posted on June 11, 2004 11:40:46 AM new
I've been selling DVDs through Vendio on Ebay for a long while. Due to a recent illness, I am dropping Ebay and the tremendous workload that entailed (platinum powerseller selling $20.00 items working entirely alone for four years.)
So I have this extensive list of customers, many of whom have been purchasing privately or asked to be put on the mailing list at Vendio.
I want to concentrate in two areas (laughing different): John Wayne films and erotic films. Both areas were big winners for me (the erotic more based in lesbian orientated films.)
I have been in the film industry forever and can get any DVD made. I feel certain I can comprise a list of films in both areas that would be both lengthy and intriging.
There is so much e-mail spam being received that you must grab someone's attention almost immediately or you are deleted. The best way to do that is to refer to the past connection between you and the recipient.
Amazon uses this all the time. "Here are some films that are in the same genre as your last purchase"... etc etc.
If I were to send 2000 e-mails to past customers that bought a certain type of item, I might embarrass a few that share their computer with others.
I don't want to keep going on and on here, but I was curious how others followed up on sales via e-mail that identified a prior business deal without potentially causing the buyer embarrassment.
Also, are their any computer programs you can recommend that help compose sales e-mails. I know HTML fairly well but could use template help that might exist in program form.
Any general or specific thoughts would be appreciated.
posted on June 11, 2004 01:05:22 PM new
Ye be sure as shooting slapped upside ye ole noggin for dumping CHOPPED&FORMED PIGGIE BYPRODUCT if you shotgunned THAT to previous feeBay winners...
posted on June 11, 2004 01:27:08 PM new
I have used followup emails in the past for homoerotic literature. If emails are sent to the same address that received emails from the original transaction it shouldn't be any embarrassment. A couple of people did ask me not to send them more emails, but the reaction was positive overall. When you are being a salesman you are going to annoy somebody sometime.
IMHO it's better to compose a simple email yourself than use one generated by the computer. Your recipients are less likely to feel spammed if they see the email is more personal.
posted on June 11, 2004 01:35:50 PM new
how about email titled-Urgent recall,you last brought XYZ from me laced with cyanide!!
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
posted on June 11, 2004 05:49:42 PM new
The subject title that would keep me from eliminating it as spam, and at least see what it was about, would say something like: "Regarding Your Past Ebay Purchases From Me"
I would tell them only that you are offering some videos they may be interested in, based on thier past purchases. Compose a simple invite to visit your "about me" page on Ebay and save the fancy ad work and any mention of the nature of the videos for that space.
The email inbox I use for Ebay transactions gets 100 times more spam than any other. And I only use it for Ebay. If I receive any email that has the words like "sex" (and I know you know the rest of them!), the message goes straight to the garbage can. If you include any sexually related words, that where it will end up with many past buyers.
If the email is a slick ad, I immediately delete it without looking at it no matter what the ad, unless it is from known big retailers (Wal-Mart, Kohl's, others) I get updates/sales/newsletters from weekly and have OPTED IN. I get hundreds of spam messages weekly. I delete all without reading AND block the sender.
I agree you be best served as well to get info on the spam laws and whether you can legally send the emails. Spammers are actually now being hung out to dry one by one finally. One woman here in Texas just in the last week or so.
posted on June 11, 2004 06:33:51 PM new
why dont you address all your prospective customers with a message like you sent all of us.
then ask them: [1] would they like what you are gonna be selling, and [2] if they wish to be removed from your list, reply with NO
posted on June 12, 2004 01:13:23 AM new
Pelorus: You make an especially good point in that you've done something similar.
Meadowlark: Also good points. Technically, it is not spam in that I dealt with these people before. We all have bought from Amazon at one time or another and until we tell them to stop, we'll continue to get their spam.
Myoldtoy: Your suggestion seems the safest though it violates two cardinal rules in sales. Don't ask an either/or question unless the odds are 99% in your favor; and most of all, don't have a customer perform an action that doesn't entail sending you money. Once I get my foot in the door, I don't like the idea of then leaving and saying I'll come back later.
I appreciate the help. Pelorus seems right. Exercise reasonable care but "sell" the product; as Meadowlark says, personalize it right away; and, on a variation of Myoldtoy's idea, send both lists but just ready for immediate purchase. If someone is monitoring a given computer, they won't know if the user's last purchase was The Searchers or The Wild Side. Besides, interest in one list doesn't preclude interest in the other.
All in all very good suggestions and I appreciate your effort writing them here. A plan is unfolding.
Best regards,
Fred
[ edited by forceten32 on Jun 12, 2004 01:15 AM ]
