how much traffic you bring
to your site, you're not going to get orders.  If your
site had 100,000 visitors tomorrow, I'd be surprised if
you saw a single order.  Why?  First, your site looks as 
though you made it.  It's got "home biz" tattooed on it's 
forehead.  It looks just like the other 20 million home 
biz sites.  I'm not saying there's anything wrong with 
home businesses, I'm just saying that the amateur-looking 
site representing the work-at-home entrepreneur just 
doesn't make it here in cyber space.  The Internet 
provides the "level playing field advantage" where a 
small business can appear just as large and successful
as a large business... use this advantage.


WHAT YOU SHOULD DO...

The first step is to convert your website into a 
lean mean selling machine.  A website with a good 
"conversion ratio."  A website that converts visitors 
into buyers.  I suggest that you purchase a course 
on this topic, such as Ken Evoy's "MYSS" or our own
"Traffic 2000" course. Check out: http://z56.com/go 
Next, swallow your pride and realize that your site
design is lame.  Have someone else re-design your site.
No offense, but as a business person you need to 
remember that pride doesn't bring in orders.  One of 
the best copy writers I know is now using ad copy 
(on his site) that someone else wrote!  Why?  Because 
the new ad copy increased his sell-through by 30%. 
Right now, take a quick look at these:

   "Increase Your Site's Sell-Through!"
   http://www.eHits.com/AskVicki/082500

   "Make Your Site Sticky" 
   http://www.eHits.com/AskVicki/081000


Step 2 is to start generating traffic to your site.
It is important that you don't waste time or energy
(or money!) doing this until **after** your site has a 
good conversion ratio (it's ability to convert visitors
to buyers).  Here's how to jumpstart your traffic...

   "Get Top Listings by Lunchtime, Traffic by Dinner!"
   http://www.eHits.com/AskVicki/081700

   "Want to Get Your Site Well-Listed in the 
   Search Engines? Hire an Expert"
   http://www.eHits.com/AskVicki/090800

   Using a "Media Hook" in your Press Release
   http://www.eHits.com/OneMinuteMarketer/102600

   Getting Well Listed on FFA Sites
   (including how to use free ad "blasters")
   http://www.eHits.com/AskVicki/092900


Also, placing ads in ezines can get you some quick
traffic.  Top sponsor ads work best.

The resources above can help jumpstart your traffic,
but it is important to know that the real key to online 
success is "Campaign Marketing."  (campaign marketing 
is the methodology of the high-end pro marketing firms)
Check this out: 

    "Campaign Marketing: Your Key to Cyber Success"
    http://www.eHits.com/AskVicki/091500

Be sure to write back and let our readers know of
your successes.

Sincerely,

Victoria Steele


________________________________________________________
Sponsor:

  INCREASE YOUR TRAFFIC...
  If you're not getting at least 10,000 visits/day,
  then you need to get out of "amateur mode" right now.
  Learn how to produce explosive website traffic, and 
  how to effectively convert website visitors into 
  buyers. Click to http://www.z56.com/go
________________________________________________________
Sponsor:

  WEBMASTERS:
  Have you checked out the #1 rated web marketing
  course?  Click to http://www.Traffic2000.com
________________________________________________________

      Do you have an e-business related question
    that you'd like to see published in this ezine?  
            Send it to AskVicki@eHits.com  
  Victoria Steele and her staff review all submissions 
  however we cannot guarantee yours will be published
________________________________________________________

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           eHits, San Diego, California USA.

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