Quick-Start Business Idea
A member at the Warrior Forum who's new to Internet Marketing sent me a private message yesterday. He heard about a few of my very successful launches and wanted some tips on how to get started in IM himself. I wrote back and gave him a few tips and pointed him to my post on cutting through the fluff.
But today I was having a conversation with Alok Jain (of recent Project Quick Cash fame), and out of that discussion came a great idea about how to get your business off the ground if you've created a product -- whatever niche the product is devoted to. Neither I nor Alok can claim this idea as our own. In fact, I got this idea from members at the Digital Point Forums.
You see, any time somebody posts a new product for sale at Digital Point, inevitably a number of DPF members will post a reply asking for a review copy (or review access, as the case may be). If the vendor is smart, he'll give review copies to some of the better known DPF members who have a good reputation (reputation is measured on DPF through what's called iTrader points: when you have a good, or bad, experience in a business transaction with a DPF member you can leave feedback).
Now, if you're thinking, "Why would the vendor give away free copies?" -- think again. The copies aren't free. They're given with the understanding that the DPF member will post a review of the product to the thread. A long-standing DPF member's reputation will inevitably kick-start a string of sales for the vendor. I see it happen there all the time.
So if you're trying to get a new product off the ground, the first thing you want to do is go establish yourself at a popular forum related to your niche. Post advice, quality information, answer people's questions, etc. Build up a good reputation.
Once you have a bit of reputation, then post information about your product (if it's allowed) and offer a few top-members review copies in exchange for a review and/or a testimonial to go on your sales page. That will kick-start sales, which will lead to you having an even stronger reputation, which will end up in more sales, and so on.
Another related idea is to send a private message to the potential reviews ahead of time. Get their feedback before you ever post a thread selling anything. Listen to their suggestions for improvements and make your product better. Then post a sales thread and ask the members who gave you the feedback to post their feedback to the thread.
What this does is builds your reputation through the reputation of others. And in the virtually-anonymous online world, reputation is very important.
This approach is not limited to Internet Marketing products. Let's say you wrote an ebook on herb gardening. There are some huge gardening forums online. Go build up a little reputation there, enough to get the long-standing members to take your private message asking for a review seriously, get some testimonials, and so on. This will build momentum.
Momentum in business is very much like momentum in nature. Once a plane gets off the ground it takes a lot less fuel to keep it in the air. It takes a lot less power to maintain a car's speed than to accelerate to that speed. That's just natural physics.
Those same principles apply to getting your business going. The hardest part of running a successful business is starting a successful business. But you can piggy-back your way to success by inviting well-established experts in your niche to provide feedback on your product in exchange for a sample copy.
(A word of caution if this post motivates you to go to DPF and work on your reputation: you can only post sales pitches to the boards under the "Buy, Sell, Trade" category. So be careful about where you post!)
Please post your thoughts and comments below.
Enjoy this article?
January 9th, 2008 - 21:05
Thank you for sharing this with us Jon. I have heard similar things to this before but you put it in such an easy to understand and practical manner that makes it very easy to follow and implement.
I shall now sign up for your newsletter.
January 3rd, 2008 - 00:23
Thanks for the great ideas. I learned a lot while reading your article. Starting a business is quiet risky especially if it’s your first time in a business world.
December 29th, 2007 - 00:38
Hi Jon, I have a new auction website, with free full featured stores and one low selling
fee, how would I apply technique this to my business.
It’s a bit different to selling a product.
A great article anyway.
Neil
December 21st, 2007 - 09:44
I’ve seen people selling forum signatures, some cheap.
December 21st, 2007 - 09:02
What is feedurl?
How can I connect to Blogrush?
December 17th, 2007 - 11:47
Great post! So many people misuse forums and get themselves banned. When done right, forum posting is a powerful way to get traffic, build your brand, and make valuable contacts in your niche.
December 16th, 2007 - 14:16
Air Pistols,
“I am in the process of acquiring a website and ebook product in a niche that we have gained some credibility. In that situation, is isn’t my own idea, I have bought the right from someone else. Would this process still work? The previous owner is allowing me to continue using their name as the creator of the ebook, etc. so it may seem misleading if I post “”my product”" in forums like the ones you mention. Any suggestions?”
If keeping the previous owner’s name will be of benefit to you, or if this is part of the deal, then it makes sense to keep their name on it, but if it isn’t either of these you would be better off rebranding it as your own.
If you do the latter then I don’t foresee any problems.
~ Paul
December 16th, 2007 - 14:13
Great advice, as per usual, Jon.
Keep ‘em coming!
~ Paul
December 14th, 2007 - 21:03
Thumbs up for this one jon!!!!
Your site is a treasure box for information
December 14th, 2007 - 18:51
Hey Jon, this is a good idea. I think there are still a lot of people out there that have issues buying online because they don’t know or can’t verify the integrity of the vendor. But here is my question:
I am in the process of acquiring a website and ebook product in a niche that we have gained some credibility. In that situation, is isn’t my own idea, I have bought the right from someone else. Would this process still work? The previous owner is allowing me to continue using their name as the creator of the ebook, etc. so it may seem misleading if I post “”my product”" in forums like the ones you mention. Any suggestions?
December 14th, 2007 - 05:14
Jon, I am a student of Internet Marketing and am proud to have you as one of my teachers. Thanks for a great post.
December 13th, 2007 - 19:49
Great post, Jon.
And you’re right – this certainly isn’t limited to Internet Marketing, in fact I saw this yesterday in a certain Black Hat SEO forum from a guy who posted a few screenshots and a video of his CPA account generating him between $800-900 a DAY!
Then the forum moderator validated the method which started a feeding frenzy of people wanting to buy his method … for $500 … and just to keep the pressure on, he only sold 10 “copies.”
No sales letter, no JVs, no list, no launch (as such)
So don’t think you need to have any of that stuff. If you’ve got a killer product and can prove it does what it says on the tin, a forum is all you need.
December 13th, 2007 - 14:42
DPF members are from all over the world. It has 42,242 active members (those who have posted recently, 120k+ members total), so there’s a lot of folks hanging out there.
December 13th, 2007 - 14:40
Thanks for the info. I’m UK based and tend only to look out for UK opportunities. Is dpf good for UK based people or is there better forums?
thanks
Mally
December 13th, 2007 - 13:59
DirecTV:
It’s a much quicker start than using PPC or building search engine ranking without getting quality reviews. That’s my point. This has the potential to really help a ground-level product out in a few weeks (or much less if you already have a good rep at a forum).
December 13th, 2007 - 11:45
Hi Jon,
I haven’t spent a lot of time in forums and when I do I usually am there as a reader (and learner).
I use to think they could eat up a lot of time with no ROI like reading emails. However, your post has pointed out that forums can have a much greater ROI if I become a contributor.
Thanks,
Don
December 13th, 2007 - 11:32
This article conatins great information. There are many avenues to explore when it comes to effective marketing methods. Educating oneself in proven marketing strategies is essential to managing your time.
December 13th, 2007 - 10:54
This doesn’t seem like a very “quick-start” idea, but rather more of a guerilla marketing method – taking time and consistency.
December 13th, 2007 - 10:26
Hi Jon,
Excellent article and advice as usual…
At the bottom of this post you have 5 links. One is to a post, the “Lady at the Deli” story, I remember having read long ago and I have posted on my wall this sentence you wrote at the time which since has helped me stop losing a lot of time in un-necessary emails/discussions/chats…
“I once heard this adage: If, when taking a walk, you bark back at every dog who’s barking at you, you’ll never make it around the block.”
December 13th, 2007 - 08:31
Great information John its just a shame that it doesn’t work that well when you are in my industry, If i went round offering free Holiday Rentals on the Costa Blanca all of the time i would certainly be out of business soon.
December 13th, 2007 - 08:08
Wisconsin:
There are a number of places you can go to have software written on contract, such as eLance.com. If you have a lot of knowledge in a particular subject, you could make your product information in nature as well.
December 13th, 2007 - 08:06
Great idea John, although i would like to know how someone goes about building a product with no programming experience? Is their a place to find assistance with programming and putting together your ideas?
December 13th, 2007 - 07:38
well, i am working and posting on DP forum since 2005 and always get great response and suggestions.
I have 4 itraders. i love this concept to develop your reputation in your niche related forums.
i just want to know is this strategy can work with affiliate products.
December 13th, 2007 - 07:02
Hi Jon,
Yes, that’s a great tactic. And even if you don’t have a product, you can make quite a few affiliate sales by choosing your forums and signatures wisely. But as you said, you must first establish a good reputation.
Cheers,
Nick
December 13th, 2007 - 05:17
Jonathan
I opened this blog post via an email you sent me titled “how to get your business off the ground fast” – I ask, what has fast got to do with it ? The issue surly must be “how to get your business off the ground successfully” I am not into fast, I am into success.
And I guess that is why I don’t agree with your suggestion.
I would consider a far better suggestion is for someone who wants to lunch a product successfully – and true, success takes a little more time – they would be to root out maybe 5 reputable forum members, or super affiliate bloggers in that niche. Approach them on a one to one basis. Ask if they would be interested in reviewing the product . Then on the basis that if they considered it to be a good product, they would get a better affiliate commission rate than the published rate at say clickbank.
Nicholas
December 13th, 2007 - 03:54
Great I loved It
December 13th, 2007 - 03:52
You are truly awesome where do you get these tricks from and what u get by sharing with us
December 13th, 2007 - 03:43
Great post and an idea I’d never thought of heard of before.
Thanks
December 12th, 2007 - 20:12
kick the ball rolling, good idea, thanks for the knowledge
December 12th, 2007 - 19:31
John,
Thank you for giving us these valuable tips. I’m a little concerned about the forum members stealing your idea and selling it themselves, but I suppose you “miss all the shots you don’t take”. Right?
All the Best
-Shmuel
December 12th, 2007 - 19:24
Great post Jon,
This is not really anything new and has been touted for some time by many ‘gurus’. However, one does not always take note of what many of these people say, probably because there is not a lot of trust. However, in your case, these words hold a lot of credence with me, as you already have your reputation and it is a good one in my eyes.
Thanks for your mentorship, suggestions and help you provide in all your posts.
December 12th, 2007 - 18:18
hi
i tried to register with digital point froum but it keeps telling me i did not agree with the terms which is wrong as i did check i agree button. anyone have any suggestions?
December 12th, 2007 - 17:38
Those are great ideas Jon. I don’t have a product to launch yet but when I do, I’ll be sure to follow these tips.
–Steve
December 12th, 2007 - 17:08
As usual, this is an interesting and useful information!
Thanks a lot.
December 12th, 2007 - 16:45
Great post, Jon. Your blog is fast becoming one of my favorites.
December 12th, 2007 - 16:43
“So if you’re trying to get a new product off the ground, the first thing you want to do is go establish yourself at a popular forum related to your niche. Post advice, quality information, answer people’s questions, etc. Build up a good reputation.”
That’s really the key. Back before web forums were prevalent, I built a reputation for myself on newsgroups. I’d answer technical questions on comp.periphs.printers, telling people how they could repair their machines themselves; they’d end up coming to my site for more information and buying the parts they needed.
Keep in mind that you want to have a *consistent* presence. What you’re really doing is branding yourself. The most successful brands are those that are “top of mind” for the consumer. To have that position you must be consistent in your efforts. Not “in your face,” but someone always nearby, ready to help.
Don
December 12th, 2007 - 16:36
I certainly agree with the ideas you have posted Jon!
@vlad what conversion rate are you experiencing with the forum strategy?
Cheers
December 12th, 2007 - 16:36
This is a good idea, Jonathan. And it CAN work. I’ve had some very well thought out reviews doing this very thing. However, I must warn people about what also can happen.
When I had a product to introduce, it seemed like EVERYONE wanted a “review copy” of my product, even after I had said there would be no more. Also, some of the people who promised to leave a review never did. One person got the “review copy” and then left me a PM saying she had been working online for seven years and knew everything I had written in my report. Which is funny, because dozens of other experienced marketers had never even considered using the ideas shown in my report and were wildly excited about it. The person who “knew everything” didn’t leave a review, either.
One more thing to consider (and then I’ll shut up, I promise, lol)…My report shows marketers how to get hundreds of high PR backlinks for their website without having to buy them. I posted it on the “buy and sell links” portion of the forum and received an infraction for ‘posting in the wrong category’. Not sure what category I should have used…
Thanks for this idea, Jonathan. It CAN work, if one uses it carefully.
December 12th, 2007 - 16:14
Very Good resource….will try it. Just listened in on a webinar with some fascinating info on dominating the conversation on the search engines….but it ended with a product price of only $1500…..So I am always happy to get your free tips Jon. smile.
December 12th, 2007 - 16:12
Hi Jonathan!
Great information you put up there. There are many ways to get tons of free traffic. This is definitely one of them, and I’m always surprised to see how Internet Marketing is not about hard work, but rather about smart thinking! It’s all about strategic thinking.
December 12th, 2007 - 16:09
DPF is a great place to learn about anything Internet marketing related. I sign-up a long time ago, but forgot what a great forum DPF can be for your online business. Thanks for reminding me to go back for more, Jon!
December 12th, 2007 - 16:05
Yes DP is definitely a place you can sell almost anything if it has a market…and you wont even have to ask for reviews believe me people their are cheap skates and they’ll always want a review copy then turn around repackage it and sell it the next day….happens to me all the time..
James Dean
December 12th, 2007 - 16:02
Hi Jon,
This is great information, Thank you for sharing this.
Jolanda
December 12th, 2007 - 15:50
I am quite impressed with your frequent emails containing helpful information. So often I am teased with pieces and upon biting I find that the pieces are the total essence of the product.
I admire one who will only endorse when they have really examined the product and have a good knowledge of it’s relative value. There is so much to get your arms around to be able to determine what product may be helpful, so it helps when one uses this guide before passing on the marketing letter.
Best wishes
Dave Tucker
December 12th, 2007 - 15:40
That is a very good idea. Something like this is mentioned in the project quick cash also. I tried this several times and it works very well. Very cheap traffic. The most important thing is to have a good product.
December 12th, 2007 - 15:38
Good post Jon.
Big Mo is crucial to getting things rolling!