Traffic, Traffic, TrafficThat Elusive Golden Ring of Second life.Ramblings by Ro... Thoughts on what I have seen since trying to start and helping others start a business in second life. (aka...Venting...Bleeping)If you build it.... will they come?How do you get AVIs to come to your endeavor and when they are there, how do you get them to stay? How do you get them to buy your wares and services or buy another shops wares and services? How do you get the AVIs to for-go their usual extreme A.D.D (thats attention.... attention... oh i need to clear my inventory some day... wow thats cool over there... hi Tam :)... dancing is fun... car races.. I need new shoes... deficit disorder) that second life seems to create? Camp Chair/pad/Whatever:Enali and I were just talking about this last night. This can be an expensive optionwith 10 unregulated camp pads paying 24hrs a day for 30days at a modest payout can run you $65USD just to have no one buy anything because they don't have any money (the reason they are camping) or have it all taken by bot-hordes. Freebies:Same Problem different prim. This is the same issue as camp chairs but not as expensive. Having freebies next to your $1000L dresses doesn't help that muchwhen they have no money (that's why they are looking for the freebie). Besides most of the freebies I find are just a rehash of the freebies from over there which was a rehash of the freebies over there. Events:These are where I have seen the most SL Denizens in one place, live music, art openings, etc... They are a lot of work. Timing and interest are hard thingsto come up with plus the old A.D.D problem.Flash Mob:This is a good idea on its face but it depends on the interested person having a lot of friends or hitting a time when that particular store may have a lot of people in it. Most people won't want to drop whatever they are doing so that you can get a couple bucks off a pair of shoes. If I have noticed one thing about SL.... its basically empty when it comes to malls and stores most of the time. As far as I have seen and heard the user/new user experience breaks down to these:HELP!Read any forum, newspaper or blog and what new users and even established users need is HELP!. What is "no trans"? Does that mean I can't give it as a gift? How do I buy this (even though most everything is bought the same exact way in SL). I bought this skin/dress/shoes/ring but it doesn't fit or look like it did on the wall. etc... etc... etc... Even when there is a BIG sign on the wall right in front of a AVI telling them what they need to know they will still ask the question... this, folks, is human nature. I spent my first few weeks in common areas answering questions about SL from people weeks older then me that can picked up easily... How do I do this? What is there to do? Where do i find this? I have noticed that there are beautiful stores with excellent design but nary a soul to help the AVI understand (or fit or use) what they want to get. There are signs all around with note cards galore with more info then you can take in... but they want the human connection.... Use this fact to your advantage.. ignore it at your own peril. What's in it for me:Entertain Me!Clubs, Escorts, Dancers, Parties, Events. These business thrive because AVIs' want to be entertained, be happy and be with friends. They can't build or script or texture... They can't even think and be creative to make their own entertainment. It is all so much work :( . They just want to do SOMETHING !Whats New and ExcitingThis is most common in AVIs' that have been online in SL for some time... ..been there, done that.. However these are the AVIs' that have the money.. have the most friends.. and will be first in line for anything new, sometimes despite the apparent large expense that a new AVI can't even think of paying for. Connect to the masses:SL and the Internet are, after all, one big social network. Avi's want to make new friends, feel like they belong, whether it is to be the first to own a thing to impress others, having the latest fashion, be involved in a cause or group, find love and relationships... It is all about having something to socialize about. Nothing in SL is tangible .. product or service... so what it really comes down to is emotions, pride, accomplishment, lust, wonder. Maximize and master this, the true value of everything in SL, my dear colleagues, and you will thrive and be successful.
