RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 8:59 AM): Hey there Hi There Ho There...Daylight savings time almost nipped me there.....

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:01 AM): Cathe, you with us?

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:07 AM): Well, I'm here, although it looks like it could be a slow morning....

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:07 AM): lol

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:09 AM): It always slows down April 1 through the 15th...people are freaking out about taxes, etc.

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:10 AM): If last year is any indication, my business volume will slow to half of normal this month.

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:10 AM): People are so weird when it comes to money. ;-)

Michael Kimsal (michael@tapinternet.com) (4/2/2001 9:10 AM): Entered the room.

Michael Kimsal (michael@tapinternet.com) (4/2/2001 9:11 AM): hi all

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:12 AM): People can be pretty weird anyway! Money is just an excuse.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:12 AM): Hi Michael....

Michael Kimsal (michael@tapinternet.com) (4/2/2001 9:14 AM): hi there rob

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:14 AM): I think people got so spooked by this economy that they're all hanging back and waiting for something to happen, probably a spring market rally.

Michael Kimsal (michael@tapinternet.com) (4/2/2001 9:14 AM): I made it

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:14 AM): Then when the media pundits tell them that it's okay to jump back in, you're going to see a huge upsurge...

Michael Kimsal (michael@tapinternet.com) (4/2/2001 9:14 AM): having to juggle this and work, cause it's a busy day for a client...

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:15 AM): Michael, you made it, but as you can see, it's probably going to be slow here today. Don't sweat it if you have to drop off....I just hang out until someone pops in. Checking e-mail, pouring coffee.....

Michael Kimsal (michael@tapinternet.com) (4/2/2001 9:16 AM): Open question here - how well known are you in your geographic area?

Michael Kimsal (michael@tapinternet.com) (4/2/2001 9:17 AM): I'm trying to get a feel for branding/geography, but I can't put my questions/thoughts into words very well.

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:17 AM): Rob's got his own little corner of the internet. He calls in Frankelvania.

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:17 AM): Calls "it", not "in". My error.

Michael Kimsal (michael@tapinternet.com) (4/2/2001 9:17 AM): :)

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:18 AM): Hey, one of the big tragedies in my life is that nobody has ever given me anything. I had to build FrankelVania all by myself.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:18 AM): Michael, we have plenty of time (till 10 AM). Take a minute.

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:19 AM): Came up with this the other day, don't know where I'll use it: The will to succeed is nothing without the means to achieve it.

Michael Kimsal (michael@tapinternet.com) (4/2/2001 9:19 AM): I just wrestle with should I try to make a name for ourselves locally, or not.

Michael Kimsal (michael@tapinternet.com) (4/2/2001 9:20 AM): We don't actually have any clients in our state yet. When we pitch business, people haven't heard of us. They've heard of our competition. They HAVE heard of at least one of our clients tho, which is a good foot in the door. But often it's not enough.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:20 AM): Michael, here's my experience: the hardest business to get is local business. The web saved my career that way.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:20 AM): You'll find that two things happen when you build your practice from the outside in (geographically speaking).

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:21 AM): Kinda like wilsonweb. The internet made him famous.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:22 AM): First, like they say, "an expert is the one who arrives with a suitcase". There's a very real phenomenon in human nature that makes people look outside for solutions. As if to say, "hey I did everything I can to solve this problem. The solution must be outside of what we know."

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:22 AM): When they go out searching, it makes it easier for them to admit their own failure and seek help.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:23 AM): Second, when you get approached that way, it makes YOU feel more professional, too. So you approach those outside clients with a more professional attitude, too.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:23 AM): Third, when enough locals hear about you from the outside referrals, THAT'S when they call. And that's how it happened for me. Even today, the local clients I get -- and they're few -- find me on the web, not in the phone book.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:25 AM): So, bottom line, I think using the web is the better way to build from the outside in.

Michael Kimsal (michael@tapinternet.com) (4/2/2001 9:25 AM): cool

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:25 AM): Del, with all due respect to Ralph Wilson, he manages to corral tons of users on to his list and then leverages them into revenue streams. He's doing well.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:26 AM): I like, Ralph and he often refers people to me.

Michael Kimsal (michael@tapinternet.com) (4/2/2001 9:26 AM): he DID say it made him famous, just not how. :)

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:27 AM): Ralph has it pretty good. He lives where he wants to live and rakes in a hefty six figure income simply from getting tens of thousands of people sending him seven or ten bucks each!

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:27 AM): More money to be made providing ad space in a content site then working web pages. :-)

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:28 AM): It also doesn't hurt that magazines and their ilk give him high regards and kudos for his website.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:29 AM): I'm not sure, but I think Ralph makes money on the numbers game...I know he has something like 100,000 subscribers to his free list, and sells advertising there. And his reputation gets him good press. He's been around for quite a while.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:30 AM): WilsonWeb is great for beginners. It's almost a portal for information and a good jumping off point.

Michael Kimsal (michael@tapinternet.com) (4/2/2001 9:34 AM): Rob, if I see you on AIM, is it OK to message you?

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:35 AM): Sure. Just be patient if I don't get back to you right away. I try to keep the channel open.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:35 AM): Like during these chats, I'm not even on.

Michael Kimsal (michael@tapinternet.com) (4/2/2001 9:36 AM): :)

Terry (KIDiddles.com) (4/2/2001 9:43 AM): Entered the room.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:43 AM): Hi Terry...

Terry (KIDiddles.com) (4/2/2001 9:44 AM): Morning, Rob et al!

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:44 AM): Rob: I hate daylight saving time....Waking up at 3:30am is a nightmare. :-)

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:45 AM): Hey Terry! How goes the infamous "To Do" list?

Terry (KIDiddles.com) (4/2/2001 9:45 AM): Oh, Del... do you have to ask?!?

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:45 AM): I'm telling you, this is going to be one of those weeks that you might as well take a vacation. Between taxes and upcoming vacations, nothing is going to happen!!!

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:46 AM): Damn thing keeps getting longer, eh?

Terry (KIDiddles.com) (4/2/2001 9:46 AM): yep, Del, it does. And I've had my Mom in town for the past two weeks, so it's grown even longer

Terry (KIDiddles.com) (4/2/2001 9:47 AM): Rob, I made a great connection with Candi from Morash Accounting thanks to this chat -- it's a great forum

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:50 AM): AHA! ANOTHER FrankelBiz connection...do you realize that we literally have brokered a couple a million $ worth of deals between people since coming on line? Boggle the mind!

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:50 AM): I'm glad it worked Terry!

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:51 AM): BTW Terry: I've been looking at another shopping cart. A bit more expensive then the one we're using, but it allows for user registration, UPS shipment tracking, wish lists and customer-only mailing lists.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:51 AM): (TEN MINUTES)

Terry (KIDiddles.com) (4/2/2001 9:51 AM): Thanks, Rob -- she might actually save my frankelbeehind on getting my books caught up! :-)

Terry (KIDiddles.com) (4/2/2001 9:51 AM): Email me re the cart, Del -- I'd love to hear about it

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:52 AM): Rob: I've been thinking about your list lately. That might be the best way for me to test my b2b/b2c greeting cards without investing in multiple-thousands of each card. I can test with say 500 of each card and pricing exclusive to FB's.

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:52 AM): Opinion?

Terry (KIDiddles.com) (4/2/2001 9:52 AM): Shopping carts are the absolute BANE of my existence! Bah humbug!

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:53 AM): Terry: Our cart works, it's just not all that pretty. And appearances mean a BUNCH when it comes to abandoned carts.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:53 AM): How were you planing on testing?

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:55 AM): A good test can generate 200 to 2,000 responses....for example, a free download of my ebook, is STILL getting downloaded..but the first two days saw 1,400 downloads.

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:55 AM): Rob: Well rather than committing to printing 5-10,000 of each greeting card, I would print only 500 of each. These cards would be sold to FB's at a substantial discount with the full disclosure that the prices and quantities are limited to stock on hand AND I'm using their purchases as a gauge as to what cards work and which do not.

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:56 AM): They get great pricing and great cards, I get immediate feedback without risking an arm and a leg.

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:56 AM): And if I make a card that flops, I'm not stuck with 10,000 copies of it. :-)

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:56 AM): Del, that's fine. I don't see the need to explain why you're doing it. But if you mention the discount, you

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:57 AM): Del, that's fine. I don't see the need to explain why you're doing it. But if you mention the discount and that supplies are limited, that's enough. In fact, DON'T mention it's a test, because technically, that's violating the FAQ's...

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:57 AM): (TWO MINUTES)

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:58 AM): Rob: Ok....And I think I'll take your advice from back in Nov/Dec and offer them in bulk unit sales (like 12 or 25 per pack).

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 9:59 AM): Rob: I think your words were something along the lines of , "What business person only buys 1 greeting card."

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 9:59 AM): I think that's the smartest way to go, Del. Otherwise you get killed with onesie-twosies that destroy any profitability.

RobFrankel (rob@robfrankel.com) (4/2/2001 10:00 AM): Okay, well, it's a slow week...but let's see how much business we can crank out there! I'll see you online!

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 10:00 AM): Yup. Plus merchant fees always eat into sales.

Terry (KIDiddles.com) (4/2/2001 10:00 AM): Thanks, Rob -- have a good one!

Del (LoanFuel.com) (4/2/2001 10:00 AM): Cya Rob.