In some reading just now, I had something clarified that I immediately realized I was a little confused about. So I thought I'd share it with you.
First....everybody knows what a domain name is, right? It's the officially registerd name of your site. It's strictly for online purposes and has nothing, zip, zero, nada to do with the name register for your business at the local country court house (like we do in Texas).
And secondly, you'll remember that domains really aren't expensive.....typically $6-12.
But can you sell a domain?
How do you do it?
Well some terms that you'd need to understand to to buy and sell domains.
Registrar: The 'registrar' would be, for example.....www.godaddy.com
But back to the previous question.....what about if you want to sell a domain name you own to somebody else?
That's where two more terms pop up: 'push' and 'transfer'.
In 'domaining' lingo, when you 'push' a domain to somebody else (i.e. a buyer), the term 'push' implies that you both have an account at the same registrar....e.g. you both have accounts at Hostgator. Kinda like you're in the same classroom with a friend and you give a friend a pen by just handing it across to him/her.
That's called a 'push'. Lots of times when domainers (i.e. people who buy and sell domains) run ads for a particular domain name, they'll say something like 'free push to GoDaddy'.
But what about a case where the buyer doesn't have and doesn't want an account at the same registrar where that domain is residing now?
Well, that's called a donain 'transfer'. And my purpose here isn't to explain that process but rather to just explain the difference.......i.e. to 'push' a domain to a buyer is a little different than to 'transfer' a domain to a buyer. Although I'll admit that the term 'transfer' could be used in a more casual way and mean either of the situations I've described above.
Domianing is a big and fascinating business. You can find out more about it by first perhaps going to Wikipedia and then looking at the Google results for the term.....as here.
Here's a great idea for local instructors and studio owners to add more value to their sites and further indentify their brand. Google has recently launched Google Map Maker.....giving you the ability to add your information to their maps.
Think of how many times somebody has asked you about where to buy something, how to get somewhere, how to find your studio, where a particular club is, where an event is, what's to do around (wherever)......
Happens a lot right?
Those are always questions that you could easily use a map to show. Now you can add your local knowledge to Google Maps. If you're the first one to do it in your local area, just think how 'viral' your 'map' page could go!
If you're a dance studio owner or dance instructor who rents space somewhere for your own classes you surely know that you've only got a limited number of hours in your day. But I'd like to remind you of one of the simplest but most effective tools you can use to leverage your time.....autoresponders.
Yes, it's been a while since I've written about autoresponders but the fact is that all your big companies use them. Not because you have to be big to do so but because big companies know how valuable they are.
What are autoresponders?
The word 'autoresponder' can actually refer to two things:
1. The series of email messages that go out to a mailing list, or
2. The actual software itself which sends out those emails.
In this case I'm talking about the idea of why you should use these email messages and the software tool itself.
Basically the reason you should use them is because they save you time. Once you have the software to send out autoresponder messages you can use it over and over and over and over. And once you have a set of autoresponder messages for a particular purpose very often they can be used again and again and again and again.
So what you've got is a tool that you purchase once but use over and over and over.
There are at least three well known pieces of autoresponder software: AWeber, GetResponse and Constant Contact. Sometimes your hosting company will also have some kind of autoresponder software in their package too. There's a free one too that I hear isn't too bad.
The most critical aspect of using autoresponders in your business management (specifically the marketing) is getting them written. All autoresponder message series are not created equally. They are usually written with some purpose in mind and thus there are some 'best practices' involved.
People who have establised reputations as autoresponder writers, i.e. Jay White, get a minimum $500 for writing one email and remember that autoresponder packages usually contain a series of at least 5-7 messages.
Most studio owners don't have the time or the inclination to do things like write autoresponder messages but, if they do, there's nothing wrong with doing so. Sure, it might not be a 'message' that employs all the little tricks that experienced autoresponder writers normally use but I'm of the opinion that doing it with sincerity counts for something in the mind of the customer or prospective customers.
That brings up another concept......what are you trying to do by using an autoresponder?
Generally you're trying to get people to click on something, sign up for something, purchase something, give you some information or get the reader to take some sort of action.
The reason that more than one email message is used is because it usually takes several messages before people 'get it' or come around to your point of view. Most experts on such things say 7 messages is about what it takes to get your message across to the reader. But some autoresponder series go on more months and contain over 50 messages.
For a dance studio....here's what I think would be some good themes for autoresponder series:
Best dance spots in your town
Best dance clubs in towns close to you
Personality series on locally famous dancers
Information about various dance styles
Best ways to ask a girl to dance or (if your a girl) get asked to dance in a club
Social benefits of learning to dance
Survey results that would be of interest to dancers or people who want to learn to dance.
News from public media (e.g. TV shows....Dancing With The Stars)
A series on dance fashion
Why your studio is the best studio in town
Why somebody should audition for your dance team
Benefits of taking 'holiday dance classes'
Dance club etiquette
As you can see....it could be almost anything. Whatever people would like to talk about....they'd like to read about too. The only problem is, still......taking the time to do it.
Autoresponder messages generally are going out to people who are already your clients or to people whose contact info you have but they're not yet a client. And those messages are constructed differently....don't forget that.
If you're just starting out using sophisticated marketing tools like autoresponders then you're probably also on a limited budget. Thus you'd probably want to focus your expenditures on autoresponders designed to bring in new students.
That can easity be done. The way you do it is to offer something of high perceived value (i.e. a free introductory video lesson perhaps) yet something that had a low actual cost to you. Free reports are also great for that and can be used over and over.
What happens is this......
You advertise your 'freebie', people sign up to get it (on something called a 'squeeze page' or 'opt-in form'), and BAM....they're on your autoresponder list. The bigger your list the more guaranteed and predictable your income stream. It's all a game of numbers and averages.
That's just a few points about using autoresponders in running a dance studio or being a dance instructor. It's mostly just common sense once you see how the process works. But what's good about autoresponders is how they help you leverage your time.
I recently finished Jay White's course, "Autoresponder Apprecentice" and am offering my services as a copywriter specializing in autoresponders now. There are actually two special advantage I offer dance studio owners:
1. I know the dance business because I'm a hard core social dancer myself, and
2. I'm cheap right now because I'm not yet a 'big name' in the business.
Right now I'm looking for some first clients who would like me to write some autoresponders for them. You can pick the subject but it would probably be something we'd discuss first. I can make some recommendations but you'll make the final decision.
For my introductory special I'm offering a 7 email series for only $100. Each message would consist of approximately 350-500 words. I don't want any particular message to be too long otherwise the reader won't be inclined to open subsequent messages.
That's all I have to say for now but keep your eye on the blog here because I'm going to be writing some more on this subject. Meanwhile, if you have any question, don't hesitate to email or call me.
One of the areas that studio owners need to get prepared for (like....yesterday!) is ...'how to accept money from 'smart phones' and other mobile devices (like iPad).
Think about it.....
If more and more people are carrying smart phones (not to mention things like iPads) and if more and more progressive and aggressive marketers are implimenting marketing programs tarketed to reaching those people during their busy day-to-day activities (and that's exactly what's happening)...then doesn't it make sense that you'd want to make it easy to take your customer's money right there when they make a buying decision?
I think so.
Yet surprisingly......mobile friendly payment systems have been very complex and expensive to impliment. Up to now.
I'm presently learning about designing and setting up systems to do all that.....marketing systems that use such things as QR codes, mobile friendly websites and mobile friendly payment systems. It's pretty exciting stuff.
And actually, the mobile friendly shopping cart is pretty much where the leading edge of 'mobile marketing' is right now. The technology pretty well exists to market through the smart devices...but it's not been easy to collect money that way.
It will be soon. And the first people who learn how to take money that way will very probably be the people who get the most money from doing it.
Watch for my free report on the subject comig soon.
Take a look at this short article about what the 'experts' say is a very shrewd move by Amazon to 'out-apple' Apple. If you've got an Android phone, you'll find this news especially interesting.
I've been saying for years that one day the internet is going to allow 'us'.....dance instructors....to conduct an online class wherein we'll have students participating from widely dispersed geographic locations..
Now I know how to do it.
But...think about it. It only makes sense. The only reason nobody's done it before is because the technology hasn't been available. Now it is.
If you were doing a class, what's wrong with having somebody attend it virtually if they're happy with doing it that way?
How many times have you seen classes that are 3, 4 or even 5 rows deep in students....and everybody's still having a good time?
I've seen that lot's of times. Me.....I don't like being in the back like that. I'm short and I hate not being able to see the instructor. Iv'e never been able to understand why nobody's ever put a big screen TV up on the wall.....two or three of them.....so the students in the back could see what the instructor's doing.
But I know some people don't mind. They just want to pick up what they can. So what's wrong with adding another 20 or 30 rows of students.....online?
Nothings wrong with it.
Or how about this scenario:
You just had a Salsa or Bachata congress, it's time for the Congress Party. Why not broadcast it?
Too many toolbars can wind up being more of a pain in the ass than doing you any good.
Just this morning I disabled 2 toolbars on my browser that were taking up valuable space. People who wear bifocal glasses, like I do, can probably appreciate the problem I was having.
When using my computer I found that neither part of my lenses were practical. My screen was too close for the top part of my lenses and too near for the bottom part of my lenses. Thus I was forced to just take my glasses off and squint at the screen as I read and/or typed.
But the bigger issue and word of wisdom here is: How did I get into this situation in the first place?
Two reasons.
First I made the mistake of buying a net book because I thought it was 'cool'.
It ain't cool! It's stupid to buy something that's gonna wind up ruining your eyesight.
Second, I became infatuated with 'gadget-mania' in the form of niche/function specific toolbars that I seldom or never used.
What I learned from that was that if you acquire a tool that you don't use within a reasonable period of time (especially if it's one that you have to look at every time you use your computer)....get rid of it. It's mere presence detracts from your mental focus and clarity.
There's a lot more toYouTube and video marketing than most people realize. Text messaging, text email and text based websites will alway be around.
But the undeniable fact is that more and more people, espeically the busy, mobile, upscale and upwardly mobile people you probably want as your next clients......they're more likely to watch a video that read an email. Especially on a mobile phone.
The diagram to the right and the states that follow here(from something I'm reading right now) say it all.
Here's a snippet of something I just read. If you have an interest in better understanding how the evolution of the interent and modern technology is effecting business today.......you ought to contemplate what this statement means:
"The integration of the mobile world and the offline world (think Coca-Cola in Israel) will be huge. The ability to integrate consumer credits cards, cheap RFID chips, and more dependence on mobile phones will drive this trend."
I'm not going to tell you where I saw because, frankly, I've got a new philosophy and policy whereby I'm not going to be giving away as much free information as I used to.
My reasoning is that, (1) Most of my readers either don't understand and don't care, and (2) for people who do understand and do care...they need to start paying me for the time and effort I put into learning this stuff.
I'm starting to realize that I do know a lot.....and it's stupid to give it away.
Actually, because of my undertanding Christian perspective on world events, I don't think all these new technical developments are 100% a good thing. But I think it's still smart to understand them as much as possible and use that understandig as much to my benefit as possible.
The last thing I'll say here is that I see the ability now, with the recent technology that's developed around the mobile phone, to take the marketing of even Salsa Lessons down to a geo-targeted, almost instantaneous, on-off application. Even now, I could run an instantaneous add to attract people to fill up a few extra places in a salsa class or bring in a few new visitors to a salsa social.
Image via Wikipedia
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