IBAG: Increasing Market Presence
The following is a transcript of the online portion of the Internet Business Applications Group meeting held at DGL's headquarters in Columbia, Maryland and simulcast on DALnet channel #dgl.
Session Start: Wed Jul 10 18:00:32 1996
dsm: Change to upcoming schedule...2d Wednesday of each month, 6:00P.M. - 7:30P.M. Eastern Time
from now on.
dsm: September meeting will address multimedia questions.
dsm: http://www.linkexchange.com
dsm: We're going to be discussing the idea of promoting each other's web sites in a co-op.
dsm: This idea is similar to what's being done at the Link Exchange, http://www.linkexchange.com
dsm: LinkExchange is a coop of advertisers.
dsm: There's no charge to use it.
dsm: The way the system works, is that you agree to display advertising banners from the Link
Exchange database.
dsm: The banners are generated randomly, but you can specify the level of links you will accept.
dsm: Level 1 is for kids only.
dsm: Level 2 is G or general interest.
dsm: Level 3 allows light adult content.
dsm: You get 1/2 a credit each time someone hits your web page that displays a LinkExchange
banner.
dsm: For every 1 credit you earn, your ad banner will be displayed on the web page of another
LinkExchange member.
dsm: The up side to doing this is
dsm: you have created an interesting way to add links to your page and
dsm: other sites are promoting your site.
dsm: The down side is
dsm: you never really know what sites are displaying your links
dsm: or if the links are bringing you good leads.
dsm: The group is discussing the pros and cons.
dsm: Jack thinks there's no real business benefit to random links
dsm: and he's concerned that his site will be junky and too commercial.
dsm: Dave thinks that if we set up our own exchange, and help members identify which types of
businesses
dsm: you link to and from.
dsm: you'll get quality hits and leads.
dsm: Can we identify the demo graphic of surfers from our locality or region?
dsm: We do know that the majority of Howard County residents are in that prime category
dsm: of 18-35, college educated, affluent,
dsm: mostly males. So,
dsm: if this fits your market profile, there might be some benefit
dsm: Jack is belaboring his point about keeping the content of your web page highly focused
dsm: to reach your specific market.
dsm: Skip agrees that most folks are looking for something specific, as
dsm: evidenced by the popularity of search engines.
dsm: Dave says that if we build our own exchange database, we could keep it more focused.
dsm: Ed says the WWW is universal and this idea won't really help much.
dsm: Bill says he ignores the banner ads and others point out that they surf with graphics off to
increase speed
dsm: and that they ignore ads.
dsm: The discussion is continuing regarding who searches the web and how.
dsm: How can we, as a small group, promote each other's sites?
dsm: Skip suggests that the broader questions is how do we attract qualified prospects?
dsm: Dave says that when people come to classes to learn to use the Internet, the first thing they look
for is
dsm: pornography and the second thing is
dsm: the schedule for local events, like the movie schedule.
dsm: Most novices, however, don't really even know enough about what's out there to know what to look
for.
dsm: Where do business users start?
*** Joins: crazy13_away (mojo45@mojo45.vip.best.com)
*** Parts: crazy13_away (mojo45@mojo45.vip.best.com)
dsm: All these business people agree that the first thing they looked for was local businesses and
competitors.
dsm: It may be that there is some value in using the banners just to create name recognition, not just
links.
dsm: Big advertisers, like Pepsi and Fox, are now featuring their URL in all their ads, print and TV
dsm: to let customers know where they are, generate hits from customers looking for their products.
dsm: We've decided to scrap the link exchange idea as being to random
dsm: and now we're going to finding ways to generate quality hits.
dsm: 1. Put your URL everywhere.
dsm: 2. In your email signature, use your company name, address and URL.
dsm: Jack says he's getting 30% of his leads via the Internet.
dsm: His company makes electronic test equipment and sells it nationally and internationally.
dsm: 3. Follow USENET news groups relative to your market and join the discussion, when
dsm: you have something meaningful to say,and be sure to include your email in the post.
dsm: 4. Identify web sites related to your business and exchange links with them, especially if you can
find a search engine specific to your industry.
dsm: There's a big list of these on the Damar Group web site, at http://dgl.com
dsm: 5. Sponsor a listserver.
dsm: This is not spam, because people have to voluntarily subscribe to it.
dsm: Keep the discuss specific to the topic of the list.
dsm: Include your email sig on the messages.
dsm: This keeps your name in front of your customers and establishes your expertise.
dsm: This is far simpler and far cheaper than printing and mailing company news letters.
dsm: General opinion seems to be that content is *the* most important part of the web site.
dsm: They will over look less than stunning graphics or organization, if the content is great.
dsm: It's also very important to change the web site often and keep it up to date to keep it interesting.
dsm: One business reports that they got more hits after they upgraded the look, but didn't really change
the content
dsm: Back to the discussion of how to bring the right people to our sites....
dsm: Participants are discussing their target markets....
dsm: Identify the level of Net expertise of your target group(s)
dsm: then show them your information where they already are
dsm: For the inexperienced, you'll have to feature your Net info in your print ads
dsm: For folks already on line, you can use the newsgroups, listserver, etc.
dsm: Make your web site organized,with an opening screen that clearly explains what the site is about
and how to find things there.
dsm: Make your site serve, come up very quickly, so people don't get bored and click to something
else.
dsm: That should say, make sure your site serves fast,
dsm: This concludes this months' meeting.
dsm: Our next business applications group will meet the second Wed. in August
dsm: Dr. William Miskell will lead a discussion on responding to leads coming from the Internet.
dsm: See you there.
Session Close: Wed Jul 10 19:43:47 1996
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