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Thread: Generating new sales leads using unsolicited email marketing?

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    Generating new sales leads using unsolicited email marketing?

    Hi,
    I have to generate new sales leads for the first time and am wondering if it is ok to send unsolicited email messages to businesses using email addresses found on their web site or in online directories? The email will include an opt-out/unsubscribe option. If it isn't ok to send unsolicited email, does anyone have any suggestions on how I might go about generating new sales leads?
    Thanks.

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by user10 View Post
    I ... am wondering if it is ok to send unsolicited email messages to businesses using email addresses found on their web site or in online directories?
    Some people's definition of spam is far more aggressive than others.

    What I will say is in such a campaign you probably have no more than a second or two to make sure the client recognises you're offering something he/she's looking for right now. If you really think about all the elements that have to fall into place to make a hit and overcome the "I've been spammed" factor... You'll have to be really, really good.

    Quote Originally Posted by user10 View Post
    does anyone have any suggestions on how I might go about generating new sales leads?
    Have a look at Marketing Motor.

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    Diamond Member AndyD's Avatar
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    Some people's definition of spam is far more aggressive than others.


    Generating sales leads by unsolicited email messages will be a thankless and unproductive approach. Assuming you get through the ISP spam filter and their email client spam filter, the average business owner is a black-belt at deleting messages of this nature unread. The one guy in several hundred that actually unsuspectingly opens one of your mails will hate you with a passion several seconds later.
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    I suggest a phone call first - if you have a website you have a telephone number. Get the name and ask if you may send them info. Works for me and you have made personal contact which is important. You will get a lot of NO's but eventually you get the yes. Thats sales. Good luck

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    Dave A (04-Feb-11)

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    Gold Member Mark Atkinson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave A View Post
    Have a look at Marketing Motor.
    Have you used Marketing Motor before, Dave?

    I skimmed through their site and it seems to promise everything that every other internet marketing "guru" might promise. Sounds suspect to me.

    Perhaps you've had personal experiences with them that may convince me otherwise?

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    Thanks all for your advice.

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    Diamond Member Neville Bailey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Atkinson View Post
    Have you used Marketing Motor before, Dave?

    I skimmed through their site and it seems to promise everything that every other internet marketing "guru" might promise. Sounds suspect to me.

    Perhaps you've had personal experiences with them that may convince me otherwise?

    I am using Marketing Motor and I can most certainly vouch for its effectiveness!

    Go to Google and type a search word/phrase about Pastel support / help / consulting. etc and you will see my website listed near the top!
    Neville Bailey - Sage Pastel Accounting Consultant
    www.accountingsoftwaresupport.co.za
    neville@accountingsoftwaresupport.co.za
    IronTree Online Solutions

    "Give every person more in use value than you take from them in cash value."
    WALLACE WATTLES (1860-1911)

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    Gold Member Mark Atkinson's Avatar
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    That's all very well, BUT would it work for something like a web/graphic design business.

    I see the sites that you get are extremely simple text-based sites with lots of keyword "optimisation". This includes having lots of links which all point to the same page but are different target keywords.

    The web design market is EXTREMELY saturated and I'm quite sure that a site like that can't aid a design business all that much. I'm guessing it's more for niche targeting. If building a site like that and relying on keyword optimization is the bulk of their service, then I'm not sure how well it can work in a saturated market.

    I will look into it though. I'd be interested to see how they can devise an Adwords campaign for a web design business that's cost effective.

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    Moderator IanF's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neville Bailey View Post
    I am using Marketing Motor and I can most certainly vouch for its effectiveness!

    Go to Google and type a search word/phrase about Pastel support / help / consulting. etc and you will see my website listed near the top!
    Neville
    I searched for pastel support and doubleentry.co.za was on the top of the second page. Is this the website that you are talking about?
    Only stress when you can change the outcome!

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Mark, Marketing Motor is the new evolution of the two Pete's Global Warriors product discussed here. It really is very slick now; easy to use and highly effective.

    But as you say you're in a very competitive niche. It might well bring down your cost-per-click due to a better quality score and improved niche targeting, but I suspect your CPC will still be quite high even then. The other question would be conversion rates... What people will be landing on are pretty "unslick" pages. They offer exactly what the searcher would be looking for, but I wouldn't exactly describe them as the crafted shop front window of a web design service. More like a warehouse store... without the paint.

    In the grand scheme of things it wouldn't cost you much to test it, and for your first campaign they offer personal support. You'll have two of the best internet marketing minds on the planet helping you. But there are no guarantees.

    To some extent that's the point. Nothing is guaranteed but this makes it dead easy to test the waters. Time wise you invest an hour or so in setup effort and see if a particular idea is worth pursuing further after collecting a week's data. If you set a spend limit of R100 per day on Adwords, your R&D is a whopping R700.00 at worst.

  12. Thanks given for this post:

    Mark Atkinson (05-Feb-11)

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