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Using the usually unused Usenet
When it comes to promoting an ebusiness, there are many
other components of the online world that can also help to effectively
bring traffic to one's site -- and some that are often ignored by most
marketers. Aside from the Internet, newsgroups are discussion-centered
bulletin boards and part of what is called the Usenet, the predecessor
of today's Internet.
According to the Internet FAQ at http://www.faqs.org,
the Usenet is a "worldwide distributed discussion system." It
consists of a set of groups with names that are classified hierarchically
by subject. They are similar to discussion groups in that they deal with
a wide variety of topics, from the specific to the obscure -- each group
being dedicated to a particular theme.
Newsgroups are also wonderful places to get your message out effectively
since you can easily participate in those that relate to your expertise,
your locale, or your industry. More important, you should participate
especially in those in which your target market congregates.
But here's a caveat. Many of these newsgroups are moderated (i.e., your
post is filtered by a moderator), and others do not allow promotional
messages of any kind. Always check the group's charter, FAQ, or guidelines
before posting. In other words, if you wish to participate in any one
of them, always ensure that your post is acceptable -- if not, it will
be considered as spam and will entail the consequences that spam normally
incurs.
Maintain a Consistent Presence
Some groups completely disallow commercial messages of any kind -- including
long-winded signature files (the information attached at the end of each
message) -- while others are strictly commercial. When participating in
moderated discussions, your posts must be on-topic and your signature
file may often be restricted to your email address and web site URL.
The flip-side to the conservative nature of such forums is the fact that
non-commercial groups can become tremendously effective for developing
pre-qualified traffic -- the more focused and specialized the group, the
more qualified the participants. If you actively participate by posting
at least once a day, you will become known as a credible expert in your
field.
"Out of sight is out of mind" is certainly true here too. Since
you are not overtly marketing your company or product, you must therefore
maintain a consistent presence in order to spark interest. Non-commercial,
moderated newsgroups are wonderful platforms through which you can build
credibility let alone good, long-term prospect relationships.
On the other hand, commercial newsgroups exist for the sole purpose of
advertising. And since your ad will be among a multitude of other ads,
a great way to attract the attention of newsgroup readers is to post articles
or "advertorials" instead of blatant advertisements.
If you produce your ad to read like an educational tool instead of a
hyped-up promotional message, chances are that it will be read by more
people more often. Posting some of the articles you've written, sample
issues of your ezine(s), long copy special offers, news releases, media
kits, and FAQs about your company or product are also potentially effective.
Here's a list of newsgroups to which you can post ads. At the time of
writing, most of these groups are identified as commercial or non-moderated,
and open to posts of that nature. But please keep this in mind: Some only
appear as non-moderated or open to commercial posts, and many change their
charters (posting guidelines) from time to time.
(However, please note: Some of these newsgroups may not or may
no longer allow such posts. Always -- and I do mean ALWAYS -- check first
before posting, either by reading the group's charter or FAQ, or by lurking
for a while to get a flavor of what's being posted. Post at your own
risk.)
- news:alt.free.money,
- news:alt.make.money,
- news:alt.make.money.fast,
- news:alt.makemoney,
- news:alt.make.fast.cash,
- news:alt.make.money.fast,
- news:alt.make.your.own.spam,
- news:alt.biz,
- news:alt.ads,
- news:alt.commerce.misc-ads,
- news:alt.business.ads,
- news:alt.market.misc,
- news:alt.marketing,
- news:alt.www.marketing,
- news:alt.www.marketing.adverts,
- news:alt.business,
- news:alt.business.consulting,
- news:alt.business.home,
- news:alt.business.home.pc,
- news:alt.business.misc,
- news:alt.business.misc.entrepreneurs,
- news:alt.business.multi-level.com,
- news:alt.business.multi-level.exceltel,
- news:alt.business.multi-level.finl,
- news:alt.business.multi-level,
- news:alt.business.multilevel,
- news:alt.business.seminars,
- news:alt.business.services,
- news:alt.education.business,
- news:alt.mlm,
- news:alt.entrepreneurs,
- news:alt.internet.commerce,
- news:market.internet.free,
- news:misc.business.marketing,
- news:misc.business,
- news:misc.entrepreneurs,
- news:misc.entrepeneurs,
- news:alt.biz.misc,
- news:alt.business.home.pcalt,
- news:alt.business.home.pcmisc,
- news:alt.business.home.pcmisc.entrepreneurs,
- news:alt.business.marketplace,
- news:biz.comp.misc,
- news:biz.general.biz.newgroup,
- news:biz.newgroup,
- And news:biz.next.newprod.
Many groups also carry information that may be useful for your business.
You could easily find helpful advice on starting a business, selling,
marketing, promoting your product, the industry in which you operate,
writing, publishing, public speaking, specific software and so on. You
can even post topic-oriented questions to which others reply publicly.
Since the Usenet is actually the predecessor of the Internet, there are
many participants who do not surf the web at all but remain fairly active
in newsgroups. Therefore, by including the Usenet in your online marketing
efforts you can reach a potentially larger target market.
Make The Most of Your Post
There are a wide variety of newsgroup topics on the Usenet, which include
specific interests, industries, geographic locations, tastes, activities,
themes, and so on. Your goal, therefore, is to pick those that are especially
frequented by your target market. In other words, you want your post to
be read by those that fit within your demographics as much as possible.
If you cater to car manufacturers for example, there are groups dedicated
specifically to that very industry. Other groups also include car aficionados,
auto mechanics, cities in which car manufacturers operate (e.g., Detroit),
car parts suppliers, race cars, and so on. Basically, select appropriate
groups for posting your messages so that they are targeted as well.
When posting to commercial (or non-moderated) newsgroups, your signature
file should not be limited to your identification. It should also include
descriptive information about your product, its special benefits, special
offers, free offers (like a free catalog, a free report, or a free newsletter
subscription), your physical address, any cross-promotion offers, and
so on.
Moderated newsgroups, however, are a little more conservative. Avoid
posting messages that appear self-serving or promotional, and use a signature
file of no more than 5-7 lines. If these rules are not followed, your
post may likely be considered as spam and you'll be banned from the group
along with the possibility of losing your Internet connection altogether.
Nevertheless, one of the greatest ways to use targeted newsgroups is
to conduct marketing research. Among others, you can obtain ideas for
potential new products or services, or suggestions on how to improve your
current ones. Ultimately, never underestimate the Usenet for gathering
market intelligence let alone for marketing itself. Keep in mind that
many potential clients (both Internet and non-Internet users alike) congregate
there.
About the author
Michel Fortin is a direct response copywriter and consultant dedicated
to turning sales messages into powerful magnets. Get a free copy of
his book, "The 10 Commandments of Power Positioning," when
you subscribe to his free monthly ezine, "The Profit Pill."
See http://SuccessDoctor.com/
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