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Auctions InformationARE MINI-SITES THE ANSWER?
by:
Bob McElwain
Mini-sites move in several flavors but all have one
significant element in common. Each site is really tightly
focused upon commercialism a single product or service. No Flash.
No graphics. No links out. No banners or advertising of any
kind. Nothing that detracts from the site purpose, which is
to do the sale.
The Pure Definition
In simplest form a mini-site consists entirely of a sales
letter and order form. That is, your visitant either buys or
clicks the Back button. Your site offers no else option.
Suppose your current site is focused on commercialism ebooks
and computer code to help folk raise their kids. Each product
is a candidate for a mini-site dedicated entirely to selling
it.
You strength
do well with, "How To Build A Sewing Site," or
anything specific of interest to some. Peradventure show how to
remodel your kitchen, build a plane or boat. But a mini-site
dependant upon keywords such as "site design" or "site
promotion" isn't going to do it because there is just too
much competition.
Affiliate Programs
In several cases, pre-selling your visitors before sending
them to the sales pitch on an affiliate site can activity wonders
for your conversion ratio. In others, you're better off simply
generating a click to the site.
If pre-selling is a nice idea for a program that is paying
well, then a mini-site consisting of only a page or two can work
well. You may need only your crazy endorsement of the
product on a single page. Or you may want to add another
providing an in-depth review. All content points to links
to the sales pitch on the program's site.
This works, but as above, the major task is in drawing
targeted traffic. If this can be managed, then this is also
a nice model.
Selling Hot Products
To take the notion of commercialism as an affiliate program one
step further, you may want to consider commercialism presently
hot
items. For example, back up a couple of years and anticipate
the interest in MP3 presently
to burst upon the scene. Do the
right pick, find the better affiliate program, and you may have
a winner.
This approach works only for those who already cognize how
to sell most anything. Without a background in selling
effectively, particularly on the Web, it's better to leave this
notion to those who do.
Profits To Be Expected
Your intention in building a mini-site is to generate profits.
However, you are not looking to do a living off the site.
Quite the contrary. You just want to generate a separate
income stream. And $200/month may be all you need. Given one
such site, the trick is to continue producing others, adding
to total financial gain
with each.
Claims Of Time
In notes just about building mini-sites, one claim ready-made often
really bothers me. That you can toss such a site together in
an hour or two. This is not even as close to feasible for most.
Pros may be able to quickly gather parts of existing sales
pitches with information from the affiliate program or the
manufacturer of the product. Then, in short order, cobble
together a sales pitch that works at least reasonably well.
Still, I don't cognize anybody who actually can manage this in an
hour.
To me, time is part of the cost equation. It takes time
to put together a slick sales presentation. Much to define
an advertising campaign. And even as more to track price versus
results.
Generating Hits Is The Hard Part
Okay. You've got a nice product, a neat sales letter,
and an order form. All is looking good. Now how do you
draw targeted traffic to see your pitch? This is the
critical issue, for profits depend upon success in doing so.
Yahoo and else directories wish ignore you. And response
from search engines wish be limited. Their visitors are not
looking for sales pitches, so yours may not show up.
Many an who demand that a mini-site be only a sales pitch
and order form are superior
marketers who have been quite
successful. Thus they have a large list of followers, many
interested in reselling what is offered. They produce a sales
letter, announce it to their list, and sales follow almost
automatically.
Since few have such lists, options are reduced to
advertising. In person
I feel the pay-per-click search engines
are the better starting point. GoTo.Com can bite pretty hard with
their fees. Spell less significant, there are many an smaller
engines of this type that can be used for experimentation.
For a list, see
You Can Lose A Lot Really Quickly
If your mini-site is generating say $200/month and it's
costing you $100/month to advertise, you're in a risky position.
For one, you need to commit serious time to do sure your
advertising price remain reasonable. If you don't, you may take
a look one day and learn you're defrayment $300/month to
generate $100/month. Not exactly profitable.
Only once
confident that an $M investment wish consistently
yield $N, wish you be able to delete the following time factor
from your costs. What M and N need to be wish vary with the
individual. However, many an wish be content with spending
$50/month for $150/month profit, provided results can be
expected to be consistent for a reasonable figure of time.
The Potential Is Grand
A nice mini-site can be a steady financial gain
producer. It's
something we all should consider doing. For myself, the models
above seem insufficient. I prefer what strength
be called a themed
mini-site. Spell the evidence is not conclusive, there are
indications that search engines like such sites.
In this model, on the far side
the sales pitch there of necessity
to be good
content closely related to the theme. I haven't tried this as
yet, but plan to do so. I like the fact that I can generate
hits from search engines with this model, then experiment with
advertising and pay-per-click search engines to generate even
more targeted traffic.
The Better Starting Point
Simply go and sign up at BizMinisites.Com
(Or see the sales presentation
at ) It's not more over
$3/month, and you don't even as need a domain name.
There's no better way to go. It's an offer that can't be
beat. It's the brain child of one of my favorite people, Sydney
Johnson, author of "Make Your Net Auction Sell." (See
for my review
of this outstanding work.)
Is This For Everybody?
Yes and no. Skills are required. If you do not have them
and do not have the time to develop them, then I'd wait a time.
But this aside, the answer is yes. Here's what you need.
> Go for a one page site with an order form, then activity with
the pay-per-click search engines to generate hits. If you lack
bucks, pass on GoTo.Com in effort started.
> If you go for a themed mini-site, in addition to the
above, develop search engine friendly content pages. (For
notes just about building content pages that rating well, send any
email to contentpage@sitetipsandtricks.com .)
In either case, risks of time and price are minimal.
And potential is unlimited. So take the shot!
_________________
For an earlier article on mini-sites, please see
Simply just about the Author
Bob McElwain, author of "Your Path To Success."
How to build ANY business you want, just the
way you want it, with only pocket money.
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