Grunt Test

After recognizing that competing insurance websites usually made the signup process difficult, Geico, an insurance company, offered a signup website that was so easy that, according to their unique selling proposition, even a caveman could use it. Their claim was that their website passed the 'grunt test'.

Performing the grunt test involves determining whether your target market can affirmatively answer 3 questions within seconds.

1. What do you offer?
2. How will your offering improve their life?
3. What must they do to buy it?

From the perspective of customer communication, whether through website design, campaigns, research & development surveys, product launchs, product labels or otherwise, passing the grunt test is critical for lead generation and conversion. After all, analytics show that if your communication does not pass this test within a few seconds, potential customers will lose interest.

Landing pages, product pages, campaign pages, any type of advertising should pass the grunt test to convince leads to follow the call to action.

To clarify, the test involves the following elements. # 1 involves clear and simple product identification, #2 involves unique value proposition and responding to customer problems (like pain points, desires or other key motivation factors). #3 involves the call to actions.

CONTENT RELATED TO THE GRUNT TEST

• Unique value proposition
• Branding 101
• All things 'Branding'
• Landing pages 101

Create an Effective Craigslist ad

Craigslist is a classified ads website. It has developed into the most popular classified ads website worldwide with sites in different locales. It features several categories that include listings for sale items and jobs. Furthermore, it is a free option for reaching your target market. However, given its free-for-all nature, ads by many others like you compete to be seen. Consequently, depending on the competitiveness of your niche, your ad may be visible for only a limited period. This post may be most suitable for persons who post multiple ads habitually, possibly while traveling, for and from different IP addresses.

Your leads (ie your potential customers) on Craigslist will be able to do the following.

• contact you directly via email and or telephone, whichever means you provide publicly. As pictured below, as the seller, your email address is masked with an automatically generated craigslist email address. When your lead uses that Craigslist email, the Craigslist server will re-direct his email to your normal email address to protect your privacy.

• use keywords to refine their search to find products whose description and or text content has the keyword(s). Remember that Craigslist is a search engine.
• view your ad free of cost
• read your product description
• view multiple product images

Depending on your niche and the level of competition in your area, Craigslist ads may get pushed off the page within a short period of time, as little as a few hours or a day. Consequently, consider the guidelines regarding the number of postings you create within a specified time frame to avoid being flagged or even banned.

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How to post ads on Craigslist

Before you can advertise on Craigslist, you will need to create an account. You must have a different email address and phone verified account (PVA) number for each account. A unique IP address. VPNs will not work as they change with every new use. Ideally, the email addresses should not look similar like johngdoe1@tmail.com, johngdoe2@tmail.com, johngdoe3@tmail.com and so on. Unfortunately, this may require you to have (Google or Excel) spreadsheets to manage all of these details. In addition, you need a browser, preferably Chrome or Firefox because they both have incognito aka private windows from which you can prevent cookie storage while posting to Craigslist. If you will ads from different accounts, get software to clear the cache, cookies and local data on your computer.

• If you used Craigslist before and wish to use a new IP address and email address, clear your cookies, cache and local data (on your computer). Free software is available for these purposes. For instance Ccleaner clears cookes. Google Chrome's Click&Clean is another example. This step is necessary because Craigslist will recognize that you are the same person in spite of the new IP address and email address.
• If you posted other Craigslist ads, honor the rest period (usually 48 hours) between posting new ads for a single IP address
• Open your browser and select the incognito browsing option
• For Google Chrome;
• As pictured immediately below, click on the 3 vertical dots in the top right corner of window. Then choose the 'new incongito window' option. This helps to prevent being flagged by Craigslist.

          

• For Firefox;
• As shown immediately below, make the following selections to open a private window to avoid being flagged by Craigslist. 'File', 'New private window'

          

• Note the Craigslist website that is closest to your current log in IP address. Since Craigslist servers automatically direct you to the one nearest to your current IP address, do the following. 
• Search for craigslist.org (in Google)
• Search for and note the zip code of that nearest craigslist. You can use the ZipCode.org search page for this purpose. If you like, you can even look through demographic details (population size, income, age profile, ethnicity profile and so on) for the zipcode options. This is useful in terms of noting whether they relate to your target market.

     

• Go to the Craigslist website
• Click the 'post to classifieds' link in the top left corner. No need to log in as yet. In fact, some people believe that posting without first logging in might be easier to avoid being flagged by Craigslist.

• Make category and other relevant selections. When prompted, enter details like the 'posting title', your email address, zipcode, product description (named 'posting body' by Craigslist), images and so on. Pay special attention to using keywords in the posting title and body because your leads can refine their Craigslist searches with keywords. BTW, although most postings are free, the few paid sections include vehicles sold by dealers, real estate in New York and jobs. If you can sell as the owner when such an option exists for free, consider it.
• The 'posting title' should include
• a geographic location keyword
• a descriptive keyword. Use long tail keywords for search engine optimization / SEO.
• a key benefit or unique selling proposition / unique value proposition
• urgency, if applicable. Example 'motivated seller', 'must sell now', 'limited stock' 
• 'Posting body' aka product description should include
• concise, keyword-rich bullet points (rather than wordy paragraphs)
• keywords throughout. At the bottom of the ad, you can include a block of keywords separated by a comma. Do not be shy as Craigslist does not discriminate against keyword stuffing (like Google). Remember that long tail keywords contribute to search engine optimization / SEO. Some people create a heading like 'Keywords related to product X'.

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• create content blocks of information that can be shifted around so that the same ad can be duplicated without technically being flagged as a duplicate. Content blocks include contact details, unique selling point, testimonials and keywords.
• contact details. Even though a small 'reply' button accompanies all ads in the top left corner, include the details within the ad. Depending on your niche, ideal details may include telephone number (and whether to call and or text), email address, unique URL for 'more info re x, y, z benefits' (see precaution re using your main domain on this page), your name and, if applicable, company name. Explain what will happen if you do not answer. For instance, 'I will return your call within 6 hours on Monday to Friday GUARANTEED', etc. Craigslist ads will allow live links only to the details that you included in your contact information fields. 
• Allow the blue link to stand out by typing the contact information in precisely the same format as it exists in your contact details section. Once posted, the link will appear automatically. This only works with your telephone number and email address (and not URLs, even short versions).

              

• a unique selling proposition / unique value proposition like 'Let me save you $10,000 each year.'
• a call to action / CTA in text format
• Since Craigslist is known to attract scammers. Inspire trustworthiness whenever possible to hopefully set you apart by using
• words like 'reliable', 'honest' and so on. You may qualify this with illustrative details
• testimonials
• competitive advantage statements if you do not have testimonials. Essentially explain what your customers say. Example; customers have told me that they appreciate that, while other companies do x, y, z [undesirable things], I do a, b, c [desirable things]

• 'Posting body' aka product description should NOT include

• the price because you want to encourage the lead to contact you
• content that is a duplicate of another ad. Ads that appear so similar that they can be considered duplicates. For instance, do not duplicate the titles, images and or text. 
• To re-use the same image, you will need to change details like the file size, color and name. 
• To re-use the same text, you will need to change especially the first and last few lines. A workaround is to swap paragraphs.
• Do NOT use the same domain name within the body of your text. This will make it too easy for Craiglist and or competitors to find, target and blacklist all of your listings.
• Avoid blacklisted keywords. Although it may be difficult to determine what they are, avoid words that can potentially upset the community.
• requests for too much personal information that exceeds what is absolutely necessary. This is important to avoid turning people off in fear of being scammed.
• Click 'Publish'. If you had not begun this process by first logging in, Craigslist will send you an automatic email requiring you to confirm that you have in fact posted the ad. After you have confirmed the ad, the ad will go through the Craigslist ad evaluation process.
• If you want to post multiple ads, finish working within the current account and remember the rules regarding maximum postings per category, ie 1 ad per category and 2 ads per session within 48 hours. So at this point, you can post in a different category. See a Craigslist coach's diagram below. Be consistent with each IP address and associated email addresses. Although inconsistencies may be tolerated for a while, your accounts may be flagged eventually. 
• Renew ads after the initial 48 hour period has expired. When you do this, renewed ads will not count towards your daily quota.

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DOs

• Craigslist visitors are often wary of potential fraud and other crimes, including attempts to farm email addresses and other contact details. Since the site is a free for all, Craigslist is also known to be used by unreliable and unscrupulous persons. Consequently, for greater success, consider easing the mind of your leads by demonstrating how you are a trustworthy source and setting ground rules. For instance, if you will exchange goods and cash, agree to meet at a public place that is well frequented and equipped with security cameras. Mall with banking facilities and police stations are a good idea. Using places with banking facilities so that you do not need to walk around with cash that a stranger knows about. Do not meet at the home of a stranger.
• Avoid having un-posted or flagged ads. Craigslist may evaluate an ad before allowing it to go live. The ad evaluation process includes checking for blacklisted keywords, whether the new proposed ad is a duplicate of a pre-existing ad, the ratio of your live versus flagged ads, your IP address, the number of ads you have already posted for the day and so on. Craigslist has a flagging system in which either Craigslist or another user flags inappropriate ads (that latter case in which you will receive an email notification). Getting to many flagged ads can lead to being eventually banned and is therefore undesirable.

Diagram by Craigslist coach Aaron Facciolini to illustrate Craigslist's guidelines. You can post up to 10 ads every 48 hours without having trouble like having your IP address flagged or, worse yet, blocked. This is a safe way of advertising on Craigslist.

     Guidelines in summary

• Open up to 5 accounts from a single IP address
• Post up to 2 ads for any single account within 48 hours.
• Post up to 1 ad within a relevant category.
• Post within the local area of the IP address from which you are logging in. You may extend the local area only slightly by selecting a 'right column' of nearby location options (pictured immediately below). Craigslist uses complex tracking systems that include cookies to note your IP address. You are likely to raise red flags if you do not post in your local area. Your IP address can also be flagged when you are using a VPN

• If you need to meet the counter party in person, pre-bundle cash with rubber bands and post it notes with the amount written.
• Avoid mass flagging the ads of the competition. You will eventually be banned.

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CONTENT RELATED TO ADVERTISING ON CRAIGSLIST

• Google PLAs. Although a different system, steal these Google PLA tips to beat the competition in Craigslist
• Long tailed keywords
• MS Excel tricks for automatically re-arrange content like words and content blocks to create multiple versions of a title and product description
• Sales funnels. Know when and how to advertise
• SEO tips
• Craigslist is not popular in a few countries in part because of an already well developed online classified ads market place. You may need to consider using those other options. Some examples include the following.
• Australia - GumTree
• Canada - Kijiji

Facebook Page Setup

A significant benefit of having Facebook pages (aka 'Facebook fan pages') is their unique capability for advertising. Facebook advertising is a highly specific way in which marketers can define and therefore target their market. For instance, you can target only women between 35 and 55, who live in Ohio and like tennis and cycling. Facebook pages can be used in the Product Awareness stage of your sales funnel. Just imagine; you can have a different Facebook page for each of several hobby or other somehow related interest that your target market has. Facebook advertising is a potential goldmine for ecommerce sites. Additional benefits include the facts that Facebook pages have no limit to followers and amplifies content on the main site. For instance, if you share new content, it reaches more people than otherwise. Facebook (along with other social media) is good for collecting email addresses for email marketing and the earlier (stages of) sales funnels (ie versus later retention marketing sales funnels). In the latter case, it is a kind of off-site, live / non-static 'About us' page. In this regard, Facebook pages are particularly useful for social proof (ie others whose association and engagement with you and the currency of your activity socially 'validate' you in the eyes of others who may be thereby inspired to 'like' you). 

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This post is an overview of the steps required to set up a Facebook page from which great marketing campaigns may begin.

However, it is noteworthy that Facebook requires you to have a personal account before you can create a Facebook (business) page. Do not worry about this requirement becoming a time consuming chore for each Facebook page because you may have multiple Facebook pages attached to a single personal Facebook account. Know too that, when Facebook pages are created, they appear as separate and distinct from their personal owner to the extent that even Facebook friends and family will be unable to link the Facebook page to its owner. This post will assume that you have already set up a personal page.

• Log in to your personal Facebook account
• Click the drop down menu icon (ie downward arrow) in the top right corner, pictured immediately below
• Select 'Create Page'

• You should see 6 options (like 'local business', 'company, organisation', 'brand', etc). Select the most appropriate option
• Continue with steps like 'About Us' information, 'Profile Image' (180*180 px), 'Favorites' and 'Preferred Page Audience'. While you may skip some of these steps, pay special attention to completing the target market information. See how to set the image size.
• Create an image, preferably 851*315 px as a header banner. It will appear as a partly obscured background for the profile image. This banner image can take on of several approaches. For instance, it can display contact, visually describe your business without any text, the same as your website's home page banner and so on. See how to set the image size.
• That's it!
• Highlight the URL at the top of the page. Otherwise, search for and access the page from within your personal page. Apply the URL into your ecommerce platform. To integrate your Facebook page with your Shopify store, the following applies.
• Log in
• Online Stores
• Themes
• Social Media
• Paste the URL into the 'Facebook' window
• NB. When you are ready to create advertisements and other admin tasks, make the selection like 'Create Ad' in the top right drop down menu you used earlier to create the page.
• DOs
• Keep your Facebook page updated with valuable content. This helps leads at the earlier stages of the sales funnel to see that you are active. Typically, 5 to 8 daily posts are ideal to show a high level of currency. Content usually comprises offers, blog articles, carousels of top X products and recycled content from Facebook groups.
• If you become overwhelmed by updating all of your online social media, prioritize Facebook groups ahead of Facebook pages simply because the former has a far greater reach. Simply recycle much of the content from your Facebook groups. Encourage more corporate, broadcast-type one-way communication on your Facebook page (... but two-way communication in your Facebook groups). 
• Take advantage of the free demographic analytics available for your Facebook page. Facebook page analytics will give information like age, gender and so on that helps you to better target advertising. You can not get this kind of information on personal Facebook pages.
• When starting and trying to create or increase 'reach' free of cost, ie the number of people receiving your content, send personal one-on-one messages to people who really know you. Ask them to like your page. They may be business contacts, including manufacturers, employees and other contacts who may be interested in reading your posts. Chances are, if the content is sufficiently interesting to them, they will share it. This is particularly the case if you run promotions that include their brand. NB send messages only to people who are active, including businesses that are already advertising on line, scroll through your news feed to find people who post frequently and so on. Draft a message that is something like the following. Facebook advertising and promotional strategies are paid alternatives of advancing brand awareness and likes. 
• Hi John, Please have a look at my video on [platform] at [URL www.domain.com] about [... concise keyword(s)]. I noticed your interest in this topic [... in your newsfeed] and hope you will enjoy this. If you like it, please [... add your comment and or forward it .... ie call-to-action]. Thanks, Matt

To access your Facebook page ... ck

• Log in to your personal page
• Click the Facebook icon in the top left corner
• Click 'pages' in the 'explore' section 

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RELATED TOPICS

• Facebook conversion pixel 
• Facebook advertising: an introduction and tutorial
• Facebook groups. Facebook groups are becoming more effective than Facebook pages in terms of retention sales funnel marketing to prospects (by customers)
• Facebook pages can be used in the Product Awareness stage of your sales funnel. You can have a different Facebook page for each of several hobby or other somehow related interest that your target market has.