Crazy_Fool - 11:53 am on Jul 20, 2003 (gmt 0)

I got two copywriters to look at it and they both felt I need a totally job redone.

ask 100 copywriters to look at your site and they will ALL say your site needs rewriting - it might do, it might not, but the copywriters will always say it does because they all want your money. same with web designers - every web designer will find something wrong with every web site, just because they want your money.

I was using a cart but switched to paypal ... I don't have a set of money to spend on a copywriter/marketing person to redo my site ... the site layout wasn't orderly and the ordering process convulted and my coloring scheme ...

this is something i've seen again and again in these forums - people saying they can't afford this or that and have done it themselves and are having problems. this part of the reply is to EVERYONE that says "can't afford" etc etc ...

if you are running an e-commerce site, you need to treat it like a business, not like a part time hobby. get it right first time and the money will come in - get it wrong and the money won't come in - you'll either be left with stock you can't sell or you'll have to pay a developer to build you a site that works.

if you can't build your own site, employ a professional developer to do it for you. if you can't write good copy, employ a coywriter. if you need to accept credit cards, get a merchant account - don't rely on PayPal just because it's free.

yes, developers and copywriters and merchant accounts cost money, but they will make you money by helping you set up your business for the long term.

write a business plan and ask the bank for some money - if you have faith in your business and you treat it like a business, and if you show that you have thought things through properly, it will show in your business plan and you stand a good chance of getting the money. if one bank refuses, reconsider your business plan and go back to them. there are lots of banks out there so keep trying.

if you show that you are cutting corners, trying to run it for free, treating it like a hobby, you will only ever earn pocket money from it.