How to get companies to list on your site

[handlebars]

OK so I've made my wedding directory with index U and I'm happy with the design and ready to get some listings. However I've sent off about 100 e-mails to wedding companies offering them free listing and only one has done it!

My question is what is the best way to get people to list on your site?
Are people getting my e-mail or is it going straight in ther spam box?
Do they think my email is some dodgy scam?

Let me know if you have similar problems or have found a solution.

All the best,

H

BWEDDED.CO.UK- The Ultimate Wedding Directory

[FSGDAG]

My question is what is the best way to get people to list on your site?
Are people getting my e-mail or is it going straight in ther spam box?
Do they think my email is some dodgy scam?

Its probably all of these.. I know when I get e-mails like this, I'm turned off right away as I have no idea if the e-mail is coming from a reliable source.

Are the people you sent the e-mail to local or within your given area? If so, try sending them mail via snail mail on letter head. They will take your solicitation more seriously this way.

Also, try calling some of the places. Let them know about your service and tell them you will follow up with an e-mail. This way when they get the e-mail, they are less likely to think its a scam.

Try also listing yourself on Directory Critic in their Niche section. I get a ton of traffic from them and you'll also find yourself on the list of some of the submission companies. I found more success with using their Premium Service than just the free listing.

[handlebars]

Thanks for the advice FSDAG - I'll try out all you suggested and see how I get on. I naively thought people would jump at the chance of free listing but I guess we're all too suspicious by nature for that!

[Bruceper]

Email solicitation is bad. Promote yourself naturally and they will come.

But you also need something there first. If your directory is empty no one will submit their listing. Users can see that you only have 5 listings, which means there is no way your site is getting decent traffic so there is no point in adding their listing.

Manually add listings from Google or other search engines or give DMOZ a try.

[handlebars]

Bruce - is it legal to add sites manually without consent? I'll definitely do that if it is.
H

[FSGDAG]

I dont know of any law ( atleast in the U.S. ) that says its a crime to add a website to a listing without consent.

I think there is an unspoken rule though that if the owner of the site askes for it to be removed, that you comply.

[Bruceper]

Of course it's legal. In fact it's even been proven in court.

[handlebars]

Cheers Bruce and FSDAG - I'm off to fill my database...

[Mitchell]

Hide the number of listings in each categories. All thoses ZEROs don't look good.

[dody]

Populate some of them from other directory. Then you may email them telling that you have listed them into your directory. Also if you like you can tell them possibility to upgrade listing for more exposure.