How To Generate Tons Of Free Leads Advertising On Craig’s List Part 5

September 24, 2009

Using Squeeze Pages With Your Craig’s List Ads

You definitely want to have a double opt-in process for signing up people on your squeeze pages.  A single opt-in is where they give you the email address and they are immediately given what is offered.  A double opt-in process has them give you an email address, but then an email is sent to that account for verifying the person from that email account did in fact sign up to receive the offering.  If you only use a single opt-in process, you will get loads of fake email addresses of people because they’re interested in your offering, but not interested in being on your mailing list.  Do you really want such people anyway?  The number of prospects you get through the double opt-in process will be smaller than those found through single opt-in, but they’ll be better qualified prospects and you won’t have to weed out the fakes.  

Having the double-opt in process will also provide you with proof these people did in fact opt-in to your mailing list.  This is important nowadays as email and internet service providers take spam complaints very seriously, and there are often harsh penalties against those who get spam complaints who can’t prove they have a purely opt-in list.  So the more your email database grows, the more important it is having a double opt-in process for your signups.

Systematize And Automate Your Posting Process

The sheer size of Craig’s List and their limiting posting policies have created a demand for software that can automate the posting process.  Using such software will save you (or your assistant) loads of time and will ensure your ads get posted regularly and on schedule consistently.  The key is finding software that consistently works because it’s a cat and mouse game with Craig’s List and these software providers: Craig’s List is continually trying to make their software more able to recognize people who post multiple ads to multiple sections in multiple cities, and these software providers are continually trying to outwit them and give you free reign with your advertising on the site.

Even if you can’t get this posting automation software to work consistently for you, you still should develop a system and schedule for regularly posting to the site.  If you don’t have an assistant, this is the perfect kind of work to outsource to some on Elance.com.  You will get many very inexpensive quotations from many vendors as many of them are based in North America but have overseas offices with very talented people.  Some of them have been known to charge only $4 per hour for these types of services!

Just as important as your online classified ad posting strategy is your real estate website.  Having it work hand-in-hand with your classified ads can be extremely powerful marketing.  Learn more about how to make your real estate website work for you by taking my course Building Your Ecommerce Business.  This course has been approved by the Registrar, REBBA 2002 for 6 continuing education credits.

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Filed under: Marketing Tips,Networking Tips,Realtor Websites - Best Practices,SEO For Realtor Websites,Technology and Marketing/Selling Lists - Best Practices

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