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Re: AM: Customer Acquisition via the Web
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Wow! Thanks for the response. I have been unable to reply to some
people today, but I will tomorrow. I look forward to continuing this
discussion.
Mitch has asked that I catalogue the discussion and recommended tactics,
so I will do that in a week or two after I have been able to talk to
everyone.
Thanks again for the support and information. Great to know that this
works so well.
Cheers,
Bill
valerie.voci@pnbi.com wrote:
>
> Like Tom, I too come from electronic sales within the newsletter business.
> I have recently moved to an online only publication.
>
> >From my experience, I agree with Tom. If you have an existing customer
> base, the easiest way to generate more income is through a site license
> program. If you are concerned with the payment cycle you can include
> quarterly payments as an option. Your contract still requires an annual
> commitment with the first payment due at the time of signing. For an
> electronic publication, it is very simple to terminate due to non-payment,
> you simply cut-off delivery of the service or invalidate the password for
> the web. Of course this is a very last resort. In my experience, the
> renewal rate is extremely high.
>
> As far as aquiring new customers there are a few routes to take. It was
> stated earlier that direct mail is very expensive. The conversion rate
> from free issue to paying customer has been declining across the newsletter
> industry. The key is to research your market and buy a really targeted
> list. An inexpensive marketing tool would be a postcard offering a free
> trial through a specific directory on your site. You can then track the
> number of sign-ups using the particular url for each list you use.
> Another method is to sponsor an event within your targeted readers'
> industry such as a seminar, a breakfast, a golf tournament. Again, you'll
> want to offer free trials to the attendees and maybe have a business card
> drop for a prize.
>
> Hope I've been helpful.
> Valerie
>
> BTW, I too am speaking at the Newsletter Publishers Association conference
> on June 1st at 2:30 "Pricing, Packaging & Selling Site Licenses"
>
> Valerie Voci
> Director of Sales
> Newsbytes News Network
> Post-Newsweek Business Information, Inc.
> 8500 Leesburg Pike, Ste. 7500
> Vienna, VA 22182-2412
> 703.848.2800 ext. 172 (V) 703.848.2353 (F)
> vvoci@pnbi.com
> http://www.newsbytes.com
>
> At 09:05 PM 5/12/98 -0400, brobins@merlin.netresponse.com wrote:
> >AM-
>
> >NetResponse is an internet consulting and development agency. One of
> >our clients is in the midst of planning an aggressive customer
> >acquisition campaign. The client is a web based publication, which
> >recently migrated to a subscription model.
>
> >Thus far, banner ads have not been a cost effective channel. I was
> >wondering what experiences, thoughts, or recommendations people had in
> >regards to alternative customer acquisition vehicles.
>
> >We are looking at list rental for direct email, text ads on email lists,
> >and sponsorships, as well as testing off line advertising mechanisms
> >(direct mail, print, and local NPR).
>
> >Thank you-
> >Bill Robins
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