Research fundamentals

In the rush to get online, have you ever found yourself skipping
over the research fundamentals, like our Online Wannabe?

For instance, do any of the following sound familiar?

Online Wannabe: (checking off the list) OK, signed up for a few
affiliate programs, posted the provided websites...I know there
are a lot of people online just like me, and I KNOW they'll want
this.

(time goes by....but nothing happens)

Wannabe: Ah, c'mon! EVERYONE needs this product - it's a sure
thing! Everyone says so! Maybe if I place more ads - I'll just
stick a classified in this one - it has tons, so I'm sure a lot
of people are reading it.

(...still nothing)

Kindly Online Mentor-Type: Maybe you should do a little research
into your market - have you done a survey? Do you know what your
market wants? Have you asked at the forums and discussion
boards? Have you checked out your competition's ezines?

Online Wannabe: Research! Big yawn! It's boring, and I'm busy. I
don't have time to do all that...You know, this online stuff
isn't as easy as I thought. And I'm running out of money. Maybe
I should go back to my old job...

OK, enough of this...bottom line: skip your research, and you
lose. And not just your money; ultimately, you could lose your
business.

Regarding surveys, have you ever done one? They are a quick and
popular method for getting inside customer's heads, to discover
their problems (that you could solve!) and what they really
want. They've been around forever, and for good reason: they
work.

If you have an existing business, aside from valuable customer
insight, a survey could also uncover problem areas that you may
not be aware of. Fix these, and you have a great opportunity to
bring in new customers while keeping current ones in 'buying
mode.'

Granted, doing a survey online comes with its own set of
challenges. With everything moving at light-speed, you'll need
to figure out how to grab their attention. Offering an incentive
for participating (a free bonus, a cash prize, a product
discount) is one proven method for improving the rate of
response. If you're new, and don't have a customer list to
survey, you have a few options. For example, if you've a good
track record (and the moderator clears you first), you MAY be
allowed to conduct a quick survey in a forum. If you want to
post a survey on your web site, Bravenet has FREE surveys and
polls that can be easily integrated (http://www.bravenet.net).

Other things to keep in mind with surveys:

* Keep It Honest. Tell the participants your goals behind the
survey. What you'll be using the information for (product
development, whatever). Be upfront.

* Keep It Anonymous. People will always feel more free to really
tell you their thoughts if they know they won't be identified.
Guarantee that the information will be kept confidential and not
sold or abused in any way.

* Keep It Quick And Easy. A fast multiple-choice poll or survey,
that takes minutes (not hours), will have a better chance of
getting answered. If you want, include a field at the end for
participants who want to give additional comment. But try not to
make typed answers mandatory.

Doing your research at the beginning helps avoid headaches later
on, and will make your business profitable, faster!

Postcards - Picture Perfect Promotion

There is a simple but almost mystical law which governs promotion and marketing and their relationship to the amount of business generated: business will come in to the degree that you get your message out, promote, let people know you are there, advertise, write to people, call people, e-mail pe. . .

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