Toggle sidebar

Any tips for marketing this?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ChipRivers
  • Start date Start date
Sort by date Sort by votes
C

ChipRivers

I have set myself this challenge to trade my way up from a dolls house to an actual house I can live in with my family. I have set up this site online but I am wondering if anybody can support me with this challenge by suggesting ways I can drive traffic to the site.

Why not check out the site yourself and tell your friends too, and get them to tell their friends! You never know what may be on offer so take a look and see if you can get rid of some of your old junk to somebody who may view it as treasure!
 
I suspect the paperclip was a one off, original, idea and like the pixel sites there'll be a spate of me toos that won't get anywhere. I wouldn't waste my time if I was you :-(
 
Upvote 0
The way to market this is to use PR/buzz.

Unfortunately, you missed the boat and that story has already been written without you.

And the guy with the house is the guy who came up with an original story that captured people's imagination.

I'd sugest your best chance is to look at the idea that guy came up with and understand the principle behind it and why people wanted to participate in his aventure.

Then take the principle to come up with a bunch of new ideas ... and then pick the best one ...

It's not that hard to come up with some ideas for these buzz stories, I've thought of 2 while I've been typing this (yep, I'm that slow at typing).

Steve

PS I'd suggest you spell-check your blog.

PPS I've just come up with a 3rd idea.
 
Upvote 0
cjd said:
I suspect the paperclip was a one off, original, idea and like the pixel sites there'll be a spate of me toos that won't get anywhere. I wouldn't waste my time if I was you :-(
Click to expand...

I agree that there will probably be a whole load of similar sites emerging following the news coverage of 'one red paperclip' but unlike the pixel fad, I belive that this can be replicated. May be not everybody, or even many, could be successful in achieving the house at the end of the project but with this concept, it is likely that there is always going to be somebody that will want what is being offered for exchange, if and only if, you can drive enough people to your site.

If I don't try, I will never know! So wish me luck, or perhaps PM with those 3 ideas you have come up with Steve ;)
 
Upvote 0
The driver of traffic to the paperclip site was the newsworthiness of the original idea. It was picked up round the world - it's had it's 15 minutes of fame. It's been done, therefore it's not news. But I wish you luck anyway.
 
Upvote 0
Would it not be wise to at least put an image of the dolls house on the blog page, or a link to a site that hosts it even..
 
Upvote 0
SteveGibson said:
That's what ebay is for.

Hey, I've just had a fourth idea! This is so easy.

Steve
Click to expand...

I thought of that! I have posted an add on eBay for the dolls house with a link to my blog.
 
Upvote 0
hehe, I think it's a cool idea. There should be someone who wants a dolls house out there somewhere ... I am even looking around the room to see what I can trade :)

If you keep rolling along with interesting items who knows where you will get, someone somewhere should always be willing to offer something. Traffic and interest will be the hardest things to maintain though.

I simply cannot believe that the other guy went from a snowglobe to a house in 2 trades, I guess you just have to find a snowglobe fan, (who makes movies) :p

I know it's not an original idea, but there's still some airtime available for the concept.

James.
 
Upvote 0
I've had yet another idea from this.

However, as I have no interest in doing anything with this, and, by definition, I couldn't sell it (you'll soon learn why), it's up for grabs:

If you're going to follow the paperclip idea, you've got to do something that's different.

And I don't mean a different item. The point of the paperclip was that it was an item that was worth practically zero.

A doll's house, to use this example, is less interesting than the paperclip because it has a higher basic value.

So, you've got to start with something that is less than a paperclip i.e. zero.

You barter your time with other people's time until you have something huge.

For example, you could offer to wash someone's car in return for them giving you an hour of their time (but it's transferrable). Then you barter that time with someone else's time... and so on.

Alternatively, you could barter a professional service for another professional service and then barter that for something else .. and so on .... (until a pilot agrees to fly you to the bahamas in return for whatever you've got).

There could be something in this, at least it's different to the paperclip rip-offs I've seen so far.

Steve
 
Upvote 0
The bartering thing is a great idea Steve, maybe something could be setup on here. We had a rep from bartercard visit a while back and while the concept is not new a) If you created a 'network' of contacts you could do it yourself and b) bartercard charged too much IMO for trades and they make on both sides of the deal.

Gary
 
Upvote 0
JustOneUK said:
hehe, I think it's a cool idea. There should be someone who wants a dolls house out there somewhere ... I am even looking around the room to see what I can trade

If you keep rolling along with interesting items who knows where you will get, someone somewhere should always be willing to offer something. Traffic and interest will be the hardest things to maintain though.

I simply cannot believe that the other guy went from a snowglobe to a house in 2 trades, I guess you just have to find a snowglobe fan, (who makes movies)

I know it's not an original idea, but there's still some airtime available for the concept.

James.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your positive comments James, it is nice to hear some one is behind me. Be sure to tell all your friends to check out the site.

That goes for anybody else who wants to support this project. The key to this challenge being successful is generating traffic. I am confident that there will always be somebody wanting whatever is on offer, it just getting them to the site. So open your address book and get emailing! :)

Also, for anybody interested, I have now posted an image of the dolls house on the blog.
 
Upvote 0
I would contact your local Bartercard office and see how they can help. If you want to know where this, contact me.
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Articles

Top Bottom
Back