# Secrets to Marketing on the Internet (So Far)



## pashley (Mar 22, 2008)

Selling on the Internet? How to do it? Why do it?

I share what I've learned in my latest ShopNotes blog post, "Secrets to Marketing on the Internet (So Far)" which you can see here.


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## DanYo (Jun 30, 2007)

Fun read. Well written. Appreciate your insight.


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## HowardInToronto (Sep 27, 2013)

As usual you hit it on the head PAshley.

I admire the depth of your insights.

Your point about springing for a self-hosted website is KEY.

It's not a good idea to be a squatter on someone else's real estate - always establish your own. Social media's the same. Informative "short-and-sweet" posts that always point readers to your own, self-hosted website.

But that's only the start.

How do you keep in touch with visitors that stopped by? Every single person researching something is at a different stage on their research curve. When they came to your website, maybe they figured they're a few months away from making any decisions. Maybe they want to buy right now.

But don't be so egocentric to think they'll bookmark your website and come back. Even if they do bookmark it, they might forget they did so…… So you need a way to keep in touch.

Also, you got real close in your observations about Google. You CAN rise to the top of page 1 - just make sure you're actually serving the markets you're selling to. Lots of ways to do it.

The internet isn't the only sales channel. But it does offer research and access with accuracy that would've been inconceivable just 15 years ago.

You're on the right track as far as American Bungalow is concerned. But think larger. Way larger. When you look at all those other artisans and manufacturing companies in each issue, do you ever think of offering them strategic alliances?

You raise great points. I appreciate your openness and your willingness to share.

Thank you PAshley.


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## toddbeaulieu (Mar 5, 2010)

To be clear, custommade.com is effectively a closed site, not accepting new builders.


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## pashley (Mar 22, 2008)

*HowardInToronto* about keeping in touch with people that stopped by - if a visitor doesn't somehow reach out to me, I'm not about to go after them because I can track them somehow - too creepy and intrusive (if that is what you meant). Google - yes, keeping your site fresh, posting to it regularly, and all that other stuff you are supposed to do to please the great Google God - in my mind it's a crap shoot, and not worth being manic over. I can't control what Google does - but I can spend my marketing time targeting potential customers on, say, CustomMade. And as far "strategic alliances" - can you explain?

*toddbeaulieu* What do you mean, CustomMade is effectively a closed site?


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## toddbeaulieu (Mar 5, 2010)

Go to their site and try to find any information about what projects customers are asking for, or even a mention of registering as a builder. When I emailed the site I got a response that they're "full", but you can join a waiting list.


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## pashley (Mar 22, 2008)

wow, really? That's interesting. A couple of months ago, they forced every builder to accept their payment system instead of Paypal. I was angry about it, but went along with it, since I get a lot of biz there. Then, I heard they purged a lot of artisans that were there but not doing anything in terms of business; they hadn't logged on in a while, never did any business - stragglers, hangers on - I guess, so that the guys making the site money would keep making the site money, and get rid of guys that weren't that good. Thanks for that info.


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## HowardInToronto (Sep 27, 2013)

Hmmmmm…….

Considering I never said anything about "tracking them" or "go after them" I'm not quite sure how you got that from what I wrote.

I was trying to explain that different people are at different levels of knowledge at different times on their research curve. When they come to your website, they may not be ready to pull the trigger on anything - including "reaching out" to you.

But your keeping in touch with them gives them the opportunity to get to know you. It can be something as simple as "send me your e-mail address and I'll send you a report about five things you must know when commissioning furniture." Or something along those lines.

Be open and transparent about the quid pro quo. Don't be indirect. And don't bug them. Remember, they've now given you their permission to stay in touch. So send them info they'll find interesting.

If you're too close to your own products and processes, you won't have the perspective to think that things you find logical, commonplace or old-hat could be interesting to someone else.

But think back to when you were researching something. It was all new to you. And you couldn't get enough RELEVANT information. Why would your visitor be any different?

Billion-dollar businesses have been built following up with leads that took time to incubate.

It's okay to "reach out" to people and ask them how you can serve them. It's also okay to follow up with them. You don't do the world any good by hiding your light under a bushel.

So yeah, you're right, it's not a good idea to do anything "creepy and intrusive." It's bad for business. And bad for the soul.

But it's nowhere near what I said.


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## pashley (Mar 22, 2008)

*HowardInToronto* Well, what I else was I to think when you wrote "How do you keep in touch with visitors that stopped by? "If they don't contact me, I would have to go after them somehow. Just a misunderstanding.

I don't think it's a great idea to pursue people, if I'm understanding your meaning. However, If I've sold something to them, I do keep their info, and I intend on sending out a "catalog" to them at some point, if not for a sale, to just let them know I'm around, and hopefully they'll look me up again some time.


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## HowardInToronto (Sep 27, 2013)

Yes - that's exactly it. Keep in touch. Let them know you're around. See if there's other ways to serve them.


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## rommy (Oct 8, 2013)

Selling on the internet is easy, you have to make a site or make a blog where you can show your things which you want to sell, you here provide the brief descriptoin here of your products. People automatically visits your site or blog which you made, so by these method your business spread easily among people than any other method.


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