Forum Moderators: LifeinAsia
I have a home based business and decided to test run a site in a free web hosting service. Over the last year I have had about 15,000 visitors, but have made only one cold sale through my web site. I shudder to talk about what I sell (It is NOT illegal, however do not want to promote myself here as it is against the TOS). I have been trying to promote my site by buying "hits" to it through several mediums. Mostly I have refrained from paying for all the how to books out there, and have used search engines to find places where I could advertise for free, or very cheaply.
I believe there is a market for my products, and that I could do fairly well if I could just reach all the people who might be interested. My question is how to REALLY get started (as it seems I have been wasting my time for the last year).
Any suggestions from some of the seasoned proffesionals would be greatly appreciated. I would love to "dump the day job" as I have seen posted somewhere on this site, and work primarily on my home business.
HELP!?
I shudder to talk about what I sell
I am a distributor of soy wax candles and lotions.
I have a (sort of) brick and mortar (I do craft shows etc.) as well as an online presence.
Really JUST getting started, so no customer base built yet thorugh my festival work, and want to be able to attract customers for my online presence.
Another 60/day or so on Overture search.
You obviously have potential with this/these product(s).
Take a look at the site.. is it setup to convert a visitor when they arrive at it? You can drive all the traffic in the world to the site but if it's not setup to actually convert a visitor then you just wasted your time and money.
HTH
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Aaron
I think that kind of works into your question masonga. My advice to you about getting people to your site is research your online industry and figure out who your audience is (or more than one if you’re lucky), then connect with like-minded sites (or peripheral sites that compliment your own), think long and hard about your anchor text for all linking (and more linking isn’t necessarily better – go for quality when you can) and think outside the way everyone else in your industry is thinking.
I think for me I’m just going to have to find speciffic folks in my industry and get them to push my product for me.
A lot of customers already want to buy; I think the easiest way to convert them is by making it easy for them to purchase.
How to convert a visitor?
1) Site Design. It HAS to be professional looking. You are asking people to part with money over the internet via their credit cards or another form of payment. You want to build credibility right off the bat with a professional looking design. Flashy and gimicky is not needed - but professional is. If your products are "fun" and "friendly" then your design should be reflective of such.
2) Trust. Again, you are asking people to spend their money with you over the internet. They cannot see you, you cannot see them but you can build trust and credibility.
- Your design helps establish a trust.
- Have direct access contact information (phone, fax, email, live help - optional) where people can, at the drop of a hat, get in contact with you.
- Always reinforce the buying decisions with privacy policies, shipping policies, product guaruntees, etc.
You have to think like your customers. WHAT motivates them to buy? Trust, credibility, professionalism, price, etc. Find out what is stopping them from buying and you can turn that around.
What about your shopping cart? Easy to use? Easy to checkout? Do you ask too many questions that someone might "stop" their order?
These are the types of things that help convert a visitor into a customer. If they've come to your site through a search engine using a keyword phrase that means they are actively interested in what you have. They are easily convertable.
HTH
A
I want to know about conversion too. I’ve got the “getting the relevant traffic to the site” down very well and the visitors travel through and download a free version of the software but then nothing. I’ve tried writing emails, nothing spammy just informative. I’ve run specials and I’m even giving it away in some cases for the feedback and testimonials. The products great, every one who uses it appreciates it but they don’t convert. It’s very frustrating.
Do you ask for their information before they are allowed access to the free download? If so, do you follow up with a survey asking them how they liked the product? What would they like to see in it? Is it something they can see them using in the near future? Do they use similar type products?
Surveys show you care and want their feedback to develop a better product for your customers.
Is this a piece of software that is NEEDED by people/businesses?
What is your competition and what are they doing differently? Evaluate what they are doing and try to determine if it's better than your methods.
Do you offer a newsletter that send out packets of helpful and friendly information based around oyur software? Like: Save time, money and frustration! So and so teaches you how to get more out of your <insert software name here> That type of stuff.
Are the people coming to your site your target market? Are they using keywords that indicate interest in buying?
Any site can be set to convert a visitor. You NEED to get inside their heads and learn what makes them tick. Once you test, retest and test again to find out what makes them tick... you'll be laughing all the way to the bank :)
HTH
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Aaron
test run a site in a free web hosting service.
If your site is still on a free hosting service, I would suggest that's problem #1. It's just not professional. There are a great many people who would never purchase a product from a web site using a free hosting service, myself included. It doesn't give me any trust in your company.
Do you have an online shopping cart? If so, is it easy to use (have YOU trsted it over and over?)
Advertise your site in traditional medium: health food/alternative lifestyles magazines, stores, papers; as a bumper sticker on your car, etc etc.
Maynard.
