Second Life Selling Tip 09 of 15: Network Selling
Tuesday, December 01, 2009 | 
~
Ari Blackthorne™
As I've mentioned before, I really would rather not endorse any particular creator or product in these tips. However, in this case I am endorsing a particular technology. It just so happens this technology as implemented is available through a particular creator and product: the Apez iVend vending system. Yes, I've heard horror stories before, please indulge me on this one.
What makes the Apez Vendor system different is in the way it is packaged: the networked vendor server is free to use and the point-of-sale vendors are what you pay for with the system. "So what," you say? What makes this system such an unique tool for you is the network of affiliates that come with the system. You can easily have many, many other people selling your product for you and you don't have to 'sell' them on the idea of doing so as you would with the standard "affiliate" vendors.
Additionally, with the coming changes to XStreet SL, you should investigate and implement additional points of sale wherever you find them. The Apez affiliate network is one of those systems. And it won;t cost you a single Linden Dollar to do it.
This is not the same as those "affiliate" vendors you give away to others to sell your stuff on a commission. Rather what you do is set-up your products in the Apez server while others on the system will pick and choose what they wish to sell along side their own items. If your commissions are high enough, they will be enticed to offer your products through their vendors. By offering very high commissions you will get your product out there in-front of shopper's eyes. And it costs you nothing unless you actually make sales.
The difference with the Apez network is this: not only is there a web front-end like XStreet SL, but your listings could end-up in other people's vendors in-world. So the commission is no different from renting space all over the grid to place your vendors. Except you don't pay for anything until a sale is made. All money (even if only partial after commissions) is incoming - nothing is outgoing. 100% receivable, no expendable here.
Grab a demo version of the Apez iVend system and chuck the vendors to the side (unless you really like the system and wish to use it). Plop your products inside the server and configure via the web site - set commissions high, very high: like 25% to 50%. Yes, really. Remember, even a partial sale is better than no sale at all!
Advertise on the Apez forums what products you are offering for network sales and the commission rates. If your commissions are high enough, you suddenly will have your products appearing in vendors all over the grid! And to reiterate: consider the commission you offer to be the cost of placing your products in-front of more eyes - in places you would never have thought-of, saving the prohibitive costs of renting market space in so many markets across the grid.
For this purpose alone, the Apez iVend system can be a priceless asset to add to your point-of-sales arsenal - and it costs you nothing at all except willing to offer a good, weighty commission - which is worth every single Linden Dollar for a sale you might not otherwise have ever had.
In addition to the Apez system, there also is "MetaLife" network - another strong recommendation. I have not gone into detail on the MetaLife system because I have only been using it a couple months. However, it also should be added to your arsenal.
So, in addition to reverse panhandling, it is good to get your products in-front of as many potential buyers' eyes as possible!
**********
Want the whole kaboodle? There is far more detail in the 'how' and 'why' in my book: Successful Business in Second Life (SBSL - Second Edition for 2009/10; 270-pages) is available at XStreet SL. The book includes both, an in-world and eReader version. There also is an Amazon Kindle version, (you receive both: ereader and in-world versions no matter where you purchase it.)
As for networking, it's helpful to get as much marketing bang for the buck as possible. That's where you look to gaining ten-times the locations for the cost of one.
What makes the Apez Vendor system different is in the way it is packaged: the networked vendor server is free to use and the point-of-sale vendors are what you pay for with the system. "So what," you say? What makes this system such an unique tool for you is the network of affiliates that come with the system. You can easily have many, many other people selling your product for you and you don't have to 'sell' them on the idea of doing so as you would with the standard "affiliate" vendors.
Additionally, with the coming changes to XStreet SL, you should investigate and implement additional points of sale wherever you find them. The Apez affiliate network is one of those systems. And it won;t cost you a single Linden Dollar to do it.
This is not the same as those "affiliate" vendors you give away to others to sell your stuff on a commission. Rather what you do is set-up your products in the Apez server while others on the system will pick and choose what they wish to sell along side their own items. If your commissions are high enough, they will be enticed to offer your products through their vendors. By offering very high commissions you will get your product out there in-front of shopper's eyes. And it costs you nothing unless you actually make sales.
The difference with the Apez network is this: not only is there a web front-end like XStreet SL, but your listings could end-up in other people's vendors in-world. So the commission is no different from renting space all over the grid to place your vendors. Except you don't pay for anything until a sale is made. All money (even if only partial after commissions) is incoming - nothing is outgoing. 100% receivable, no expendable here.
Grab a demo version of the Apez iVend system and chuck the vendors to the side (unless you really like the system and wish to use it). Plop your products inside the server and configure via the web site - set commissions high, very high: like 25% to 50%. Yes, really. Remember, even a partial sale is better than no sale at all!
Advertise on the Apez forums what products you are offering for network sales and the commission rates. If your commissions are high enough, you suddenly will have your products appearing in vendors all over the grid! And to reiterate: consider the commission you offer to be the cost of placing your products in-front of more eyes - in places you would never have thought-of, saving the prohibitive costs of renting market space in so many markets across the grid.For this purpose alone, the Apez iVend system can be a priceless asset to add to your point-of-sales arsenal - and it costs you nothing at all except willing to offer a good, weighty commission - which is worth every single Linden Dollar for a sale you might not otherwise have ever had.
In addition to the Apez system, there also is "MetaLife" network - another strong recommendation. I have not gone into detail on the MetaLife system because I have only been using it a couple months. However, it also should be added to your arsenal.
So, in addition to reverse panhandling, it is good to get your products in-front of as many potential buyers' eyes as possible!
**********
Want the whole kaboodle? There is far more detail in the 'how' and 'why' in my book: Successful Business in Second Life (SBSL - Second Edition for 2009/10; 270-pages) is available at XStreet SL. The book includes both, an in-world and eReader version. There also is an Amazon Kindle version, (you receive both: ereader and in-world versions no matter where you purchase it.)
As for networking, it's helpful to get as much marketing bang for the buck as possible. That's where you look to gaining ten-times the locations for the cost of one.
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