Thread: Direct Marketing online

Hi guys

I have been recommended by someone who's very successful in business (i.e fastlane status - i contacted them through email) to look into "online direct marketing" as something that might suit me.

"There are mass platforms like google for direct marketing but niche marketing is still a largely unplayed field and a good way to build the beginnings of a business (i.e. generate revenues for a 20 year to live on before you decide whether or not you want to become big or not). "

He didnt go into much detail so i did a bit of research, and understand the general idea and it appears to satisfy the NECST commandments:

1. Find a product that i can sell to a large number of people (need + scale) that havnt reached distribution and their inventors/owners have no idea how to use the internet (entry). Note: I want to get started and build cash flow and experience ASAP, but later id be looking to re-brand or invest the profits in creating my own products (control) and possibly time (info-product, software, other automated/other peoples services)
2. Buy cheap ads in email lists that target the market im looking to sell to (i assume i can also buy forum banner ads for example). Start with, say $100. For every $100 i invest in ads id be looking to make say, $200 profit after paying the product maker. Then compound by reinvesting the profits.

So i assume that i research a product, try and create a landing page with an obvious call to action (buy now) with good enough copy that it should convert enough of the traffic so the ads pay for themselves. Track the conversions from different sources and split-test different possible sales pages to try and find out what is optimal.

Perhaps this is all i really need to know and i ought to start getting to work and learn as i go along, but i feel i need to know a lot more and should read a book or follow a course before I get started so im not going to be missing something important.

I dont have much money to risk and worried about ads being to expensive/conversions so low that its a waste of time. I have bigget fastlane ideas that require a few $k that i dont have to risk, and think that online direct marketing could be the best way to try and build up some cash instead of working (and learning a skill that i could use to market any other product later on).

Im looking to be pointed in the right direction from people who know about online direct marketing and thought this might be the place to ask (recommend some good books/resources to learn from?).


Thanks

The only thing I am not certain about what you said above is where would you find cheap ad space in ezines or existing email publications? It sounds to me like you are after a hybrid of the old school direct marketing where you would place targeted classified ads. Not saying this doesn't exist online... just will be interested to follow your progress on how you identify the advertising opportunities, and if truly you can find direct response vehicles on as cheap of a scale as you need them to be to ramp this thing up. Please continue to post in this thread as you find additional information on this and you develop your concept. Interesting.

Sure, ill let you know how things go.

The detail i got was pretty vague and I still had a few questions that i was looking for some clarification of, e.g "Where do i find these email list i can buy cheap ads on?" . I didn't get a any reply tho Might hastle him for a response.

I went to google to see if i could find out more, using the term "online direct marketing" and similar combinations (internet direct response etc) but that didnt reveal much.

Intuitively, it would be like direct marketing as you would find in magazines/spam mail - but with email vs house addresses, emails/web sales pages instead of print, click here buttons instead of call now on this number etc)

Saying this, you probably know more than me. I dont know much about direct marketing/internet marketing other than what ive found out on wikipedia etc and im looking for more info myself.

Judging by the lack of info available, and your response, im unsure if theres an opportunity here with something that isnt really been done, or if its been tried and tested and proven not to work?

heres a reply i received from another forum

"Direct marketing is direct marketing. The principles work in any medium. In fact, the squeeze page was designed by a direct marketer Dean Jackson.

Pick up old school direct marketing principles from legends like Dan Kennedy and Gary Halbert and study modern day online direct marketers like Ryan Deiss and Perry Marshall.

You'll notice most successful online marketing is direct marketing.

Direct response marketing is based on the principles of advertising based on getting a direct action from a prospect that can be tested.

Autoresponders...direct marketing

Squeeze pages...direct marketing

Sales Pages....direct marketing

Banner Ads....you guessed it, direct marketing

List Building? 100 % direct marketing.


You'd be surprised by the cross over and how many online DON'T use direct marketing in their online efforts.

As for a list on the better online marketers with direct marketing in their materials? Frank Kern, Ryan Deiss, Perry Marshall, Perry Belcher, Michel Fortin, Paul Hancox, Jason Fladlien, Robert Plank, Glenn Livingston...and so many more.

If you're starting in internet marketing, I would suggest asking the best place to started adn build a solid foundation first. there's a lot of elements to any business and internet marketing if not different. I would also pick someone whose business products and practices ring true for you and follow their sales funnels."

I got a book called "Commonsense Direct and Digital Marketing" to start with, but im not sure if this is the best place to start (checked out amazon and made the decision, it would help to get a recommendation from someone who knew their stuff)