Targeting Craigslist Posts

[tdisraeli]

I have a guy that can mine hundreds of craigslist emails (not generic @craigslist.com but the real poster address) for me to use for a spam complient email campaign.

Does anyone know if there would be any issues?

[Lhotch]

Any who sends me unsolicited spam is immediately put on my shit list.

Having said that, what do you offer that crags list doesnt? Why would I switch from using craigslist to your service?

[tdisraeli]

Originally Posted by Lhotch

Having said that, what do you offer that crags list doesnt? Why would I switch from using craigslist to your service?

Hello Larry - I always appreciate your help and insight.

I could give you several reasons to use my site compared to CL. However, the single most important reason would be that I will be donating 25% of my net revenue to preserving Idaho's natural resources.

Furthermore, an additional 25% of my net revenue will help fund a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) family support program. My third son spent a few weeks in the NICU so I know how difficult it can be.

I am not trying to compete with CL, I am just trying to offer a �true local� outdoor classifieds list; local being the keyword. Classifieds will be just one aspect of the site while community volunteerism will be the main focus. CL is very, very popular but they are not local so their reach is limited.

I also have a few killer �press-magnet� marketing vehicles that will hopefully create a buzz.

As far as revenue is concerned, a minimal amount, if any will come from listings. My primary revenue source will be local business (no big box) sponsorship. I have already secured two of the biggest advertisers in Boise so I am already in the black.

I know donating 40% of my net revenue might seem like a lot but using 68 and staying lean and mean will allow me to do this. I am also financially fortunate to have hit a homerun with my Traffic Tracker web analytics. So if I need to increase my donation amounts 20 more percent I can make it happen.

[Lhotch]

Just an FYI, im not trying to be arguementative, just realistic and asking questions as if I were a potential customer of yours.

Lets face it, people are sick and tired of unsolicited e-mail so right off the bat you put yourself in a negative light. Then add to that you charge a fee to advertise where as craigslist does not. Sure you donate some of that money to charity but if I was that concerned about charity, if I wanted to donate money to a cause, why wouldnt I just sell my item on craigslist for free and donate the full amount you charge for your ads to the charities you give to?

Craigs list may not be truely local but people dont have to be local to buy stuff, if they did ebay and CL wouldnt be as popular as they are.

In the end I wouldnt soil your name with spam e-mail. Weather you follow the rules or not, unsolicited e-mail is spam.

Next you need to give people a reason to want to advertise with you. A true local flair is great but will it be enough? Why should I give you you $10 so you can give $2 to preserving Idaho's natural resources?

Now, the donations are a nice perk but certainly not enough alone to make me use your service.

In my mind its all about trafic, you cant get ads if you dont have exposure. No one wants to visit a site with no ads so the 2 aspects are closely intertwined.

I think its very very difficult to start a site and charge for ads for the very reason stated above. If you have ads traffic will come but without traffic there is no reason to use your service. At the end of a listing period if I still have the item I want to sell and im out money for the listing, regardless of how much of it was charitable, then I just wasted my time and my money.

I think there are basically 2 approaches, brute force and $$$ in the form of marketting to drive traffic and generate a user base. Or, a cheaper long term approach where ads are free and you try and build a user base by having an attractive easy to use site thats free and once you have a solid user base then you can start to charge or else make use of adsense or the like for income.

[tdisraeli]

I know you�re not argumentative Larry and I do appreciate your input.

First off�I don�t charge a penny to list an item (not sure where you go that impression), as a matter of fact I will actually be offering free featured listings to non-profits and environmental groups. The ad revenue I mentioned is 100% category sponsorship via local businesses.

I agree that people could just sell their items on CL and donate money themselves but again, why not use a local classifieds source for free too and serve a cause; it�s a win/win. Secondly, people want to be part of something special in most cases. It�s the same reason I can raise thousands of dollars in donations from people when I compete in triathlons. Yet not 10% of those people would donate if they didn�t feel like they were part of the race/team. I can also go plant a tree in the forest but donating to the Sierra Club makes me feel like I am doing more.

As far as local is concerned, when you have two options of where to list (both free), one being a site with no local physical presence and one that you see at every race, volunteer event, fund raiser, etc�I have to believe I hold the trump card. At least I hope so.

Advertising� I spent 7 years with AOL and 2 with Yahoo/Overture in national ad sales. I know what I am taking about when presenting to local businesses. Back in the day I closed multi-million dollar deals with Southwest Airlines, Countrywide Mortgage, and 7 Up to name a few. Not meaning to brag since those were crazy days but I know how to sell. However, in the end all that experience and knowledge might mean nothing in a small market like Boise ; )

I hear you on traffic, that�s why everything is free minus optional 99 cent add-ons. I just hope my partnerships, free listings, and good PR will make it happen.

Again, not sure where you got the idea I was charging for ads???

Thanks again Larry for all the advice.

[Lhotch]

Originally Posted by tdisraeli

Again, not sure where you got the idea I was charging for ads???

It was an assumption based largely on these comments from you...

I could give you several reasons to use my site compared to CL. However, the single most important reason would be that I will be donating 25% of my net revenue to preserving Idaho's natural resources.

Furthermore, an additional 25% of my net revenue will help fund a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) family support program. My third son spent a few weeks in the NICU so I know how difficult it can be.

Granted you didnt say you were charging for ads but revenue has to come from somewhere.

[tdisraeli]

Sorry Larry....I thought the section below form that post expplained it clearly -

As far as revenue is concerned, a minimal amount, if any will come from listings. My primary revenue source will be local business (no big box) sponsorship. I have already secured two of the biggest advertisers in Boise so I am already in the black.

[free2take]

I'd be very hesitant to do this, I don't think you'd get thrown in jail or anything for it, but it could tarnish your name and get peoples back up.

I make a point of not using any goods or service which targets me through unsolicited mail.

There are other avenues I've done things like printing batches of flyers and handing them out at Car Boot sales do this twice a month and you'll get traffic and ads, its cheap to do and will take you at most 6 hours.

Why not try and get a radio spot or a press release, all better ways to go about it imo and also really reinforce the local aspect while allowing you to get your message across.

[tdisraeli]

Originally Posted by free2take

Why not try and get a radio spot or a press release, all better ways to go about it imo and also really reinforce the local aspect while allowing you to get your message across.

I already have these marketing vehicles in place Free. I do agree with you and I will probably just stick with those means.

Thanks for the input.