Chip’s B2B Tip #91- Paul Myers
.
B2B Tips #91 - Paul Myers' Business Model for You
.
My friend, Paul Myers of http://www.talkbiz.com fame sent me an email newsletter today in which he addresses a question from a person named Zoran on one of the online discussion forums.
Zoran apparently is looking for a business to start, and Paul makes certain definitive suggestions (in his usual Paul-style). As is typical with Paul sharing his wisdom, it's surely worth sharing with you.
In fact, you would be well served to go get on Paul's list.
Paul is the gift that keeps on giving ...
If you're not careful, you'll pay big bucks for crappy information from other people that's not nearly as effective, efficient, and doable as what Paul gives you here for free.
Take heed, dear reader ...
Here it is.
================================
Here's something I haven't seen many people discuss. You can start it very inexpensively, and it's got as much potential as almost anything you could do online, if you work at it.
LOCAL advertising, on a strictly opt-in basis.
Start a site that caters to your area. Let's say, for example, that you live in Toronto. Register TorontoNites.com, which is available as I write this.
Get a copy of phpList from http://www.phplist.com/
Set it up with various categories of things people might want to hear specials and notifications about. Some examples:
-> Dinner specials
-> Theatre and movie specials
-> Music happenings (concerts, local bands, etc):
Jazz
Blues
Country
Classical
Alternative
Rock
-> Civic events
-> Outdoor happenings
-> Art fairs and exhibitions
-> Home improvement
-> Gardening
-> Etc...
When people sign up, they will be able to check the areas they want to hear about. In addition to their preferences, you'll want to get their first name, email address and zip code.
Because it's local, I recommend that you consider very carefully before asking for a last name. That may make some people uncomfortable. If you ask, make sure it's optional and that the subscriber knows it.
Make sure the program is set to require confirmations and make the process clear on the page that comes up after they hit the "Subscribe" button.
Now, get some good photos of things happening in the city. Stuff that's fun and interesting and clearly local. Put together a simple, clean looking site that exists for one purpose: To let people sign up to be notified of entertainment, educational and civic events that fit their interests.
To get the ball rolling, you first want to approach some of the non-profit, educational and artistic institutions in town and offer to let your subscribers know about their events - free.
Place a link on a separate page (linked from the front page) to those sites. Mention that and let them know that you would welcome a link back if they feel it would be appropriate.
Also, trade links with other local sites. A directory of Toronto web sites would be a good addition for your members, and provides a good introduction to potential link partners.
You're developing content sources AND traffic sources at the same time.
Next, publicize the site in the local papers and see about getting other press. Get creative with this, but try the news angle first. Remember: Subscriptions are free.
Put up a link on the front page mentioning your advertising options. It should be easy to find, but not something most people will notice unless they're looking for it. Something at the bottom saying "Advertise in Toronto Nites" would be about right.
Once you have 1000 or more subscribers, start looking for local restaurants or other businesses and offer the first ones free ad space (or solo ads), to test the responsiveness of the medium for them.
When it gets going, you'll find it very easy to get advertisers. You keep the whole thing useful by only sending the ads to people who asked for info on those topics. phpList s very cool in this regard... And they can change their preferences at any time, too.
Keep sending those notices of civic events of interest, like art fairs and free concerts. Make it useful, and the word will spread. People will pass those emails along to friends and that can mean a lot of subscribers.
That's money model number one: Paid advertising to people who've asked for it, and told you exactly what they want to hear about. That's OUTSIDE the "locked" section of the site.
Next, set up blogging software that let's you create multiple blogs with different passwords.
http://www.pmachine.com/ offers pMachine Pro free, and it's quite powerful.
Possible: Set up a discussion forum, using phpBB (latest version, for security) or whatever software you like personally. Set it to require registration, so you can nuke twits who might come in to start trouble.
I say possible here because you might not want the headaches... Discussion forums are rewarding, but they take a certain diligence to keep things useful. The upside is that they allow people to actually become part of the community.
In a local forum, that's a Very Good Thing. Balance this against your own personal tastes and tolerances.
Now, approach various people who are intelligent and opinionated. Offer them a column on your site. (That's what the blogs will be.) Same for local editorialists, music critics, DJs and politicians/civic activists.
Let each one choose whether they want their columns open for posted commentary.
Keep going until you have a good batch of columnists. Make it clear that they're solely responsible for the content of their postings, and that they're expected to maintain reasonable standards. Make it equally clear that you will not attempt to influence their positions.
Now you start offering memberships. Put together a list of things you'll be getting for them. Members-only specials, interviews with interesting local people, commentary from local politicians and more. (Not hard to get, once you build an audience.)
Give them away at first. Set a limit... the first X,000 get in free. At some point after that, you plan to start charging. Note: This is very different from ONLY the first X,000 get in free.
That X,000 is your seed audience. That gets you the ear and eye of a lot of people.
It's also more exposure for ad sales.
Once you've got some good content flowing in, and have some press, then you start charging. Recurring billing, whether monthly (low price, as you can get a lot of local people if the news or entertainment is right), or annually at a moderate price.
Something like this already in your area?
So what? You come at it from a different slant and you're looking for a different audience.
That help spark some ideas, Zoran?
Hey! I think I just wrote the first draft of a newsletter...
Paul
Was this handy?
http://www.buy-paul-a-beer.com/
================================
Take heed to Paul's wonderful advice. And - once again - go to http://www.talkbiz.com and get on Paul's list. You'll be glad you did.
© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com
B2B Tips #91 - Paul Myers' Business Model for You
.
My friend, Paul Myers of http://www.talkbiz.com fame sent me an email newsletter today in which he addresses a question from a person named Zoran on one of the online discussion forums.
Zoran apparently is looking for a business to start, and Paul makes certain definitive suggestions (in his usual Paul-style). As is typical with Paul sharing his wisdom, it's surely worth sharing with you.
In fact, you would be well served to go get on Paul's list.
Paul is the gift that keeps on giving ...
If you're not careful, you'll pay big bucks for crappy information from other people that's not nearly as effective, efficient, and doable as what Paul gives you here for free.
Take heed, dear reader ...
Here it is.
================================
Here's something I haven't seen many people discuss. You can start it very inexpensively, and it's got as much potential as almost anything you could do online, if you work at it.
LOCAL advertising, on a strictly opt-in basis.
Start a site that caters to your area. Let's say, for example, that you live in Toronto. Register TorontoNites.com, which is available as I write this.
Get a copy of phpList from http://www.phplist.com/
Set it up with various categories of things people might want to hear specials and notifications about. Some examples:
-> Dinner specials
-> Theatre and movie specials
-> Music happenings (concerts, local bands, etc):
Jazz
Blues
Country
Classical
Alternative
Rock
-> Civic events
-> Outdoor happenings
-> Art fairs and exhibitions
-> Home improvement
-> Gardening
-> Etc...
When people sign up, they will be able to check the areas they want to hear about. In addition to their preferences, you'll want to get their first name, email address and zip code.
Because it's local, I recommend that you consider very carefully before asking for a last name. That may make some people uncomfortable. If you ask, make sure it's optional and that the subscriber knows it.
Make sure the program is set to require confirmations and make the process clear on the page that comes up after they hit the "Subscribe" button.
Now, get some good photos of things happening in the city. Stuff that's fun and interesting and clearly local. Put together a simple, clean looking site that exists for one purpose: To let people sign up to be notified of entertainment, educational and civic events that fit their interests.
To get the ball rolling, you first want to approach some of the non-profit, educational and artistic institutions in town and offer to let your subscribers know about their events - free.
Place a link on a separate page (linked from the front page) to those sites. Mention that and let them know that you would welcome a link back if they feel it would be appropriate.
Also, trade links with other local sites. A directory of Toronto web sites would be a good addition for your members, and provides a good introduction to potential link partners.
You're developing content sources AND traffic sources at the same time.
Next, publicize the site in the local papers and see about getting other press. Get creative with this, but try the news angle first. Remember: Subscriptions are free.
Put up a link on the front page mentioning your advertising options. It should be easy to find, but not something most people will notice unless they're looking for it. Something at the bottom saying "Advertise in Toronto Nites" would be about right.
Once you have 1000 or more subscribers, start looking for local restaurants or other businesses and offer the first ones free ad space (or solo ads), to test the responsiveness of the medium for them.
When it gets going, you'll find it very easy to get advertisers. You keep the whole thing useful by only sending the ads to people who asked for info on those topics. phpList s very cool in this regard... And they can change their preferences at any time, too.
Keep sending those notices of civic events of interest, like art fairs and free concerts. Make it useful, and the word will spread. People will pass those emails along to friends and that can mean a lot of subscribers.
That's money model number one: Paid advertising to people who've asked for it, and told you exactly what they want to hear about. That's OUTSIDE the "locked" section of the site.
Next, set up blogging software that let's you create multiple blogs with different passwords.
http://www.pmachine.com/ offers pMachine Pro free, and it's quite powerful.
Possible: Set up a discussion forum, using phpBB (latest version, for security) or whatever software you like personally. Set it to require registration, so you can nuke twits who might come in to start trouble.
I say possible here because you might not want the headaches... Discussion forums are rewarding, but they take a certain diligence to keep things useful. The upside is that they allow people to actually become part of the community.
In a local forum, that's a Very Good Thing. Balance this against your own personal tastes and tolerances.
Now, approach various people who are intelligent and opinionated. Offer them a column on your site. (That's what the blogs will be.) Same for local editorialists, music critics, DJs and politicians/civic activists.
Let each one choose whether they want their columns open for posted commentary.
Keep going until you have a good batch of columnists. Make it clear that they're solely responsible for the content of their postings, and that they're expected to maintain reasonable standards. Make it equally clear that you will not attempt to influence their positions.
Now you start offering memberships. Put together a list of things you'll be getting for them. Members-only specials, interviews with interesting local people, commentary from local politicians and more. (Not hard to get, once you build an audience.)
Give them away at first. Set a limit... the first X,000 get in free. At some point after that, you plan to start charging. Note: This is very different from ONLY the first X,000 get in free.
That X,000 is your seed audience. That gets you the ear and eye of a lot of people.
It's also more exposure for ad sales.
Once you've got some good content flowing in, and have some press, then you start charging. Recurring billing, whether monthly (low price, as you can get a lot of local people if the news or entertainment is right), or annually at a moderate price.
Something like this already in your area?
So what? You come at it from a different slant and you're looking for a different audience.
That help spark some ideas, Zoran?
Hey! I think I just wrote the first draft of a newsletter...
Paul
Was this handy?
http://www.buy-paul-a-beer.com/
================================
Take heed to Paul's wonderful advice. And - once again - go to http://www.talkbiz.com and get on Paul's list. You'll be glad you did.
© Chip Tarver
The B2B Relationship Pro
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com
http://www.FirstContactSecrets.com/blog
http://www.Free-Targeted-Traffic.com
posted by Chip Tarver at 6/24/2005 07:05:00 AM
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