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Starting up, marketing, and running a small business

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young-gun said:
may i ask the reasons behind your thinking on this?
Click to expand...

Sure. You've set up a business (ie not a company). I don't know what state you are located in and I have no way of contacting you aside from your website. And you want me to pay you money via Paypal. There's nothing particularly wrong with Paypal but if I was the skeptical sort I might think it was a bit strange...

A phone number works wonders, get a 1300 number diverted to your mobile if need be. Trust me it's extremely reassuring for a potential customer to be able to call up and just ask questions.
 
When it comes to marketing you need to do campaigns that are measurable. Creatives love to think that it was their genius idea that made all the sales, but you need to have a way of seperating out what is due to a campaign, and what is due to other things.

A lot of marketers try to keep things kind of airy fairy in order to keep themselves in a job, whereas if you approach it from a measuable, statistical point of view you are likely to know what works and what doesnt.

Personally i wouldnt bother with print ads with where you are at, at the moment. IMO you would be better of increasing your adwords budget.
 
Prawn is pretty spot on there (easy on marketers though :p:).

Make sure things are measurable though - you want to be able to calculate ROMI to see what to do in future and hang your hat on certain aspects. There is no harm in trying different things out - just make sure they are measurable.

Have you set any targets for yourself? Both sales and marketing targets? Doing this will also help you calculate your ROI and ROMI and make sure your striving for something.

You're an extremely infantile business - digitally based - some basic math will say that directing traffic to your website shouldn't be via traditional media (sorry if that sounds rude!).

SEM, SEO etc etc should do the trick for the moment...
 
JTLP said:
Prawn is pretty spot on there (easy on marketers though :p:).

Make sure things are measurable though - you want to be able to calculate ROMI to see what to do in future and hang your hat on certain aspects. There is no harm in trying different things out - just make sure they are measurable.

Have you set any targets for yourself? Both sales and marketing targets? Doing this will also help you calculate your ROI and ROMI and make sure your striving for something.

You're an extremely infantile business - digitally based - some basic math will say that directing traffic to your website shouldn't be via traditional media (sorry if that sounds rude!).

SEM, SEO etc etc should do the trick for the moment...
Click to expand...

not at all! im more than happy for people to completely tear me down even, so long as they provide suggestions after criticism.;)

as i said i am very fresh to the game. the business is going to be a success. i am certain of it, its just how quickly it happens and how quickly i can overcome hurdles, hence why i am exploring the msot efficient and cost effective ways of getting the name out there - i dont mean to sound too cocky:). i agree that targeting the online audience is key, but getting a small ad in front of 50k people(potentially - subtract males, women well outside our target bracket, and then women who simply wouldnt be interested) didnt seem like a bad idea. it is very expensive as you said.

we have the seo and the adwords, so i think well sit on that for a month while i explore other alternatives that i think will be viable for our business. it seems to me there would be a market for a mroe advanced online marketing firm! "just call us no matter how big or small you business and weve got the perfect tailored package from 100$ a month to 50k$ a month." the firms ive come across don;t offer anything that isnt already well known by alot of people imo.

well start seeing some more page ones in the next month or two, combined with adwords and will be interesting to see how things go. ill have changes discussed made in the next week and will keep you posted!

thanks alot for the tips all!
 
Y/T

Your on the right track if your looking at retailing.
Frankly marketing ideas and methods are moving so fast that ideas we have today are obsolete tomorrow.


I've just finished a session with our Web marketing consultants.
Get this
There are places in Europe where you can be waiting for a train and the walls have a supermarket isle the length of the platform
With your smart phone you can walk along point it to the item / swipe your card and it will be home delivered in 8 hrs.

Seriously get as much capital as possible and find a GREAT I/T marketing company to work with you.

There are two distinct and important sectors
(1) Gaining the client --- prospects
(2) making the sale.

Your site is "ok" as is most sites
Including mine
These guys will make them OUTSTANDING
not like most sites

You must also consider infrastructure.
Eg
If you sold 200 pairs of one type of shoe tomorrow could you service that
And again the day after and week in week out.

Point is there are the up front issues to get cranking and the behind the scenes issues like that mentioned--- another is cash flow--- staffing blah blah --- that also must be addressed.

Let me know how it goes.
Always employ experts in their field
You'll learn a lot and your business will just explode!

Read about this guy
http://www.kogan.com.au/#
From a million to 100 million t/o in 5 yrs.
From nothing.

He trades--- in TV's
 
tech/a said:
Read about this guy
http://www.kogan.com.au/#
From a million to 100 million t/o in 5 yrs.
From nothing.

He trades--- in TV's
Click to expand...

You have to wonder about his margins though.

He's a lot of hot air and not much else.

I was told by a very reliable source about some guys who were running a "catch of the day" type website. Their gross margins were 2%. These websites are all about volume and revenue; pets.com anyone?
 
There is a TON of information to consider when looking at SEO & adwords.

i.e Google runs something like 600 algorithms a year for optimization - it's all about who's using it - not the businesses on it. Also make sure that any adwords/sponsored links you buy aren't costing you too much i.e. you're selling womens shoes so I'd assume 'shoes' is a very costly word - is there another sneakier word you can perhaps buy thats cheaper and still gets the results?

Tech/A has some good advice - look at the grocery example in Korea by Tesco - they may have been the originators of the idea.

P.S It wouldn't hurt before you embark on any advertising to look at stats. I'm sure Roy Morgan might have outdated info floating around the internet etc.

AND MAKE EVERYTHING MEASURABLE! Good luck and please do keep everyone informed. :)
 
McLovin said:
You have to wonder about his margins though.

He's a lot of hot air and not much else.
Click to expand...

The margins on the Apple products for example would be awful. People who work at Apple I believe only get something like a 10% discount. Foot traffic into the site though you're right!
 
DB008 said:
Sort of like this tech/a?

WOW Virtual Shopping, Town Hall, Sydney
Click to expand...
In the tech session on Radio National this evening there was a description of a phone app which allowed you to comprise a shopping list by simply pointing the phone at the various items in the pantry which you needed to buy. Then when you got to the supermarket you'd be directed to the appropriate aisle and position.
I suppose it's only a small step from there to making the list on the phone and having it home delivered.
 
JTLP said:
The margins on the Apple products for example would be awful. People who work at Apple I believe only get something like a 10% discount. Foot traffic into the site though you're right!
Click to expand...

And their home brand products have a pretty bad reputation. Their post sales service is also pretty bad from what I've read.

One of the reasons I was suggesting to YG to get a phone number is that if something goes wrong it's nice to be able to pick up the phone rather than fill out a form...that just seems very departmentalised.
 
You can always dream about being the next Zappo.

http://www.smh.com.au/small-busines...ty-ceo-zapposs-tony-hsieh-20120216-1ta85.html

As CEO of giant online shoe and clothing retailer Zappos, Hsieh has grown the company from a fledging start-up in 1999 to the behemoth it is today. Amazon acquired Zappos in 2009 for a reported $1.2 billion and Hsieh (pronounced Shay) remained as CEO.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/small-busines...-tony-hsieh-20120216-1ta85.html#ixzz1n16ke0JA
Click to expand...
 
This thread interests me ALOT!

I really want to run my own business but I am restricted atm with visas etc

One day, one day....
 
ProverbialPaul said:
Young gun, did you have someone design and make the site for you or did you do it all yourself?
Click to expand...


we had someone design it(a web designer). i wouldnt recommend the company you see at the bottom of our page. we have since begun using a one man band. he is brilliant. from what i understand apple have some very impressive software coming out(if not out already) that essentially allows you create your own web site and control everything through apples software. ive only heard about it, but will let you know if i read more on it.

which reminds me, we are doing an overhaul of the site(already :)) i took alot of everyones comments on board, and did alot of research - as did our web designer. ill let you all know when its up and would appreciate feedback on the new and much improved site!(hopefully)
 
You should check out the Mixergy.com There are hundreds of interviews with successful online startups who explain how they got started, the struggles along the way, and tips/advice.

I listen to the podcasts on my daily commute, much more interesting than the rubbish on the radio!
 
Just a few more thoughts.

You either need something new to corner a market
Or have something old that you do sufficiently differently to corner a market.

There is an old adage that you should try to dominate your chosen field.

Nothing beats effort.put in the hrs and you'll be justly rewarded.
Continually monitor your market -www.surveymonkey.com --- very handy
Old fashion referral systems are a must--- loyalty of clients is difficult to break if your a competitor.

Develop business relationships.
Work and link with other businesses which are synergistic
We link with Earthworkers/Landscapers/ developers we are Civil construction company specializing in Retention.

You may link with clothing for example.

Lastly employ experts.
Who is the smarter?
Those with degrees OR
Those who employ those with degrees?

Once you get going and it took me 20 yrs.( from supplying me a job and wage--- to supplying surplus well in excess to my living requirements)
I believe it can be very much shorter in this day and age.
It can be life changing.--- permanently
 

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