Using BigCrumbs for Marketing on eBay: Part 1

BigCrumbs is a tremendous affiliate marketing program that lets you earn cash back on your online purchases, plus earn cash bacon on a referral network five-tiers deep. Since you are reading this, I am sure you are already familiar with the program and just want to know how to make it work. I am compiling a series of articles to discuss things that have worked well for me as well as ideas I have not yet tried that should also reap referrals. This first article will deal specifically with marketing BigCrumbs on eBay.

First is the most common and easiest way to market the program-through eBay. If you are a seller, it is simple to place HTML code in your end of auction emails to include your referral link, with a little blurb explaining that you make cash back and so can they (your buyers). Another popular way for sellers to market their BigCrumbs network is to include the details in their About Me page, with a note in the auction listings to "check out my About Me page to earn cash back on this purchase". For me, this has resulted in 20% of clicks converted to referrals-my most productive method. Some members actually put the link in the auction itself, and others still list an auction that doesn't really sell anything-it just advertises their BigCrumbs network. You must proceed with caution with these last to (I officially do not recommend it) because it violates Ebay TOS and can result in your listing being canceled or worse. However, if you take that chance, I have seen folks generate 15 or more referrals from a single "auction". Many sellers also like to include an email signature line with their BigCrumbs link and a little blurb for all of their auction-related emails.

Once the auction has closed, many sellers include a businesses card or a flyer with the shipment that either directs them to their About Me page (as I have discussed) or to a domain that they have registered (I will address in a later article). This is an effective way to get attention, especially with an attractively designed flyer or business card.

As a buyer, you still have opportunities that I think are superior to those of a seller. Sure, you probably don't have the exposure to as many direct contacts as a Power Seller, but you have contact with the sellers themselves, who in turn have contact with all of their buyers. The goal here is to get a seller signed on so the seller can follow the tips I outlined in preceding paragraphs. Imagine the possibilities if you can get a couple of high-volume sellers as referrals who then market the program to hundreds or thousands of other buyers. You may have fewer direct contacts as a buyer, but the ones you do can be provide powerful results!

The way to get a seller referred is much like getting a buyer referred-explain the program whenever given an opportunity. Some of my favorites include: when you ask the seller a question about the auction, in reply to their invoice, including printed material your mailed payment, or just flat-out striking a conversation. I've seen folks say something like "Guess what? 36% of what you pay eBay for this auction is going into my pocket!" Such a statement really drives the point home that the seller can really help their bottom line with the program.

I have recently seen BigCrumbs promoted in feedback comments. Something similar to "Thanks! Check out my About Me page to earn cash back on eBay!" Many have thought this tacky and inappropriate, but in my opinion, if other people are shunning the idea-all the more reason to capitalize on it! The really cool thing here is that a buyer almost always looks at a seller's feedback page before buying. If you're promoting your BigCrumbs network in various sellers' feedback pages, imagine the number of potential referrals that will be exposed to your marketing by simply checkout out the feedback before the bid on a particular seller's item!

There you have all the ways I and others market BigCrumbs through eBay. I'm sure there are other tried and true methods and I'm sure you have others to add to this list. Please drop me a line, I'm curious what works for you. Also, please check my content regularly as I am currently working on non-Ebay marketing strategies, as well as offline advertising. Thanks for reading and be sure to forward this to a friend!

To sign up for BigCrumbs, check out my website: www.Shop4BigBucks.com.