After the large number of views and responses on our past Craigslist posting articles, I thought I would follow up with a few more items and a real example of what we use to achieve great results.
You can see a perma-copy of one of our best performing Craigslist ads here: Vanivo Craigslist Ad. Here are a few things that make this ad effective:
1) Eye-catching, actionable title.
The asterisks (***) draw the attention to the phrase “web design.” We phrased the title as a question because the mental cue for a ‘yes’ answer Read more…
Lately I’ve been studying testing and implementing the best tactics for Craigslist posting. I’ve been experimenting for over 4 months now, and I’ve gotten measurably better responses (ad views and click-throughs to my website) by using the strategies outlined below, and for the first time ever, I’m sharing them with you.
Tip 1) Don’t Blend In.
Your first goal on Craigslist is to not get lost in the crowd. To view your ad, visitors have to find your title in the category page, which is easier said than done these days.
- Include the keywords for whatever you’re listing in the title. This way, users can search ‘titles only’ and still have your listing come up. Avoid the obscurity and confusion by Read more…
As a relatively new blog, I’m always looking for ways to bring in legitimate traffic and reward contributors for thought-out comments. Now, the opportunity is built in to this blog. I’ll describe how the nofollow process works in my next post…
I had been tossing around the idea for a while, considering the downside of losing my stellar pagerank – this blog is currently not ranked 
. I read up on the topic and decided to join the growing community of ‘dofollowers.’ There are quite a few reasons, many of which are Read more…
With so many ways to create titles on Craigslist, it’s sometimes a hit or miss getting people to read your ad. Keeping this in mind, we ran many different titles using an assortment of fonts, wording and symbols. Then, we used tools like Google Analytics and GetClicky to gather information by measuring clicks, bounce rates , new users and time at site.
GetClicky.com and Google Analytics both allow you to track what people are doing at your site. They tell you how long people stay, what actions are they taking, bounce rates, clicks, and their physical location - all of which is very useful information for trying to obtain more visits to your site. Both are really simple tools Read more…
There’s just so much good stuff in this book, I might have to turn this into a multi-part series. Chapter 4, “Direct Response Marketing” (from Guerrilla Marketing on the Internet by Jay Conrad Levinson) really got me thinking about how many sites I’ve come across that don’t do anything for the business. In very few cases, having the simplest of ‘brochure websites’ (strictly informational and usually for credibility purposes) may be appropriate, but there are so many opportunities to get your web site to do more for your business.
The easiest thing any website can do is collect your visitor’s contact information. This can be used as a targeted list for your marketing offers (as long as you have their permission of course). There are many things you can offer your visitors in exchange for their contact info (specifically, e-mail address):
I’ve recently been browsing Jay Conrad Levinson’s latest book: Guerrilla Marketing on the Internet, and have come across quite a few gems that got me thinking. This article is a brain dump for a few of my thoughts while reading the book.
For those unfamiliar with the term ‘Guerrilla Marketing,’ Wikipedia explains, “is an unconventional system of promotions that relies on time, energy and imagination rather than a big marketing budget.” These aren’t just strategies, they’re principles to live by.
1. Embrace Web 2.0 and Social Media
There is the old Internet and the new Internet. The old Internet was a one-way flow of information where a company, entity, or individual would put their content on a website. Visitors would view the content, and go on their merry way. The new Internet takes a collaborative, visitor-centric approach where the community creates the content and everyone benefits. Here are a few examples: Read more…
Besides a website being a necessity for PR, marketing, credibility and communications, it can also bring in revenue and drive sales. If your business sells a product (or many products), or a service that can be packaged as a product, consider having a storefront on your website. This will allow you to take orders 24/7 from anywhere in the world (you can always limit sales to “domestic” or “local,” but the capability for global sales is there). Additionally, there are options to seamlessly accept orders on your own website, or inexpensively process them on a third party site.
In order to make a sale, companies used to have to sendout an expensive catalog, personally contact potential clients, or wholesale their product to a retailer if they did not have their own store. Today, it is possible to make a sale without a per-customer cost (time or money) or applying a huge wholesale discount. The miracle of the Internet allows Read more…
The type of financing you need depends on what type of legal structure your new business will have, as well as the capital requirements at different stages of your venture. The most common sources are outlined below. Remember that no matter what entity you choose or where you get your start-up capital, maintain separate and thorough records for your business transactions and keep a separate bank account in the business name.
Personal Savings
Hands-down, the easiest way to finance a business is to use your own money. Make sure to complete appropriate paperwork that recognizes your investment in your company – a separate entity, to protect the Read more…
This topic usually breaks entrepreneurs into two categories: those who had a name picked out from the start, and those who have no idea. If you’re one of the creative ones with a name already chosen, there are a few things to check before going forward with it. Most importantly, has anyone registered a trademark to conduct similar business in the U.S.?
There are two ways to unofficially check: 1) search the Internet for the company name to see if anyone is using it, and 2) search the trademark database online: click here, click on “New User Form Search” and type in your idea for a name. If anyone has registered that name (not counting pending applications), you can see this information in the Read more…
Competitor analysis is vital for every business. Who could compete with you for your customer base? It’s an excellent idea to do a thorough analysis of possible competitors before you go further in your venture. Search the web, online forums, phone books, your chamber of commerce, and ask everyone you know (and some you don’t). Find out who’s out there, what their strategy is, and why your business will succeed alongside your competition (or put them out of business). Remember that for some types of businesses, competitors don’t have to be located in the same city, state, or even country to take customers away from you.
I like to break down competitors into 3 different categories:
Level 1 Competitors – These are people doing almost exactly the same thing you’re doing. If you’re running a flower shop on Oak Street, these are the guys 15 blocks down on Maple. You both might have your own specialty arrangements or selection, but if you’re both ‘flower shops’ they are considered Read more…
While sole proprietorships and general partnerships are the easiest legal structures to set up, they don’t provide any personal asset protection like C-Corps, S-Corps, LLCs, and Limited Partnerships. The idea of starting a business that can put 100% of your personal assets at risk is not a smart one.
There are volumes of books about choosing the right entity, but from my experience, LLC’s and S-Corps are the most multi-purpose for the startup. S-Corps have the advantage of easily morphing into C-Corps if you’re thinking about eventually going that route. They require more Read more…
Who will help your business become a success? In what areas are your skills inadequate for the best interest of your business (legal, design, technology, marketing, accounting, manufacturing, hiring, etc.)? Where will you find your team?
Be careful not to bring in friends or relatives just because they need jobs – that’s a good way to put a heavy strain on a relationship. Independent professional service firms can be considered partners as long as they’re committed to your business vision, but I’m talking specifically about Read more…
A great business starts with a great idea – filling an unmet need, tapping a new market, bringing new technology to improve an old process, etc. From there, a business plan will help you organize your plan of attack and how you will turn this idea into a feasible venture. A great resource and outline for writing a business plan can be accessed on Entrepreneur.com.
You will need your business plan to help you set goals and operate your business, as well as to show potential sources of capital including Read more…