Your Website — Your Fishbowl on The Counter of the Internet
Have you ever walked into a fast food restaurant or a business where they have put a fishbowl on the counter. Attached to the fishbowl with a piece of old tape is a sign that reads something like “drop your card in for a drawing for a free lunch”. I’m sure many of you are like I am and you’ll drop your business card in the bowl for a free lunch or dinner or dessert especially if it’s at a place you like to eat at. So, I have dropped my cards into quite a few fishbowls and I don’t remember ever winning anything :(
Let’s look at exactly what is going on with the fishbowl marketing technique. The business owner is offering something of value in exchange for information — a meal or something to capture a name, an address, a phone number and an email. Most business cards today have at the minimum this information. That’s a lot of information from the customer in exchange for a chance, probably slim chance, of winning a sandwich.
Actually, it’s quite remarkable that the business owner can get this information for so little. Don’t think so? Then take this into consideration. Have you ever clicked on a hyperlink and wound up at a sales page where they will give you a free eBook, or report or something of perceived value (did I say perceived?) and all they ask you for is your first name and email. Why is it that they ask for so little? Because they are scared you will run away if they ask you for more information. They feel it’s pretty harmless to get only your first name and email address.
Why then can the restaurant owner ask for so much more? Because he isn’t worried about you not dropping your card into the fishbowl. You drop it in or you don’t — either way — you are already in his store. You have an existing relationship, even if it’s only for the length of your visit or how long it takes for you to get your food at the counter, etc.
This is the exact attitude that you can use if you have a business website and you have traffic coming to you. If they are already in your website (store), why not get as much information as possible from a visitor. Offer them something of value, a coupon, a discount, a free widget, a free sample, etc in exchange for some information. Don’t hold back. Give them a form to fill out that has the same information that is on their business card. Use a form with that has boxes for some “required” information such as first and last name, email address, and phone number. Coax them to give you their mailing address so you can send them coupons or info on the next sale, etc. When they click on something they want that you have offered to them, you can definitely capture the information that you want at that time by using a squeeze page.
Don’t worry that you are asking for too much — they are already in your store. People are willing to drop their business card loaded with marketing information into a plastic fishbowl on a whim not really expecting to win the free meal or whatever. Don’t be afraid to ask visitors to your website for the same information. If they are truly interested in your website (store), they will happily part with their info.
To living your dreams,
Chuck Yockey
P.S. If you haven’t signed up for my FREE !
Internet Marketing Tips Newsletter Blasts yet, you
are really missing out on some awesome marketing tips.
