Comments on: This Is What a Home Page Is For

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 23:12:36 +0000

Well, Cam, may William F. Buckley Rest In Peace.
He was always respectful in his discussions, and he was respected and liked by people across the political spectrum.
I will be raising a glass in tribute to WFB this evening. I may not think like Buckley but, tonight, I shall drink like Buckley.

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:11:36 +0000

Cam, Portland is the micro brew capital of the world!
Yes, I think a round of ale would be fun. It would be very interesting to discuss politics with you.

By: Cam Beck

Cam Beck — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 23:54:26 +0000

Neil -
How about a good round of ale?

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:41:22 +0000

Cam, I have read Second Treatise of Civil Government. It is a great read that has influenced my thought.
He was a hero to our founding fathers. Jefferson considered him to be the greatest man who ever lived.
Yo are a real crazy, Cam, reading Locke and all. Do you want pistols or swords for our duel?

By: Cam Beck

Cam Beck — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:42:24 +0000

Neil – LOL! Santa Claus does think I’m tough.
Well, it’s an assumption I make because no one else I know has read or will admit to having read Second Treatise of Civil Government and that it influences their political thought.
Our founders were certainly radicals of their day, and they would be considered so today.

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:52:22 +0000

That John Locke influences your politics makes you an outlier??
John Locke influenced the founding fathers and, by extension, our Constitution. Face it Cam, you cannot convince me you are a political freak of nature.
Well, that is, unless you can come up with some more radical names than John Locke. That is like invoking Santa Clause to prove you are tough.

By: Cam Beck

Cam Beck — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:43:14 +0000

Neil – I won’t get into my politics here (though if you’re interested, see John Locke)… but I get the joke. I’m just acknowledging that there are so few of me out there that an errant mailer or two might be forgiven.

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:31:32 +0000

Cam, I would not say that you are an outlier. Unless I am mistaken, you are probably a Conservative Republican. I would hardly say that is really an outlier. McCain is a Conservative Republican despite some of his conflicts on some issues with conservatives. My prediction is he will pick a very conservative running mate from either the South or the Mid-West.
My joke was meant in good fun that if the Obama campaign is wasting money sending Cam a mailer, they are not doing very good market segmenting.

By: Cam Beck

Cam Beck — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:02:51 +0000

Neil – I have no illusions. I am an outlier in the political realm. I can disapprove of everyone equally, which means no elected politician can ever disappoint me.

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 05:02:50 +0000

Yes, people who visit his site *and* are interested, are already inclined to give him their email. Most of us humble businesses do not have that luxury of inspiring people to that degree.
I agree with Leigh’s implication that while Obama might be able to get to third base immediately most of us have to start at first.
Wow, Cam, YOU got an mailer from him? Someone is falling down on the job over at the Obama campaign. Maybe McCain will be our next president afterall.

By: Cam Beck

Cam Beck — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:04:07 +0000

One other note – I think what we see happening in this particular case is Obama targeting the low-hanging fruit — That is, people who are already inclined to believe Obama is who they think he is.
People approaching the site do so from either a position of ignorance or of knowledge. And if it’s ignorance, they still may be incorrectly convinced that they are coming from a position of knowledge. They may have no desire to change that outlook, even if they be wrong.
For them, this page is perfectly targeted.
Those who are coming to the site from a genuine position of knowledge and are still inclined to want to vote for him will forgive this transgression because either 1) they want to join anyway, or 2) expect it, or 3) they’re on “his” team, and will forgive or justify nearly anything.
Know your audience. That’s marketing.

By: Cam Beck

Cam Beck — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 02:53:09 +0000

“Slap Obama’s approach on MANY other businesses and it just won’t work.”
Very, very true.

By: Leigh Durst

Leigh Durst — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 02:51:09 +0000

Cam – All VERY true.
I think what bugged me a little was the broadness of Andy’s assertion.
Slap Obama’s approach on MANY other businesses and it just won’t work.

By: Cam Beck

Cam Beck — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 02:38:11 +0000

We’re talking awfully broadly *about something that is true in most cases, but I think Obama is actually going to capture a lot of email addresses this way.
–Not from people who are as politically aware as most of us probably are, but who are emotionally vested and whose vote count just the same as ours.
As I said, I think Obama is keenly* aware of his audience. If you were not convinced to enter your email address, he probably wasn’t talking to you.
Even *I* got a mailer from him. He must have more money than he knows how to spend if he’s targeting me.

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:30:30 +0000

Yes, providing good quality content is key or you won’t get that contact info at all.

By: Leigh Durst

Leigh Durst — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:01:00 +0000

I respectfully disagree.
To some people, asking for an email on the home page of a site is the equivalent of going for third base on a first date.
A web site is an experience. It should be engineered to foster trust and build relationship. There must be information exchange, incentive and value transfer for this to happen.
Unless you are giving away gold or something — creating such an experience doesn’t come easily in a single-page interaction! Making the “sell” can take several pages (path-based) – one or more interactions (transaction-based) – maybe even a few visits!
Designing the web experience so that it takes primary, secondary and tertiary audiences down specifically designed paths is critical to success. In this manner, each segment is properly welcomed and addressed, provided incentive=based content and/or services– even(like free stuff or “samples” of what you have to offer (e.g. excerpt of premium content) of what you have to offer. In turn, this helps foster relationship that can leads to a QUALIFIED lead – rather than the provision of a random email address.
It’s important to remember that when you get what you want on a first date – it’s probably a one-night stand.
In other words — ask me for my email address the wrong way and I’ll give you what you deserve: SOMETHING POTENTIALLY BOGUS! (nonoya.business@noway.com happens to be one of my favorites.)
Romancing a customer takes time but it provides the best payoff. Building a site that fosters come-back appeal, gives the customer something that has intrinsic value, and drives to achieve realistic business goals is the purpose of any good web presence.
P.S. Cam and Linkerpatrick, I also agree with you about the Obama site.

By: Stephen Denny

Stephen Denny — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 23:16:31 +0000

He’s collecting money from small time contributors. Of course he wants your email address. It’ll be impossible to get off that list once you’re on it, but maybe that’s the “(pocket) change we can believe in.”
(At the risk of getting political on a marketing blog — shudder — maybe that’s the only page his website has… let’s face it, there isn’t a lot of drill-down to BHO. Hey, I’m just saying. Anyway, Cam said it first).
A home page is e-packaging that is hostage to the same three second rule as any clamshell. It’s a place for beginning a relationship and rarely one for closing the deal. So no, I wouldn’t agree that capturing an email is the most important point of a home page. Relating who you are and what you do, clearly — so someone interested could give you their email or comment on a blog or even buy something — that’s what I think a home page is about.

By: Jesse Kanclerz

Jesse Kanclerz — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:35:04 +0000

For e-newsletters it is good practice to provide a “Learn More” section.
It should let me know how frequently I will be contacted, and what information I should expect to receive and how it benefits me.
I thought that might be what the Learn More button is for on the initial page of Obama’s site. However, when clicking the link it prompts for the email and zip.
I think that without knowing what they are getting into, most people will not initially sign up on that first page.
It was a good decision to place the sign up form prominently in the top right corner of each page of the website. When a visitor’s interest is sparked by the content they’ll easily be able to provide their info.

By: Cam Beck

Cam Beck — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:29:48 +0000

I agree with linkerpatrick. It seems too early in the relationship to be giving that sort of attention to email capture.
“Change We Can Believe In…” What change? Who is “we?” All fluff and no substance. I’d give it a D-.
But then, with all the money he has, I’m sure it’s working out for him… meaning… the people who have come to the site may already be excited and want to know how they can get involved. For them, the site is an A+.
That said, I think Obama is keenly aware of who his audience is.

By: linkerjpatrick

linkerjpatrick — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:55:26 +0000

I’m not sure about this. I may want to know what the “movement” is and why I should sign up for it. Oh never mind this is for Obama I should want to become a part of the movement anyway. Not. This is the one thing that bothers me about the Obama campaign, Yes, he sounds good, very positive, enough to want to make the most staunch conservative think twice but is his campaign a pretty “home page”? Yes, I am conservative but I do like his style. He’s doing the same thing Reagan did, Make people “feel good” about being any American. That’s what the really successful politician’s do and I have no doubt he will be our next President at the rate he is going. I don’t plan on voting for him as many of his positions go against my libertarian/conservative values and no I am not a “neo-con” follower but I’m not interested in joining any movement until I have had the chance to learn what it is and what it stands for. It’s “cool” to support Obama but how many people are joining the movement because of great speeches and a pleasant demeanor? I think this tactic of getting contact information first while maybe effective is a bit tacky.
Is the purpose of this home landing page for new people or people who have already been sold on the “movement?”

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:27:47 +0000

Agreed, selling is good but the main purpose is to get good prospects and then follow up.
An email address is good but so is a phone number!