How to get Traffic to an Online Charity Auction Site

So you are hosting your shiny new auction website, but how do you get quality traffic?

The million dollar question on the tip of any Newbie's tongue is always about traffic. You can have the best online business in the world, but if people don't visit your site it is all a waste of time and money. And it is not just about getting anyone, you want people who are truly interested in your product. This is why getting your SEO right and getting found organically in searches is by far the best way to make sure you have interested visitors. If you can get to number 1 on a competitive keyword in Google, you will have more interested traffic than you can handle. By the way, they will only be interested if you are interesting! So, the first thing to do is write.

Writing, Writing and more Writing

If you want people to buy your product, you must make sure you are an online authority on your subject. This can be achieved by writing an ebook, or posting quality content. Make sure you are in every conceivable corner of the internet with quality work that is not simply a rehash of something that someone else has already written.

You can write and submit: hubs, articles, press releases, blog entries, forums entries (quality ones), directory listings, product or book reviews. Make sure you include a link back to your site wherever you can (including your email signature) and make it easy for people to find you. Encouraging people to subscribe to your RSS feed is good practice too. If you do start a blog, keep it up and be consistent with your posting. If you have images, brilliant, they attract attention and people might find you on Google Images, or you could tag photos on facebook or Flickr. Get your keywords in the title, tags and the body of the text, and in your domain name if you can.

Take part in respected niche forums, but stay well clear of the spammy, scammy ones full of negative people who moan. Make sure that you add quality posts as opposed to lots of rubbish. No one wants to know what you had for breakfast!

Think carefully and edit your work. Spelling mistakes and typos can be a real turn off to people.


Be a Social Network Butterfly

A lot of internet marketers become hermit crabs when they should be more like butterflies! You will do well if you learn to pull traffic towards by being the kind of person who people want to e-hang with. Be helpful, answer questions on Yahoo and network like you would offline, be valuable. You can point people to good sources of work, give them free e-books or tips and tools. Anything FREE is always attractive! Find out if they found your freebies useful. Get them involved and make communication two way. You can do this by inviting comments, offering surveys, fun contests, or participating in conversations on social networks. When you are posting in social networks avoid spamming people on first introduction with a URL. You should aim to provide 4 pieces of useful content to every time you post a link to something you are selling. Add photos (with links) and keep it light and fun. Post topical and newsworthy things and keep up to date. Every now and again, post something controversial, just get the conversation going and make people remember you.

Develop a daily routine and discipline with social networks. Be consistent but don't waste all of your time on the sites. I find Twitter and Facebook the best, but consider del.icio.us, digg, myspace, yahoo and the others and do add a badge to your sites and blogs so people can link back and forth as they build up a picture of who you are.

Appeal to people's emotions. You could sponsor a charity for instance, someone asked me today to sponsor a dog (l love dogs). so that is another point. Be real. Authenticity is great for business, but also I really believe that if you are being true to yourself and writing from your heart people will be attracted. Stay positive and think positive things. This is sometimes called The Law of Attraction and it works!

If you have an option to allow translation, choose it especially Chinese. I have done this on my Third Sector Finance Blog with Blogspot.

Brand Yourself Beautiful

Remember to include a photo, link, logo and maybe a slogan wherever you go online. My lovely friend Al Diaz has coined the phrase Ilumine Ao which has become a trademark of his very strong branding. Clever man. It is important to do something or be something unique to people. My friend and colleague Paul and I share a blog that we like to think of as a drop in centre, a kind of coffee shop where we offer help to struggling internet marketers. Our brand is all based on being real, being available and lots of integrity.


Submit

A really obvious one that people forget. Make sure you submit your sites to DMOZ: http://dmoz.org/ and to the various search engines. Don't just stop at Google verification. Try to get included in newsletters.



Offline Work

This is critical. It takes a long time and a lot of work to really brand yourself well online so while that is happening engage with real people. Do good work with them and don't forget to ask for a link and a testimonial. I do a lot of offline work in my community because I get a massive kick out of seeing people get found online. I teach them how to build their own websites and then introduce them to everything in this article. I love seeing them soar to the top of Google. I also go to Chamber of Commerce and frequently speak at various business meetings. I have a deal with the local Further Education College and they pay me to hire graduates who I employ to do some of my time consuming work. At the same time I train them in the art and science of internet marketing so it is a win win situation. I have a particular interest in helping charities and third sector organisations raise money online and I do this at a reduced rate.

Products

We have looked at the process of getting traffic, but you also need to have a great product. Sell things that you know lots of people are looking for, but there is scarce. You can check this out by looking at the number of searches for a keyword compared to the number of providers. Google Keyword Tools is useful and you can also look at Clickbank to see if there are any products that you could be an affiliate of.

Nurture your list

Don't spam and bombard them! Send free things and also make offers that compliment what they have already bought. Traffic Geyser is really good at that. They offer really good quality video training and then offer a complimentary product that helps you to use the really useful information that they have just given you. Give excellent customer service every time. Answer emails and deliver your promises.


Buy traffic

If you are going to be really successful you will have to buy traffic in one way or another. Direct mail is becoming popular again because it is different to email. It makes a change. Offline ads in local papers or supermarkets. I know one marketer who slipped his business cards in books at supermarkets! Be creative! Promote yourself with PPC ads or get yourself on a traffic exchange or two. You can do those on a budget if necessary. Some people buy lists, but I am skeptical about that and don't want to encourage spamming in anyway.


Market research

Do your market research well and hunt for niches that will pay you well. High ticket items are great, and then I recommend making a blog post, an article, a podcast and a video and feeding all that through Traffic Geyser who hurl it all out to the world, saving you loads of time. Keep testing your work to find out what is working and what is not. This is a crucial step and if you are to become very successful you need to do it. Be curious and don't get too attached to what you think should work.



Joint Venture Partnerships

Teaming up with other businesses or individuals is fun and smart. Mashable media do that one really well. I loved their #beatcancer campaign. Cross marketing will save you time and money and can lead to quality friendships.


One last thing...keep checking your sites for broken links and fix them. There is nothing worse than a 404 error!

Well thanks for reading this far and I hope you have found it useful. I would love your comments! Kay

Low Cost Online Charity Auction & Silent Auction Software!

I have just found the most quirky and funky fundraising idea! Online Charity Auction Software! This is a really exciting opportunity for fundraisers to easily host online charity events, silent auctions or public auctions online. It is a great way to make money online for non profits, charities and third sector organisations. It can also be used by any fundraiser or in business. With low start up costs and full customer support, there is no risk involved and should be a lot of fun.

It is The Only Low Cost Online Charity Auction Site called I Dontate to Charity

This means that it is affordable for Non-profits To Raise Money Online. They Provide All Affiliate Marketing Material You Need To Generate Traffic.

You get: Hosted Online Charity Auctions Unique Store Front URL Donation Pages and you can Sell Event Tickets & more

GET STARTED

IDonateToCharity.org is the home of one of the most cost effective Charity Auctions and Silent Auction Software available on the internet. Your next charity event or fundraiser auction will be a raving success with their top rated charity auction software.

It only costs $24.95 the first year and then only $19.95 every year after, and you will be able to raise money without filling in funding applications or hosting a live event. You keep 100% of the profits!


Their goal has always been to provide low cost online fundraising software to small and medium sized non-profits. They have very little overhead, so they can help third sector organisations raise even more money. Once you sign up for the 14 day trial you will be given immediate access by email to their top rated Silent Auction Software for only $4.95. If you like their charity auction service after 14 days, will they charge your credit card only $19.95 annually. If you feel the service is not a good fit for your needs, you can cancel your account anytime in the next 14 day.

You also get 200 fundraising tips & 60 Donation Letter Templates.

Online Charity Auction Software –

You get unique profit pulling auction software with store front hosted by IDTC. Each store is given a dedicated URL for easy access from any website or email. Run unlimited auctions throughout the year. Emails and donor information is provided in your admin area. You collect all donations through Paypal or offline and NO percentage is taken by IDTC from gross sales.



Donation Pages –

Set up an unlimited amount of donation pages throughout the year. Easily collect donations from anyone in the world. Each page is given a dedicated URL for placement on Websites or in emails. You collect all donations through Paypal and NO percentage is taken by IDTC from gross sales.



Online Raffles –

Set up and run an unlimited amount of raffles throughout the year. The system generates and draws raffle e-tickets with one click. You collect all donations through Paypal and NO percentage is taken by IDTC from gross sales.



Event Tickets –

Sell tickets to live charity events directly from your store font. The system will handle everything from start to finish. You set up the event and the E-ticketing system will sell the ticket for you. Before the live event, print out a list of tickets sold for easy check in at the door. You collect all donations through Paypal and NO percentage is taken by IDTC from gross sales.



Sponsor Ads –

Sell sponsor ads in your store and on your auction item listings. Increase your revenues by adding sponsor ads from local companies. Each ad can be linked to any website. (Additional fee is required)



Connect To Facebook –

Set up your store to run on facebook for greater exposure. The facebook app will allow you to show your store from your facebook page. Also let your visitors share your auction items with their friends with a push of the button.



Collect Donation Directly –

Let your visitors donate cash directly without placing a bid. 50% of visitors will not bid on items. Now give them an easy way to donate money without having to place a bid. Increase donations by 25% with this unique feature. You collect all donations through Paypal and NO percentage is taken by IDTC from gross sales.



Bidder Newsletter System –

Keep your bidders up to date on event changes or newly listed items. With one click, you can email all your bidders letting them know of any changes you made to your auction.

This really is an amazing multi-functional piece of low cost software that is so full of opportunity. Check it out here!

Plug and Play HQ, promoting JVPs

Creative Solutions through Partnering
Plug and Play strategic Partnerships- the New Paradigm

Cumbria, or the Lake District, has a reputation for being really beautiful but also for attracting artists, writers and architects. Examples include: Wainwright, Beatrix Potter, John Ruskin, Arthur Ransome, William Wordsworth and William Butterfield. We still attract creative types and nowadays, they are likely to be using some kind of digital media as well as more traditional art forms. The landscape inspires and draws people to want to live and create here, but finding a job may be tricky, especially in the creative industries. A lot of our talented young people end up leaving the area even though they love it here.
Entrepreneurship is the obvious answer if the county is to recover from the recent flooding and the effects of the recession. There is a need to focus on fostering web based entrepreneurship rather than job creation. The number of homeworkers is definitely on the rise and it would be great to see much more targeted support for this growing trend. Our market leaders will be those who focus on online businesses and remote working. No longer can we rely on natural resources like coal, slate, steel, and oil to lead the economy. Information is this year's coal. People, knowledge and skills are the resources of the future and we have only seen the tip of the iceberg so far.

It is now possible to start a business online easily and you can do it for next to nothing if you are smart. If you have a good idea and apply yourself to learning about internet marketing, you could go a long way. I am not suggesting that you will get rich overnight, but with a positive attitude, creativity and planning you can get start making money online with a shoestring budget. Obviously, if you have got some capital, you can opt for a high ticket business more easily and use your money to drive traffic to whatever it is you are selling. For instance, a great Viral marketing campaign could get your information products into the global marketplace literally overnight. Frank Kearn and Ryan Higgans are fantastic examples of that. There are so many tools out there now to help you get your products to thousands of sites on the web. And with a bit of training and information, you can distribute the same piece of information as an article, podcast, blog, video or email using automated software.

It is no longer enough to just have a great product or service now, you also need to know how to market it effectively. This levels the playing field for people who live in rural areas like Cumbria and who want to work from their home or a shed. However, there are lots of skills involved in internet marketing, like graphic design, web server technology, programming, using social media, multi-lingual translations, international accounting, SEO, legal issues and the psychology of marketing. It would be pretty impossible for one person to have all those skills, but the good news is that joint venture partnerships offer really exciting win win solutions. With a dynamic combination of strategic partners it is possible to create a winning home based business from anywhere. You just need to link up with the right partners.

Traditionally, such alliances were formed at networking groups like the Chamber of Commerce and business breakfast clubs. Now online forums and social media make it possible for people to connect with strategic partners, meaning that you are more likely to meet just the right partner. For instance, Glen Richardson and 5 others managed to launch SendSocial for peanuts with only one real life meeting. The rest was done virtually and because each person contributed with sweat equity, it was possible to create a revolutionary product inexpensively and quickly. Glen thinks that one of the reasons that they have been such a huge success together is because they share a similar approach to business and their values are aligned.

Strategic alliances are the way forward and offer endless opportunities. When competitors or customers become colleagues, the sky is the limit. We are seeing so many unconventional alliances now, I am particularly fascinated by the partnering of third sector organisations with marketing companies, global organisations and mainstream businesses. It is now possible for a small charity to create an international appeal whilst simultaneously benefiting a mainstream business. Examples include The Railway Children partnering with Yahoo, the #beat cancer campaign and Amanda Rose's Twestival to raise funds for clean water.

We are witnessing a massive paradigm shift in the way that we approach work and business. I share an office in a gorgeous old house in the South Lakes, situated in a lovely park. Entrepreneurs and geeks drop in and work there and we like to think of it as a Giant Plug and Play Coffee Shop, a place where we can show up, plug in and get started. People wander in and out and it gives home-workers, or as Emma Jones puts it the 5-9 crowd a change of scenery. We all plug into each other and the inspirational atmosphere means that it becomes a giant think tank. We share ideas, bounce off each other and inspire one another. We share equipment, knowledge, best practice ideas, skills and a great cup of coffee! We remind each other that it is lunch time! Strategic partnerships automatically form and new supply chains can be established within hours. Sometimes people will be on teleconference calls and speaking to multiple partners from around the world. Sometimes we just work in silence too, but it is great knowing there are friends around. This means that Cumbrian start-ups have the same opportunities to hit global markets as a business based in London or New York. It's all about choosing the right partners and the right business ideas, but having an inspirational work environment is a big fat bonus. Of course this is great news for the environment too.

You have to remember that if your business is online, no matter whether you work from home or an office, your visitors are global and there is no reason that your partners can't be too. Geography does not have to be an issue for online work now, and if you are smart, you can keep the costs down too. If you want to get started learning about internet marketing and making money online I would suggest the FREE 4 Step Internet Marketing Course. It will teach you what you need to know and give you some products to get started with. Or you can use it to market your own ideas, products or services. Give me a shout if you want to know more about getting started with that one, or just download it here. We also offer internet marketing courses for dummies in real life and we invite you to bring your laptop and show you how to you set up your first website or blog. A series of more advanced seminars are coming up in the New Year and will be delivered by successful Cumbrian internet entrepreneurs. We will of course be recording these and they will be available as webinars. These will be announced at an up and coming Tweet Up so you can plug and play with us too! Contact me on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter if you are interested in attending any of these events.