Note: I have improved my research report and INCLUDED the entire "Web Site Success Matrix". All my secrets are there now.

Updated article on Search Engine Placements

1. Search Engine Placements

In regards to the recent survey, over 30% of you got back to me. Impressive. The results were quite what I expected, over 90% of you complained that the biggest challenge was to get visitors to your site and the poor ratio of sales to visitors. Many complained that they have spent good money on search engine placement programs, but nothing works. Here's my take on this:

Do it the hard way. Register with each search engine the way they want you to. It's hopeless to expect a small site to become famous overnight. Large companies pay millions for those positions. Make sure your META TAGS are in order, and your site is clean and bright. And persuasive. Don't fall for the "quick and dirty" placement programs, unfortunately it'll take some work on your part. In any case, you are competing with a gazillion other sites fighting for the elusive click-through. It's getting gory out there. People report that often, few sales come from search engines. My site, as a case in point gets very little activity from engines. Although I am listed in yahoo and most others - over 80% of my hits come from my articles or other sites where I have been mentioned. Also, another observation - the more generic your site is the les chance for any engine referrals. If you are selling carburators for '69 Chevys - you'll probably have better luck that "Internet Marketing Strategies".

Scarcity is a short-cut to compliance widely used to create value. You know this of course, but have you ever stopped and thought about why this works?

It really doesn't make any sense. Why is something better or more expensive just because it is in limited quantities? I once strolled into a BMW dealership to look at 'basic transportation'. There was this blue 528i there and I spent some time looking at it. The salesman came running over, and said to me: "You must be John!" I said "No, I'm not John." "Oh" he said, "Sorry, John called a little while ago and said he'd be coming in at three o'clock to put a deposit down on this car. It's the last one we have, and he really wanted it at this low price." Hello!!! Something in my stomach began to churn. Boy, the last one! And some other guy will be here any minute to snatch it away from me! No way...I drove that car for 6 years, and enjoyed it tremendously. Every time I passed by the dealership, I looked at all the other blue 528i's on the lot and wondered if "John" ever bought one just like it? Or got left out and bought a Geo?

OPPORTUNITIES SEEM MORE LIKE IT WHEN THEY ARE SCARCE. IT'S SILLY, BUT IT MAKES US CRAZY. WORKS EVERY TIME.

FEAR OF LOSS
If you don't do something, you might lose it. People will often interrupt a meeting to answer a telephone call. Why? Because if you don't you might miss it for good. It could be an important call. Even if the meeting is important, you take the call.

FLAWED COLLECTIBLES
Flawed stamps, coins and other artifacts command big bucks. Normally they should be trashed, but because of this principle they are sought after. Silly, eh?

LIMITED AVAILABILITY
The classic SCARCITY ploy. Look at last years' Nintendo 64 game. Couldn't get it. Everybody wanted it. What happened? You and I bought other equally expensive toys for their kids for Christmas just to keep them happy. Then, after Christmas the Nintendo became available in great numbers, and because we had promised the kids the game we went out and bought it. Why did we spend TWICE the money we had planned on? Do you think the toy manufacturers and stores KNOW THIS? You bet. Now you know it too. This scarcity short-cut will get you every time.

LIMITED TIME
This is as affective as limited availability. How about this for a clever use of the scarcity short-cut: "Exclusive, limited engagement ends soon!" Although we know it's silly, we tend to react to this. At the least we will think about it seriously. Photographers use this strategy effectively, you get your kid's school picture proofs with the note that if you don't order within the next weekthe negatives will be DESTROYED! Imagine that, you'll NEVER get the chance to see these precious pictures again.

I once had the privilege of visiting the Home Shopping Network studios in St. Petersburg, Florida. This company knows how to apply the rule of scarcity! Next time you catch one of the shopping networks, watch..... they will have a timer on the screen. Only 10 minutes left. You sweat - and buy. The less time left, the faster people buy. They also have a counter on the screen. Usually counting DOWN! "We only bought 5,000 of these, and will never buy them again." "There is only 10 minutes left to buy 50 gizmos." Our stomachs churn again. Can't help it!! Please let me buy!!!

SECRETS AND CENSORSHIP
This is an interesting variant. If something is perceived as a SECRET, we tend to want it more. It's scarce. Few people have it. Gotta have it. Ever heard "Not previously offered?" Or if you watch the Discovery Channel :

"Previously US classified videos now available for a limited time only"

"I'll let you in on an announcement that won't be made public until next week.."

One study showed that not only do we WANT the information more if it is withheld from the general public, but we tend to BELIEVE it more. Isn't that interesting? If you want somebody to really believe your message, make it secret first and then give in and share it with your target. Police use this tactic often to elicit confessions and to convince the suspect that they should cooperate. They would say something like this: " What I am about to tell you is something that is only for police information, and I shouldn't tell you this, but ........" The suspect reacts to the scarcity principle and really wants to hear it. Whatever the cop now says, the suspect will believe. Also, the suspect is now drawn into a conspiracy and becomes more compliant.

COMPETITIVE SCARCITY
Scarcity really kicks in when it is matched with competition. Not only do we want something more when it is scarce, we want it most when we are in competition for it. Have you ever seen ads like this:

By popular demand we are bringing back a limited number of these items. You must buy now, the offer ends next week. Popular demand, limited number, offer ends next week..... we are left to imagine a whole mess of people wanting to buy this item. Can't miss it! This is why I bought the BMW.

Another example - if you want to sell your car yourself, make appointment to see prospective buyers at the same time. When the first person show up, start the sales process. The next person will arrive, and you ask him to wait while the first person "gets a chance to decide because he was here first". Person # one now becomes a victim of competitive scarcity. Objections go away, it now is down to "now or never". Even if he resists, the second person now is happy because HE got to buy the car.

Studies show that the key reason why scarcity/competition works so well is in the OWNING of the scarce commodity, not in the experiencing of it. People just want to WIN. They have to get the item not because they might enjoy it, but because they WANT it.