You can collect new e-mail addresses offline at networking events, trade shows, and whenever you have live customer contact. Verbally ask permission to send a newsletter, nothing the date, event, and response. Or post a sign above the business card collection bowl saying something like "Get the latest product news and special offers! We'll add your e-mail address to our newsletter list". Sweeten the pot by also drawing from those names to receive a prizes. When speaking at an event, provide a newsletter signup form asking for names and e-mail addresses.
Of course, another important place to request e-mail addresses is at your brick-and-mortar store, especially at checkout. If you aren't equipped to add an e-mail address at the register, put out a fishbowl or guestbook. And consider offering customers something free of signing up.
Finding Subscribers for your newsletter
As soon as you begin planning your web site, start collecting e-mail addresses. Begin with your e-mail address book: friends and family, your banker, accountant, attorney, investors, business advisors, vendors, members of local media, government officials, or other community leaders. Those in the media or government positions are obligated to communicate with the public.
As a matter of courtesy, as the folks previously listed, and any others that you add to your newsletter list, to opt in by clicking a confirmation link within your newsletter. It's helpful if the confirmation link to takes the user to a screen that allows options for selecting types of e-mail (such as HTML or Text) and/or choosing interest areas, just as you ask new subscribers to do.
Your e-mail address list is gold! Building a good list of e-mail addresses is critical to recovering your investment in an e-mail newsletter program. Be sure to back up your address list along with other valuable files and store a copy offsite.
As a matter of courtesy, as the folks previously listed, and any others that you add to your newsletter list, to opt in by clicking a confirmation link within your newsletter. It's helpful if the confirmation link to takes the user to a screen that allows options for selecting types of e-mail (such as HTML or Text) and/or choosing interest areas, just as you ask new subscribers to do.
Your e-mail address list is gold! Building a good list of e-mail addresses is critical to recovering your investment in an e-mail newsletter program. Be sure to back up your address list along with other valuable files and store a copy offsite.
Creating an effective newsletter
Like everything else in Web marketing, creating a good newsletter can take more time than you expect. Allow a learning curve, starting out with a slower schedule than you might eventually adopt.
Your newsletter must comply with the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 and its updates. Some states have additional anti spam laws. In spite of laws and better filtering software, the amount of spam actually reaching users' mailboxes hasn't leveled off. Spammers seem to find new ways to evade the filters as fast as the filters are improved. Commercial newsletter services require you to meet CAN-SPAM requirements to retain their own viability.
The length of your newsletter should vary according to its purpose and audience. An informational newsletter, for example, might be longer than one designed to drive customers to your site to buy. Place an internally linked table of contents at the top of a long newsletter to take readers directly to articles of interest.
Your newsletter must comply with the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 and its updates. Some states have additional anti spam laws. In spite of laws and better filtering software, the amount of spam actually reaching users' mailboxes hasn't leveled off. Spammers seem to find new ways to evade the filters as fast as the filters are improved. Commercial newsletter services require you to meet CAN-SPAM requirements to retain their own viability.
The length of your newsletter should vary according to its purpose and audience. An informational newsletter, for example, might be longer than one designed to drive customers to your site to buy. Place an internally linked table of contents at the top of a long newsletter to take readers directly to articles of interest.
Niche Marketing
To become a powerful marketing gorilla, fish where your fish are. In other words, target your audience very carefully. Relatively few seniors use MySpace.com for social networking, but they might use chat rooms on healthcare sites. If you have a B2B site for oceanographic equipment, there's no point in blogging realtors - unless they lease underwater property. The Internet audience is so large that even a small niche can be profitable.
Think rifle, not shotgun. You can no more afford to spread your word-of-web time and efforts too thin than you can afford to spread your advertising dollars. Target one market at a time, build traffic by using one or two of the guerrilla techniques described in this chapter, and then move on to the next market. Your competitors' online buzz activities can also give you a clue about what's effective.
Even if you select only one word-of-web method, try to show up on several sites multiple times, whether they're blogs, directories, chats, or message boards. A critical mass of online appearances lends your site credibility.
Think rifle, not shotgun. You can no more afford to spread your word-of-web time and efforts too thin than you can afford to spread your advertising dollars. Target one market at a time, build traffic by using one or two of the guerrilla techniques described in this chapter, and then move on to the next market. Your competitors' online buzz activities can also give you a clue about what's effective.
Even if you select only one word-of-web method, try to show up on several sites multiple times, whether they're blogs, directories, chats, or message boards. A critical mass of online appearances lends your site credibility.
Resubmitting Your Site
If everything's fine, there's no reason for you to resubmit to search engines. If your search engine ranking drops for no reason, re-run the report a few days later to confirm the results. Resubmit to the three main engines.
If you change or add new pages to your site, submit one of those URLs to your three primary search engines. That triggers a re-spidering of your site. Better yet, send a new sitemap to Google and Yahoo! or ensure that the RSS feed for your sitemap is working.
To keep the workload reasonable, spread out the task of optimizing additional pages for different keywords. Tweaking text, adding longer product descriptions, revising meta tags and ALT tags, or rearranging the placement of keywords on a page all gradually improve search engine ranking.
If you change or add new pages to your site, submit one of those URLs to your three primary search engines. That triggers a re-spidering of your site. Better yet, send a new sitemap to Google and Yahoo! or ensure that the RSS feed for your sitemap is working.
To keep the workload reasonable, spread out the task of optimizing additional pages for different keywords. Tweaking text, adding longer product descriptions, revising meta tags and ALT tags, or rearranging the placement of keywords on a page all gradually improve search engine ranking.
Choosing good keywords
Selecting the right keywords for your site is more art than science. The best search terms are ones that people actually use- and ones on which there's limited competition. At least give yourself a chance to appear on page one. Phrases are almost always better than single words, except in highly specialized application with their own terminology.
Everyone's brain works a little differently. You might think the search terms you'd use are so obvious that everyone else would use the same ones. It isn't so. Ask random friends or customers what search terms they would use to research something like tires to to find your web site. You might be surprised
When choosing keywords, start by reverse-engineering competitors' sites and sites that appear in the first three positions on obvious search terms. View the source for their pages and make a list of the keywords they use. Brainstorm other terms from your text. Then use this list as input for one of several tools that identify good search terms and suggest alternatives..
Everyone's brain works a little differently. You might think the search terms you'd use are so obvious that everyone else would use the same ones. It isn't so. Ask random friends or customers what search terms they would use to research something like tires to to find your web site. You might be surprised
When choosing keywords, start by reverse-engineering competitors' sites and sites that appear in the first three positions on obvious search terms. View the source for their pages and make a list of the keywords they use. Brainstorm other terms from your text. Then use this list as input for one of several tools that identify good search terms and suggest alternatives..
Building a Search Engine Friendly Site
Search engines apply sophisticated algorithms to produce relevant results quickly. As smart as they might seem, computers are dumb. To produce good data, they need good input. A well-structured, search-engine-friendly site allows search engines to crawl or spider your site easily. Up to half of all sites are so badly structured that search engines never "see" them in the first place.
It's much easier to plan a search-engine-friendly site from the beginning or during redesign than to retrofit it.
Sites structured with frames or dynamic pages from database give search engines indigestion. On the other hand, footers, a site index, and XML feeds are like dessert; search engines eat them up !
It's much easier to plan a search-engine-friendly site from the beginning or during redesign than to retrofit it.
Sites structured with frames or dynamic pages from database give search engines indigestion. On the other hand, footers, a site index, and XML feeds are like dessert; search engines eat them up !
Rewarding customers and Keeping their business
Whichever maxim you believe, retaining customers is important for every business. Of course, you have to start with good customer services, quality merchandise, and perceived value. But in the cutthroat competition of cyberspace, it doesn't hurt to give people one more incentive to return. That's what a loyalty program does.
Rewards might be points earned toward a free gift, a discount on future purchases, free shipping, an entry in a drawing, first access to new or exclusive products, or whatever is appropriate for your target market and business.
Think about how much you can afford to offer as a loyalty award. When you include the cost of awards in your cost of sales, consider what happens to your break-even point and profit margins. If you're in the enviable position of being the sole supplier of a unique product, maybe you don't need a loyalty program - quality and service are enough for repeat business.
Rewards might be points earned toward a free gift, a discount on future purchases, free shipping, an entry in a drawing, first access to new or exclusive products, or whatever is appropriate for your target market and business.
Think about how much you can afford to offer as a loyalty award. When you include the cost of awards in your cost of sales, consider what happens to your break-even point and profit margins. If you're in the enviable position of being the sole supplier of a unique product, maybe you don't need a loyalty program - quality and service are enough for repeat business.
Shipping is a Marketing Issue
Probably nothing so infuriates online buyers as the price of shipping. In reality, shipping is expensive, especially as the price as gas rises. Research alternatives upfront to decide what carrier and delivery choices you will offer. If possible, let customers select the shopping method they prefer. Of course, not everything can go ground - baked goods and fresh always need fast delivery !
The overall rate of shopping cart abandonment is 60 percent. That's right, 60 percent of all started shopping carts never result in a purchase. Of those, studies show customers abandon more than one-third due to high shipping costs or hidden charges.
The overall rate of shopping cart abandonment is 60 percent. That's right, 60 percent of all started shopping carts never result in a purchase. Of those, studies show customers abandon more than one-third due to high shipping costs or hidden charges.
Displaying internal banners
You know those ubiquitous banner ads that litter the Web? You can take advantage of similar banners within you own site. Instead of paid advertising that links to someone else's site, however, link your internal banners to pages within your own site. Driving viewers to additional pages increase the time they spend on your site and the likelihood that they'll remember your business or buy your product.
While special features on your site should be easily accessible through navigation, the user's eye doesn't go to the navigation initially. Grab viewers' attention with an eye-catching banner that promotes a monthly special, takes them to the newsletter signup page, or accesses a community-building page. Internal banners are one of the no-brainers for onsite marketing, but plan them as part of the overall site layout and graphic design.
Visit our webiste @ Iboobo Web Design
While special features on your site should be easily accessible through navigation, the user's eye doesn't go to the navigation initially. Grab viewers' attention with an eye-catching banner that promotes a monthly special, takes them to the newsletter signup page, or accesses a community-building page. Internal banners are one of the no-brainers for onsite marketing, but plan them as part of the overall site layout and graphic design.
Visit our webiste @ Iboobo Web Design
Making it easy for your customers to buy
From a marketing perspective, you need to convert shoppers to buyers. Make it easy. Studies show that many online shoppers give up early in the process, long before they open a shopping cart. Many shopper's complaints are the same as those for any Web site: poor navigation, long download times, and inability to find what they want. The following sections detail some ways that you can enhance the shopping experience for your customers.
Visit our website: www.iboobo.com
Visit our website: www.iboobo.com
Creating a Marketing-effective Storefront
Online stores come in two forms: pure-play stores that exist only online and bricks-and-clicks stores that supplement a real-world storefront with a cyberstore. Both require the careful decision making that businesses routinely devote to opening a new location on Main street. Online stores achieve maximum value when they're customer-centric, anticipating users' needs and filling them.
Don't get snookered by TV commercials that show money rolling in from online sales. Success requires a realistic estimate of how much time and money you need to invest. It also requires that you apply what you already know about retail marketing to your cyberstore.
Iboobo emphasizes the marketing characteristics of a successful online store, rather than the technical details of implementing a storefront solution. It covers merchandising, simplifying the online sales process, enhancing revenue, and offering customer support.
If you're interested in finding out more about setting up an online store, check out our website www.iboobo.com or call 97990862 for more information.
Don't get snookered by TV commercials that show money rolling in from online sales. Success requires a realistic estimate of how much time and money you need to invest. It also requires that you apply what you already know about retail marketing to your cyberstore.
Iboobo emphasizes the marketing characteristics of a successful online store, rather than the technical details of implementing a storefront solution. It covers merchandising, simplifying the online sales process, enhancing revenue, and offering customer support.
If you're interested in finding out more about setting up an online store, check out our website www.iboobo.com or call 97990862 for more information.
Using gadgets and widgets
Widgets (also called gadgets) are little applications that require only a single click to activate. You can install them on your web site to add value and pull repeat visitors. Widgets, which provide information and functionality without programming, can be used for many tasks: to calculate interest, convert currency, track stock prices, check the weather, display headlines, play games, view a calendar, personalize a play list, translate text, or write a blog entry. The actual application runs from multiple other servers, not from your Web host.
Widgets come in two favors: desktop and Web. Desktop widgets run when a computer isn't connected to the internet. Web widgets run from a Web site; an open browser is required. When you look at lists of widgets to add to your site, select the Web versions.
Visit our web site www.iboobo.com
Widgets come in two favors: desktop and Web. Desktop widgets run when a computer isn't connected to the internet. Web widgets run from a Web site; an open browser is required. When you look at lists of widgets to add to your site, select the Web versions.
Visit our web site www.iboobo.com
Telling stories with pictures
Photography is a powerful method of reaching your audience with immediacy and impact. While it's absolutely critical to show pictures - including close ups - of any products that you sell, that's not the only reason to use photography. Well-selected and appropriately positioned images can tell a story about your business, your processes, your tourist destination, and most important, your people, Good photos are good sales tools!
Sometimes, the Web seems to exist in a strangely depopulated part of the universe. Many sites omit photographs, perhaps because of a legacy of concern about download time. Others have photographs only of buildings, machines, products, landscapes, nature, or artwork.
That's fine, but the most powerful images in the world have faces; our human brains are designed to react to them. When viewers see a picture with people, they can imagine themselves visiting that place, doing that activity, or using that product. They move themselves one step further along the buying process.
While faster access has made it easier to use photos, a page that takes more than eight seconds to download will lose much of it audience.
Visit our website: www.iboobo.com
Sometimes, the Web seems to exist in a strangely depopulated part of the universe. Many sites omit photographs, perhaps because of a legacy of concern about download time. Others have photographs only of buildings, machines, products, landscapes, nature, or artwork.
That's fine, but the most powerful images in the world have faces; our human brains are designed to react to them. When viewers see a picture with people, they can imagine themselves visiting that place, doing that activity, or using that product. They move themselves one step further along the buying process.
While faster access has made it easier to use photos, a page that takes more than eight seconds to download will lose much of it audience.
Visit our website: www.iboobo.com
Understanding why it's not practical to do it all yourself
Besides overseeing the content, managing the money, and handling the marketing, are you going to educate yourself in HTML, PHP, JavaScript, database programming, Dreamweaver, FrontPage, Marketing communications, copy writing, photography, and graphic design in the next six weeks? Forget about it!
Unless you're already a professional Web designer, don't do it all yourself; this is the biggest mistake you can make. Playing with your personal web site is one thing, but creating a successful business web site is a job for the pros. Would you let someone without experience design your ads, dress your store window, serve customers, buy goods from vendors, or negotiate contracts? Then why trust your Web site to a novice?
Novices might include your friends, neighbors, children, or siblings, unless they have experience creating business sites for a living. Even then, treat people you know as you would any professional - write an agreement so that expectations are clear. Believe me, an agreement won't only save you aggravation and disappointment; it might save your relationship.
Time is money! A nonprofessional who does Web sites on the side and takes three or four times as long as pro will end up costing you marketing opportunity and sales as well as money.
Deciding who will design your site is a strategic marketing decision. How will your site measure up if it's obviously homemade, with links that don't work, but your competitors' sites look professional and run smoothly? If your competition's sites are equally poor, this is not as much of a factor, but you're wasting an obvious opportunity to get an edge.
Visit our website: www.iboobo.com
Visit our website: www.iboobo.com
A Successful Business Web Site
Successful business Web sites don't happen by accident. Companies with a sophisticated Web marketing staff deliberately place every item in a specific place on a page, think through each headline, and consider every graphic element and photograph for impact. They don't spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on the mere chance that a site will achieve its marketing and sales objectives.
If those companies can be organized, so can you. This kind of detailed care may take more time, but it doesn't have to cost you any more money.
Your defined business goals and target audience drive site design. Those factors determine how a site looks on the screen and how visitors navigate through it, which is often called the look and feel of a site.
Visit our website: www.iboobo.com
Visit our website: www.iboobo.com
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