Forums still have selling power.
February 9, 2007
With all of the new traffic methods that have come up in the past couple of years (especially Web 2.0, videos, etc) it's easy to forget about the old standards. It would be a serious mistake to forget about forum posting, though. My $7 Secrets launch proved that.
I never really visited the Warrior Forum much before, though it appeared in a few Google search results and I'd heard the name. I had an old account, though for the life of me I can't remember why I signed up.
Then I launched $7 Secrets, and a customer wrote in regarding a post made at the Warrior Forum. I went to check it out. Low and behold–the thread about my product had received 6,000+ views! I checked my sales, and it had launched hundreds of them.
Believe me, I will be much more active there now!
Another forum that did very well and made me lots of sales was Harvey Segal's ClickBank Success Forum. Hundreds of views and many, many sales from one thread.
I've also gotten reports back that my $7 Secrets is appearing "in all the forums"–how many does that mean? I don't know. But sales are still strong, with almost 4,800 to date (and hundreds more each day).
How to Post
Now, don't go out and start spamming the forums with posts about your latest product! That will just get you banned.
The best way to get a lot of traffic from forums is to actively engage in discussion on the various topics there, and have a very well-written link in your signature going to your site.
Yes, there's a lot of methods out there for getting traffic these days, but like I've said before: word of mouth is still the best one.
Comments
32 Responses to “Forums still have selling power.”
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Jonathan Leger has been earning his living online full-time since the fall of 2004. He regularly posts advice about search engine optimization (his current passion), AdSense and Internet Marketing. He is the creator of a suite of popular software tools, including: Jonathan L Leger 
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I totally agree. I use forums on a regular basis. Not always to sell stuff - but sometimes to just build relationships with people. Two of the best business partners I have ever met - I have met from forums.
So you never know what will happen when you make a post and start a conversation.
I definetely could believe that you've had so many visitors from forums. I post regularly on forums and have got into some pretty good conversations with people and receive a decent amount of traffic through them. Another great benefit of posting on forums is that as people see that you've helped other people out and are actively contributing, they see you as trustworthy, therefore resulting in more sales. I just recently started a blog about health (www.health-secrets.blogspot.com) and expect to see the first wave of visitors to come from forums.
Jeremy
Jonathan,
$7Secrets is a great report so it's no wonder that
it has spread like wildfire on the forums. CONGRATULATIONS!
Joanne Mason
Jonathan,
Yes, Warriors is terrific.
And your ebook is worthy of all the attention it's getting. Thanks!
Terry Rayburn
Johnathan, I never got into posting in forums but your blog certainly gives me the motivation to give it a try.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
I am a blind marketer, and sometimes I wonder if I should stick to music.
I am an accomplished saxophonist, with 40 years of experience in both performing, and international touring.
But,…as of lately I have developed a love for internet marketing.
It is very difficult, as I am a blind individual.
A lot of the time feeling like a stranger in a strange land!
It is very interesting to hear about all of these people who supposedly make all this money in such a short period of time.
Sometimes I wonder??
For those of you who think you are having a pretty ruff time,…Try dealling with the internet with no sight!
I have been making some headway with Jonathan's Article Builder website.
I give this website the "Curse Buster Pure Marketing Awesomeness Award"!
My latest project is a software directory.
Thanks Jonathan, for all you are doing.
Very inspiring!
CurseBuster
Hi Jonathon,
Man are you ever right on target here! The greedheads still don't get it, do they?
Forums are a place to learn, share with others, and build relationships — just like life.
When I visit a forum the first thing I am looking for are people who know how to do something I want to learn, or people who I could hire because they do what I need to have done, or for information I can't find anywhere else.
Next, I am looking to start building relationships with cool people — most of whom I HOPE will become long-time friends with whom we can mutually grow our businesses, and have a really great life.
Now where in all of that are opportunities to market the h*ll out of some affiliate product (that probably most of the other forum members have either already purchased, don't need, or have seen 100 other emails about already?
Sure isn't the kind of thing I want or expect out of a forum — and neither does anyone else.
So thanks for bringing up what might be a sensitive subject for some people, but really — let's all grow up and do things right. The world works so much better — and it's a lot more fun — when we all focus on how to help others, not what we can get out of them before we even offer anything of value to them — including our time and attention.
Now, just as soon as I finish my first ebook (it's going to be about How to Create An Action Plan) I will probably give it away to as many people on forums as I can, because I want their feedback about how to make it better. They win because they get some really great free content from someone who knows it backwards and forwards — and probably some testimonial exposure on my promo pages if they really like it — and I get helpful tips about what I need to change. Now that's what I consider a win-win situation.
Just my 3 cents worth today.
Thanks for a great forum here, too, by the way.
Jonathan,
to proove your point, I recently did a search for two of my sites and found that even with the hundreds of online articles I've written and submitted, the forum posts still accounted for most of my inbound links.
Just goes to show how important it is not to lose sight of the basics.
Charles Brown
Jonathan,
I enjoy reading your materials and your products. You seem very insightful.
I must question the effectiveness of this next statement that you sent in an email:
"The best way to get a lot of traffic from forums is to actively engage in discussion on the various topics there, and have a very well-written link in your signature going to your site."
Though this is an effective tactic, is it the most effective one for forums?
I would have to say, "No." And I believe you would have to agree based on this statement also sent by you in the same email:
"I never really visited the Warrior Forum much before, though it appeared in a few Google search results and I'd heard the name. I had an old account, though for the life of me I can't remember why I
signed up.
Then I launched $7 Secrets, and a customer wrote in regarding a post made at the Warrior Forum. I went to check it out. Low and behold the thread about my product had received 6,000+ views! I checked my sales, and it had launched hundreds of them."
Jonathan, this thread that led to all of these sales was not started by you, nor did it result from a link in your signature. So, it would appear that the best way to make sales from forums is to develop a good reputation for creating good products.
You certainly have done that.
Posting in the forums is certainly good, and should be done, but an army of people singing your praises and discussing your products appears to be more effective.
Wouldn't you agree?
Continued sucess to you,
raymardo
P.S. - Though it may not be the most effective tactic, posting in forums as well as on blogs with a link to your site is an effective way of getting sales and backlinks to your site. See link below
Hi Jonathan
Following a purchase of your 7dollar secrets I was inspired to venture into this ebook marketing. One of the nagging problems that kept recurring is how to build that 'list' that you keep mentioning. Forums are a great way. Thanks for the thought.
Garth
I couldn't agree more - forums are a great place to build traffic.
When you contribute something of value to the community, they will want to know more about you. And as they begin to see the overall quality of the information you share, they'll begin to trust your recommendations.
Give people a good idea that will make them money (like the $7 Report) and they will shout your praises all over the web.
I'm a regular contributor at Dennis Becker's "5 Bucks A Day" forum and every time I post, one or two people will follow the link back to my blog or sign-up for my newsletter.
Thanks for the great post,
Andrew Seltz
The Go-To Guy!
You're right about one thing for sure.
The Warrior Forum kicks ***!
Joe Lavery
Hiya Jon,
Thanks for your insights. It really helped me understand things and got me started. I am a complete dummy when it comes to making money of the internet, but you help me understand things in an easy manner.
I absolutely can confirm what you are saying on forums…as that is the only way I am attracting visitors to my sites at the moment. I have made my sites in the beginning of januray so it is still going very slow and I am making 0-10 cents a day, but I can say that most people come from forums.
Even forums that look 'empty' attract a lot of people just looking and not writing. These people also click on your links!
Goodluck and Take Care, Francisca.
Forums are great, and are the best places to learn about marketing. I have been using Conquer Your Niche since it began back in November 06 and have learned much from the posts and discussions.
In fact on wednesday night there were a couple of people discussing the $7 secret so it is a great way to sell a product, and a great learning curve.
Mags
Jonathan,
You are so correct.
The thing I like most about forums is that you have a chance to interact with multitudes of people and also get the opportunity to meet new friends.
I'm not much into selling my services on forums (although I will admit, I have recieved over 400 sign-ups to my free membership over the past few months using nothing but a signature tag).
What I love the most is the many new friends and business partners on forums… great way to do joint ventures!
Thanks Jonanthan for your great info-content you put on this blog… great stuff!
I admit I'm not one of your 'Big Guns' at getting sales and that's true about most of what I try selling. In this case, it was my reputation on one Forum did the trick and got me over 16 sales in just a few days. I was quite happy for a $7 investment to pay off that well.
Jonathan,
My very first sale came from a forum post, so yes you're right, forums are great places to learn, make new friend/partners and bring traffic.
I would caution newer people though, they are extremely addictive!
All the best
Tim
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but that they are all intensely interested in the precise field we are targeting.
One of the most BRILLIANT attributes of an Internet Marketing Forum is not the educated postings made by the members,
Yes, this is a white-hot node of focused communications by the exact folks we want to meet.
Look around; The folks visiting this blog (which is a type of forum) are a perfectly aligned target market.
Feel at home? I do, because surprisingly often I find a gold nugget of genuinely useful information from folks making responses here .
It is true - I have gained two things right here today:
1. The Warrior forum … I had forgotten all about it.
2. Charles Brown posted above a very valuable statistic that the places he gets most inbound links are not the hundreds of articles he has done, but forum postings. That is very revealing hard data.
Better still, one of my own focuses is Viral Marketing, and this is telling me that the blog / forum way of doing things is incredibly viral , the proof of this being Jonathan's experience with the $7 book.
The other lesser known Jonathan (me) had the identical experience with a forum and its viral effect gained me sales of 350,000 books.
Can't wait for more info Jonathan… and all your regular folks who post here.
I vote this the 'nicest' blog in the world.
Jonathan Gunson
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Reckon you hit it right on target Nancy
My best
Jonathan
Hi Jonathan,
Why are you surprised about the buzz about your $7 Secrets in all the forums, I am not, its genius.
Thanks
Olov
Jonathan,
Your comments are correct and I have seen sales coming through from forum posting. The hard part for people that are not imaginative is in creating a signature and postings that is not blatantly a sales letter. You are very talented and creative. Hopefully I will gain more talent as my website progresses, and find this much easier to do as time goes by.
Keep up the good work.
I never put much thought into forums as a means to market a product! I usually perceived signature files on forums for a funny quip or quote.
I'm a little split on this; if you jump in too quick trying to sell something then people will catch on. I'm wondering how much participation it actually takes before the community begins to trust you and your involvement in their online community.
Just my humble thoughts…
Hi Jon,
It was nice to see you in the Warrior forum, and I glad you will be visiting more.
The forum is a "must be" place for someone like you with a very strong IM focus.
There are forums for all sorts of topics in every niche.
If you need to find forums you can do a search for your niche keyword + forum and find hungry markets of passionate buyers….
Regards
James
I totally agree with you, Jonathan. Forum has an amzing power to attract people to our site. I get my hits on my blog because I join forums.
I will try the forums that you mentioned. Thanks for the tips too.
J. Forums are awesome and just another example of this being the Golden Age For Savvy Online Marketers. There are dozens of cheap and free methods to get visitors to our offers.
By the way, thanks for the $7 report and the software. Thanks to folks like yourself - the opportunities are unlimited.
TL
Jonathan,
Good idea! Thanks for the tip
$7 Secrets is a super book!
Tom
Hi Jonathan,
Thanks for sharing your amazing story.
I wonder if you have any concern about the kind of links from forum posts, if they are direct or indirect to your site?
Do anybody know about lists of good forums to learn and to benefit from the linking?
Thanks in advance
Photo Soren
Photo:
I personally don't post to forums for their search-engine linking power–since the maximum benefit you would get is one link from each forum (the engines don't count more than one link from each domain as a rule).
I post at forums to give back to the IM community, and to establish myself as an authority, and to get traffic and sales through my signature.
Thank you for your openness Jonathan,
It does make sense to me, too. I like the old-fashioned way of seeing the web as a community of people helping each other, but as you know marketeers nowadays aren't that kind of people with a very few exceptions.
Everything is done with $$$ in mind whatever they are saying.
Photo Soren
7 Dollar Secrets is a great report!
I have used forum postings in the past and have had success one way or the other, whether selling products or building business relationships.
I agree that word of mouth; mouth publicity is best for any business. However, intial punch has to be made by Marketing and making people aware of your products.
By the way …congratulations for success you got at warrior forum.
Anjali K
Being fairly new to IM, forum marketing is one of my most cost efficient methods. I get more traffic from forum signature links than from any other source! (yes its early days for me yet).
Coincidentally one of the main traffic generating foums to my Home Business Ideas site and its blogis of course, the Warrior Forum! One of the most helpful and informative forums for IM I have come across.