Cheap advertising

[blaze]

Anyone have any advice for cheap advertising that is effective(besides Facebook, twitter, website) we are trying to explore new avenues without breaking the budget. Thanks.

[mrfoos]

We have a major university in our town. You can call the admissions and purchase the entire student body email list, including name, sex, and year in school.

FOR ONLY ----> $300 <----

That's an AWESOME deal for us. All colleges are different though.

[Haunted Prints (EOM)]

That is a pretty good deal. Email marketing is really cheap and easy as well.

Is it legal for them to sell the students emails?

[mrfoos]

Is it legal for them to sell the students emails?

It's the law! (State law... no idea why.)

However they only have to provide student names. Many colleges give name only and no way to contact them.

[Frightener]

It's only illegal if they advertise that they WILL NOT do so. Just like websites taht you sign up on, even this one here, if it doesn't say "We will not give / sell your information... yada yada" then they have every right to do so!!

And that's where a lot of your spam probably comes from :P

[Haunted Prints (EOM)]

Mail Chimp if my favorite email marketing provider.

They allow up to 2000 email subscribers and 12000 emails a month for FREE. No strings attached, they only require there logo at the bottom of the email, just like most other providers who still charge you.

Plus they have a ton of easy to use templates and click tracking tools.

MailChimp..... http://eepurl.com/ePMFY

[BrotherMysterio]

Spamming people is generally a bad idea, and a good way to generate some very negative word of mouth, which will cost you double in marketing costs: one half being the cost of counter-acting that negative word-of-mouth, and second half being in opportunity costs of not being able to use those tight resources more effectively, specially when it counts, like getting a haunt ready to open for season.

C.

[mrfoos]

Spamming people is generally a bad idea, and a good way to generate some very negative word of mouth, which will cost you double in marketing costs: one half being the cost of counter-acting that negative word-of-mouth, and second half being in opportunity costs of not being able to use those tight resources more effectively, specially when it counts, like getting a haunt ready to open for season.

C.

Perhaps you are correct according to standards of politeness as most people would perfer it to be in a perfect world. Business-wise you could not be more incorrect. People that are not interested won't like it. Guess what? They aren't interested! They weren't going to come anyway. People who are interested will like seeing it. It's a proven fact. It's why we get so much spam.

I understand some people are almost religiously against unsolicited bulk email. But it works. $300 for a direct line to an entire university of target audience is pure gold in marketing terms.

[BrotherMysterio]

Business-wise you could not be more incorrect.

You're kidding, right?

I don't know what your particular trade is outside of haunting, but one of mine is in Web Publishing. If you spam thousands of college students, some who are computer students, and know how to report spam to their ISP's, then you can have your account suspended.

Not only that, there isn't a single reputable autorepsonder or email marketing service, such as Aweber, Get Response, and others, that doesn't require strict anti-spam measures, such as double opt-ins for list building, opt-out and unsubscribe links at the bottom of every email, and so on. If they were to even get the slightest inkling that you used spam techniques to start building your list, or they get any complaints about spam from people on your list, they would terminate your account.

Also, what happens if you list the haunt website in the email? That would tag the website as spam related. Also, what major charity or corporate sponsor would want to be related to a bottom-feeding, spamming outfit? Least you think me being indignant and melodramatic, name one serious and respectable business entity that regards spammers as anything other than bottom-feeders.

Now, as to whether or not spam works, well, of course it does. If you blast enough emails out about cheap Viagra (approx. 80% of spam is pharma related), a certain percentage of desperate guys who can't get it up will probably respond. That's a given. But the various antics to make the business practice work (and that term is used in the loosest sense possible) are pretty wooly, wet, and wild, to say the least. Very often spammers need to constantly crank out new email addresses, often indecipherable gibberish, as they get the old ones shut down and as the email filters filtering out the offending addresses and so on.

Also, starting a successful haunt is based on fostering good will, and building a community spirit and mentality. That is a far cry from the hit-and-run, smash-and-grab techniques of spammers.

So, sure, you might get a few more patrons, but I would not be able to in good faith recommend spamming as a way to build a positive web-presence. Not because of any personal convictions, tho I definitely do hold strong anti-spam convictions, but because I truly believe, from a business standpoint, that operating using bottom-feeder practices is no way to build a solid foundation for a long term business.

I understand some people are almost religiously against unsolicited bulk email. But it works. $300 for a direct line to an entire university of target audience is pure gold in marketing terms.

Well, since you speak so favorably of spamming practices, can we assume that you use them in your day job or current business you own?

As for the value of such a list, well, I really don't' know what you would do with it, apart from spamming a bunch of people. Perhaps if there were physical addresses, you could perhaps send out postcards offering a coupon and whatnot, but again I can't recommend spamming.

Also, I'm not sure if you appreciate or know of the marketing principle of multiple impressions or exposures, but that discussion is for another time.

C.

[mrfoos]

You're kidding, right?

No. You make a whole lot of assumptions but there's no point in arguing with someone who already knows everything.

Blaze asked if there were any low budget options for marketing. I gave one. It works for me and lots of others... and I've made zero enemies using it. Sue me for contributing to the conversation.