Finally Launching My New Website…

The Trials and Tribulations of Building a Website

I would love to say that my new website is finally finished, but websites are never finished.  They are a living and breathing part of your business that is constantly evolving and changing. What I can say is that the major redesign of my new website is finally complete. What I am saying is the structure of the site has changed dramatically. What I want to share is my journey that is filled with errors, poor judgment, but is guided by a clear vision and the result that I wanted. Let me explain the clear vision first.

I wanted to have the RickSegel.com website to be easy to understand, use and serve as an example of what good web design should be. The other thing that all of us want in a website is that it must be an investment and not just an expense. There are too many websites that are built which are beautiful but worthless. A website should generate business but it cannot be any type of hard sell. It is important to understand I have reviewed over 500 different websites in seminars, workshops, webinars, magazine and newspaper articles along with my book, The Essential Online Solution. That makes me a picky customer.  Generally, I am an easy sell, but as they say, knowledge can be a dangerous thing. The other factor to consider is that not only have I reviewed that many websites, but I have also reviewed the work of hundreds of web designers.

The one constant complaint that I got about my previous website was that it was difficult to navigate. The sad part about it was even I couldn’t find things that were there, so how could I expect my visitors to find what they were looking for? The internet, ecommerce, and web designs are changing at hyper speeds, which means your website has to be and look fresh all of the time. The other goal that many of us forget is that the web is about convenience in finding things fast. That is why things such as pictures flying in and out, music blasting, and the use of FLASH is truly not necessary. One of the other things I learned from reviewing so many sites is that the prettiest sites don’t always receive the highest ratings. It is the ones I refer to as utilitarian that often receive this distinction. Another way of saying it is that function beats out form. So don’t expect to go to my website to find whiz-bang graphics.

Now let me share some of the mistakes I made along the way. I believe the biggest mistake has been in my selection of vendors or consulting firms who supposedly have all of the answers. My new site represents the efforts of four different web development companies. One quit, two were fired, and one firm I love. The web designer who quit was a one-man shop who simply burnt himself out by promising too much and carried guilt when he couldn’t deliver it. That was my first lesson for the size of the website that I have: a one-person shop is way too small if you want multiple projects taking place at the same time, which is really what the web is all about. The first company I had to fire just talked in technical terms and I had no idea what she was talking about. When I would ask for an explanation, I was made to feel stupid. I am the customer. She forgot that and I forgot her. The good thing about the relationship was that I realized it early and made a move.  

The next firm I hired had such great promise. I loved the people she employed and loved her website plus the websites she had created in the past. I should have known there was a problem when shortly after I joined the firm, she changed her website and the new sites she was designing were terrible. Remember I had a clear vision of what my website was to look like and do for me.  The principal of the firm would argue with me on every change I wanted to make. We would meet on a weekly basis and argue about the stupidest things, and I ended up wasting months and money until one of my colleagues observed that we were literally just spinning our wheels and going nowhere. The lessons to learn from this relationship were firstly, make sure your philosophies are in sync with each other. Second, never trust a company that is telling you how to do business when the health of their business is suspect. Lastly, don’t ask them to use a process or a piece of software with which they have no experience.  

I am a huge believer in the HubSpot Software Solution to “Inbound Marketing”. The company that I had hired did not know or understand the true benefits of this approach to marketing.  In short, I was paying someone to learn and that was dumb! To my credit, I was smart enough to finally go to HubSpot and ask them for referrals of consulting firms which utilized their product and processes. That was smart! I then reviewed 15 different vendors and interviewed 8. That was also smart because each one gave me more knowledge and a better understanding of what was needed.  

Let me share the reasons why I like my website as much as I do and maybe there are some lessons for you to learn as well. I do invite your comments and criticisms, and I will explain and defend any of my actions and why we did what we did. I am not saying defend in a negative way but rather an explanation of why it was done that way.

1. It is easy to navigate. Anyone can figure out where they are and how to get there.
2. It is focused on the benefit of the viewer.  
3. It is built for growth. As many pages as it has, it is relatively easy to add to it.  
4. There are reasons to return to the site.  
5. The calls to action and opportunities for perspective clients to contact me are many.  
6. My use of testimonials helps to build my credibility. It reinforces Rick Segel as an authority and a thought leader.
7. It positions me as the expert in my field. This is important for all of us, not just for a writer and a speaker. Every retailer has to be positioned as the expert in their area.
8. It is an integral part of all of my marketing efforts and it has a lead nurturing system built in for prospective clients.  
9. It allows me the flexibility to include many of my other business ventures under one umbrella, such as texting4retailers, mystery shopping4retailers, and even websites4retailers.
10. There is a sense of organization that is not only appreciated by the viewer, but also appreciated by the people who work on the site. Simple is good.

I wanted to make the process I went through an example and something we all call learn from so that maybe your process will be a little bit easier than mine. I will share the name of the company that I am using: Lynton Web Solutions out of Houston, TX. Rick Segel and Associates are pleased to announce a partnership with Lynton Web Solutions which will create websites for retailers and help them with new and innovative marketing strategies.

I hope this makes a difference in your online struggles.

Have a great week and check out my website at www.ricksegel.com. I would love your feedback.

The Seven Breakthrough Marketing™ Tools

If you are a regular reader of this column you are beginning to better understand that there is truly is a revolution taking place in marketing today. There is an explosion of ideas coming to market. But it’s more than just the number of ideas-- it is the speed in which these ideas become accepted and used by large numbers of our marketing audience.

The days of saying, “We do it this way”, or “Why fix it if it’s not broken” are no longer a part of a marketer’s vocabulary. Then you add one more element to the mix of quantity of ideas, the speed of acceptance, and universal use --the cost. Most of these ideas are either low cost or no cost but do require commitments in both time and education.

The bottom line is that we reach people differently today. Consumers have new buying habits and ways in which they receive information about the products and services they seek. The following is my list of The Seven Breakthrough Marketing Tools we need to know in order to compete in this overcrowded marketplace:

1. The Touch Tools - These are the ways that we get in touch with people-- from face to face, to telephone calls, to communicating via answering machines, to traditional mail, e-mail, text, newsletters, etc. The reason why this tool is so important is because if a business is collecting email addresses but the majority of their customers prefer to be contacted via the telephone, then the method is worthless. Making a business aware of the preferred touch tool can make a dramatic impact on the effectiveness of their marketing efforts.
   
   
2. Multiple Landing Pages - Today a businesses DNA is made up of the words that our prospects use to find our type of business, our products and or our services. This is perhaps the most important of all of the tools because people do not go into websites from the front door anymore. They do searches for specific words and phrases and we must have a single landing page where they land and then we can redirect them to the rest of the site or sites. In other words, if you sell Blown glass by Josh Simpson. Make sure you have a separate dedicated page for just Josh Simpson Art where you use Josh Simpson’s name as often as possible. That page links to the rest of your site.
   
   Then you want to have another site that just talks about “Blown glass” and again the term “Blown glass” appears as many times as possible. These pages are not generally long. They have only a couple of short paragraphs and, of course, they must have some graphics that will encourage the viewer to explore or learn more about your  company and entice them to click on other sections of your website.
   
   
3. Call to Action Graphics - The call to action is the action step we discussed in #2.  These are the graphic nudges that will encourage the reader to seek more information. This is perhaps the single biggest mistake that we all make when we don’t create a vehicle for a prospect to find out more what we can do for them. That is why websites today should have multiple forms to fill in to receive “additional information”, a “trial period”, or “free offers”, etc. The reason why you need graphics is to make it stand out. A call to action without graphics draws 73% less action.
   
   
4. Create Your Lead Nurturing System - When someone expresses an interest in a company or a product, what system do you have in place that will follow up with the customer? This can be a series of emails, letters, newsletters, or even phone calls over a desired time period, generally from 3 months to 1 year. I like to say, “until they Buy or Die”. But trying to come up with an idea of what to send or say every month or quarter can be a daunting task that rarely ever gets done. However, if you plan the pieces in advance the job is less intimidating and gets done.
   
   
5. Opt-in text/M-commerce - This is perhaps the fastest growing of all marketing tools and one that I am about to make a major personal investment in Texting Advantage for Retailers ™.  Here is the concept:  You will see in an ad on a sign in your window or on the side of the bus that says something like text 71277 and in the message type in “specials”.  Or it could even say get our tips on ………………………  This message can be on a billboard, store window, plastic bag, etc. The bottom line is that people can opt in to your list without ever having any contact with your business. That is a powerful concept that in turn will result in sales.
   
   
6. You Tube and the Video - This powerful technique is changing how we not only learn but also the way we entertain our self and it’s all FREE. It’s important to separate the concept of using Video and YouTube. YouTube is important because it is a first rate delivery system that has an unbelievable distribution network. But it is the use of video that is so important. These include:
   
   
1. Video Testimonials - Here you will capture comments by customers, make a video of them, and post them on your website. They can also be played in the store.
   
   
2. To Learning Minutes - These are 2-4 minute educational videos that should be branded and can teach the customer something about a product or technique. Again, they can be played in the store, in a section of a website, and can be combined in a collection that can be sold.
   
   
7. The coupons - I recently wrote an article pertaining to the use of the various coupon services. My advice is that I would get involved with as many coupon services as possible. Why? Simple, they are all pay for performance. So as long as you make an appealing offer without giving the store away, you can’t lose.
   

These are my seven tools but the way things are happening so fast, be prepared to learn new twists on some old rules and some ideas that could only happen because of the new technology that the internet delivers to us almost daily.  My advice: select what makes sense to you adapt and adopt it. But fasten your seat belt and get ready for the ride of the explosion of marketing ideas and concepts.

It’s Time Your Business Jumped on the YouTube Bandwagon…. And Here Is Why

YouTube is more than weird people trying to get their 15 minutes of fame. I believe it is becoming one of the most important tools to understand, master, and employ in your business today. What I want to do is first tell you some of the ways you can use YouTube in your business. Then I am going to take you step-by-step on exactly what to do to go from an idea to finally having your first video published.  

It is important to understand that the method or technology that is important is the use of video. YouTube is just a free service that makes using video on line so easy and inexpensive that we sometimes just refer to the videos as YouTube videos. It is really just using video but when you price out the cost to do it yourself, you will begin to understand the significance YouTube has made.

First a disclaimer: Although I have used many videos in my business, I have never been the one who handled any of the technical stuff that is involved in making this work. I say that because if I can make it work anyone can! I have never been accused of being a computer geek.  So I am going to use my very best “Dummiesque” skills and make it so easy that even someone afraid to turn on your computer will be inspired enough to give it a try.  Now, let’s begin.

How can a small business or retail store use You Tube and why should they?

1. The Testimonial. Have you ever had a customer give you a compliment about how much they like your store? Of course you have. The next time that happens just pull out your digital camera and ask the person if they could repeat it so you can film it.  If they are complimenting you, trust me they will never complain about doing it.  Then you can download it on to YouTube and the places you can use it are endless--from your website to having it play in the store.  
2. Positioning & Branding.  A short YouTube video can tell your potential customers who you are and what you do and the important question, “Why should the potential customer do business with you?”
3. Training. A YouTube video doesn’t have to be available for the general public to view . If you have lots of part time people, it is a great way to offer the same program wherever they are. Then create a test to make sure they watched it.
4. Product Information. The next time you work with a sales rep, interview them and let them talk about their product or products. Sales reps can be a very valuable source of product info. Just ask 3 basic questions and remember that the video should be no longer than 4 minutes.
5. Product Showcase /Product Presentations. This seems so obvious but it’s amazing how many people forget to just talk about the products they sell.  
6. Educational Purposes: Every retailer today is in the education business because there are so many new solutions or products that are being released weekly or monthly. But it more than just new products; it’s how we use or maintain our old products. Like the jeweler who teaches how to properly clean a ring. Or the gift store that teaches what the best gift to give for the occasion.  
7. Make it personal. Unveil the person behind the company. We like to do business with real people and YouTube videos are a great way to do just that.  Just talk to your customer and tell them how you got started in business, your successes, and maybe even failures. We love to do business with the underdog. Introduce your family and/or staff.  
8. Employee Videos: Encourage your employees to make videos about some positive aspect of the business. Or even have employees talk about the positive attributes of a business. Then take it a step further and have your employees sing the praises of another employee and what a wonderful experience they would have if that employee takes care of you
9. Contest Videos: This can apply to your employees or it can apply to a customer contest. Especially if you are catering to a younger market, it is amazing how these kids get into creating their masterpiece. The only requirement is that that it’s clean and relates in some positive way to your business. Remember the Word of Mouth thing. This is the stuff people talk about.
10. Share the Journey Videos A few years ago a restaurant chain called BGood in Boston won The Retailers Association of Massachusetts restaurant of the year. This business was built solely on their videos. Every couple of weeks they release a new video. As the owners described their unusual form of marketing, they said all we are doing is sharing our journey. They are hip, upbeat and fun. Go to bgood.com to review these classics. Wait to you see the amount of videos they have created. (There is even one when they received the RAMAE Award from me with the Legendary Uncle Ferris. He is one of the owner’s uncles and is quite the character which makes him perfect in the use of video.) 

The Steps from Neophyte to YouTube Producer and Director:

1. Log on: Go to YouTube.com Create a YouTube account. (If you have a   Google account, it’s the same.) Then log in.
2. Title:  Type in your Title
3. Description: Then type in the description of what the video is all about
4. Category: Then decide what category should your video go into. (Just pick the one that best fits.)
5. Tags: Now type in the Tags, which are simply the words that people will use to find you.
6. Broadcast Options:  Choose Open to the public or private for just friends or family.
7. Sharing Options: Choose if you want to create a URL or if you want to embed it into your website.
8. Upload from your computer and you are now done.

Now you have a basic video.  If you need any help editing and you are a Mac user, go to IMovie. Microsoft has a similar movie-editing feature. There is also a simple free service called Slideroll.com that works well.  

Don’t go crazy with creating all sorts of fancy intros at first. There will be plenty of time to get sophisticated.  There are also some wonderful YouTube videos that explain what to do.  Have a great week.

http://help.youtube.com/support/youtube/

The Miracle of Google, Part 2

Last week I wrote about all of the wonderful, whiz-bang features and tools that Google offers for free to help today’s business owner. This week I want to explore the ways Google can and does transform businesses everyday.  Many of the tools we are going to talk about are free, but we will also start to explore the way that Google makes money. It’s these fee-based services that have flipped the worst economic recession into boom times for many retailers and small businesses. Let’s explore exactly how it is done.

Where to begin? Well, I’ll start by giving you my interpretation, which may be subject to differing points of view. The one thing that is a little confusing is that the sections I am telling you to go to have different page titles than their domain names or URLs. An example of this is the first page that I recommend you begin with, Google Business Solutions.  The URL is www.google.com/services.  But if you do a search for Google Business Center (which was the term the folks at Google told me to use), the 3^rdlisting says, “Welcome to Google Business Solutions.”  Bottom line is that this is where you want to be.

So let’s get started:

1. Open a Google account, which we discussed in the first article.

2. Go to Google Business Solutions.

3. From Google Business Solutions, click the first option, which is called Google Places.  As Google describes it, “Google Placeslets business owners claim or add local listings on Google to get found online, communicate with customers, and gain insights to make business decisions. Features include creating coupons, posting live updates, and viewing how your business is doing with a real-time dashboard.”

Make sure you watch the video about Google Places. It gives a wonderful overview of what Google can do for you and your business. Understand that this is a free service that allows you to list your business for free, update its information, post photos and videos of your business, and (the part I like the most) even post coupons for your business!

Another benefit of Google Places is a new section called Free Insights, which reports back to you where your customers come from and what terms are they searching for to find you.

4. Merchant Center is also located on the Business Solution Page and is very important because it allows you to list actual products by vendor, model or style number to help searchers find your site and your products.  Again, this is a free service.

5. Google Maps allows you to add maps and directions to your store’s website. This section was once used for all local ads, but now you go to Google Places instead. This is powerful because you are making it easy for your customer to find you without leaving your site.

6. AdSense is a service that allows you to make money from Google. It will scan the words used on your site and place small-space ads on your website.  It does create extra revenue, but frankly I don’t see many people getting rich here.  There are, however, many success stories that contradict my statement.

7. There are some services that are free but really need a web/Google-pro to execute.  My recommendation is at least to make sure your webmaster is aware of these free services and urge him or her to use them as seen fit.  

The first one is Webmaster Central, which helps webmasters better understand how Google works so they can build their sites most efficiently.

Website Optimizer does exactly what is says - it takes advantage of the Google ranking system and teaches web pros how to optimize their site ranking.

8. Google Analytics is the real biggie that you can either tackle yourself, but I would recommend hiring a Certified Google Partner.  Spend 20 minutes using this service and be absolutely WOWED with the information Google can gather from a user searching through your website.  Sign your site up and gather what you can understand, but get a pro to help you better understand the potential of this truly magnificent tool.

9. Lastly is the service where Google actually makes their money and also transforms your business.  This isGoogle AdWords, a search-term bidding system managed by Google and measured by Google’s search results.  Many people refer to it as Pay-Per-Click advertising (PPC).

It can build a business instantly when it’s done right.  When it’s done incorrectly, it can be a costly mistake.  How?  The key is to know what words to bid on.  If you pick a term too general, you can waste a lot of money, as your site is likely to get buried below big-name competitors in search result lists.  But don’t worry; you can use Google Analytics to help you select the rightterms for your site, helping you to transform your business.  Read the success stories; think of the possibilities!

It’s been fun interviewing and exploring Google, but I have only scratched the surface of the depth of this American Icon.  My only goal for this article was to raise your curiosity about Google and how it can change the way we all do business.

Did You Google Today?

Google is an absolute PHENOMENON! It is like no other business model in the world; it has grown faster than any other business in its time, quickly ballooning to a size that rivals old, established companies that have been around for 100 years; and it has made more millionaires through its stock than any other company in years. The truly amazing part is that 85% of everything Google creates, distributes and supports is FREE. If that doesn’t blow you away, think about this: in the area where Google makes the most money, Ad Words and Sponsored Links, they NEVER raise their price. They let the customer do that, letting us bid on the terms that we want.

Google has changed the way business is done and where its going BUT this article isn’t about that. This article is about all of the wonderful tools that Google has to offer that we, as small business owners, need to be aware of and use to our full advantage. On Friday I had the good fortune of interviewing Deborah Chou, a Google information officer, at her California office.  We talked about Google’s various tools and which tools every business should be using to help make their business more profitable. There are so many tools to discuss that it will take a couple of weeks (and even more) to cover them all.

But before I begin, if anyone who is reading this article has a favorite Google application that you can’t live without (other than the Google search feature), please write in and share it with all of us!

Now let’s get down to the basics…

First you need to open a Google Account, which is as easy as supplying a name, password and email address. An account can be created through any of Google’s various offerings like Gmail, AdWords or Google Calendar. So let’s get started!

The first step is to go to Google.com and then do a search for “Google Tools.” The second item down is “More Google Products.” Click on that and you will see the page below. The page is much longer than I am showing here, so don’t think the list is this short; plus, there are many more tools that Google doesn’t even mention!

Here are my Top 10 recommendations for Google Apps that every businessperson should consider.

 

1. Google Alerts. Any time an interest of yours is in the news, you can create an alert by word, phrase, name or category and Google will send you an email alert with the link to articles, websites, blogs - you name it! Do this right away by listing every competitor you have, trends in your industry, your name, your company's name or any other category, phrase or keyword you can think of. You can customize your alerts be received hourly, daily, weekly or even monthly. I read mine daily, as it's an easy way to stay up-to-date with all of the various industries I follow.
2. Google Calendar. I find this to be an invaluable tool because I'm able to access my entire calendar on my mobile phone or computer - appointments, dates, deadlines, birthdays - anything that you would document on a calendar, you can access anytime, anywhere. You can also customize each update to automatically update your entire team's calendars, or specific people, on both their mobile devices and computers whenever you choose.
3. Blogger.com. This is a division of Google that allows you to create a free blog. If you have ever been intimidated with the prospect of creating a blog, don't be! Blogger.com makes it so simple and painless to create a blog customized to your needs and specifications. In less than 15 minutes you'll be up and running!
4. Google Sites. This is a free and easy way to create a webpage. They even have dozens of prebuilt templates for you to choose from, and some wonderful, easy-to-follow videos that walk you through the entire process.
5. Google Checkout. This is a complete online shopping cart and credit card processing service. The benefit of using Google is the fact that there are no extra or hidden charges. They supply you with an order management system, fraud protection, a product search feature, and of course, the brand recognition and good name of Google itself. Your customers will be able to clearly see the Google graphics on your website, giving them a greater feeling of transaction security.
6. Google Docs. This is a great document management system that allows multiple people to work on the same document and access each document at any time. The application could work for mailers, ad copy and even store layout and design.
7. Google Forms. This is actually part of Google Docs. It is a collection of templates for any form that you would need to run your business imaginable (a similar product is also offered by Microsoft in Word). The benefit of using Google is that it integrates seamlessly with Google Docs, which is accessible to your entire team.
8. Google Business Images. This collection of images is free to use with no copyright restrictions. The benefit here is that it enables you to insert first-rate images into all the different forms of business communication you use to run your business.
9. Google Voice. This is a unique service that allows you to filter all of your calls and messages into one phone number. It also has a feature that will transcribe voice messages. On this one, be sure to review the video because the possibilities are endless!
10. Google Business Channel. This is a good place to end this article, but a great way to lay the groundwork for next week's article on more advanced applications like Google AdWords, Google's Advertising Program and Google Analytics. The Google Business Channel is a collection of short videos on YouTube that explain every product Google offers. Trust me, it is a must for anyone in business today.

 

We've just scratched the surface on the free services that Google currently offers. Next week, you'll start to understand the huge impact that Google has made on running and growing a small business, and how it can and will truly revolutionize your business in an exciting way!

And one more thing, make sure that your business is registered with Google Local. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go to the Business Channel and find out.

Have a great week! 

 

 

The New Marketing Buzz Words We Need to Understand, Incorporate into Our Vocabularies, and USE to Do More Business

Every so often technology introduces something that changes the way we do business and the way we live our lives. We are currently in the midst of an explosion of ideas, models, and methods of doing business.  I want to expose some of these new techniques to you.  You might be familiar with some of these terms while others will be completely foreign to you. However, most of the concepts are deep seeded in some form of traditional marketing with a new high tech interpretation. 

"Going with the Flow Marketing" or the other name I like is "Intuitive Marketing".  This is the more natural way of marketing. For years we have been talking about Contrarian Marketing or swimming upstream. That' s daring to be different, standing out in the crowd,  or just disagreeing with conventional thinking. That still works but something has changed.  There is a new term we are starting to use, "that's intuitive."  What that means is "Does it make sense? Is it logical? Is that the way it should work?"

We started saying intuitive when it comes to websites. We want to be able to navigate a website easily. We don't want a detailed list of instructions on how to maneuver a website. If it requires that, we are gone.  Now this concept has spread to just about everything else we do. It has to make sense.  

This applies to the way we use the internet to search for the things we want. We have another new or at least modified term called, "Inbound Marketing".  That just means that we establish a system that fosters customers looking for us as opposed to us reaching out to customers to sell them. The difference between outbound and inbound marketing is the difference between running an ad in the local paper and hoping someone comes into the store. That is "Outbound Marketing"  as opposed to creating a "landing page" which is just one page out of your website that is dedicated to a word, phrase, or concept that your perspective clients might be looking for.

"Why do we need landing pages? Don't we just want all of our traffic to go through our home page?"

That would be nice but it also doesn't go with the natural flow of things--it's not "intuitive". Here is a simple example. Say you own a men's store and also sell merchandise on the web. (Selling on-line just makes what I am about to say even more powerful.)  You sell casual and dress shirts, pants, blazers, suits, belts, all accessories, etc. You, as a store owner, want your customer to enter your website through the home page, see all of the things that you sell, and have them click onto the page for dress shirts.

There are a couple of problems here. If I am searching for dress shirts, what do you think the chances are for your home page coming up in the top 10 to 20 spots? Slim at best on a "natural search".(That is any type of search other  than a sponsored link, a.k.a. a "pay for click" campaign where we pay Google or whoever a fee  to have a small add  on various searches.)

OK, so you don't want to create a separate landing page and you might not need it IF you have a page on your website that just talks about Dress Shirts.  It could be the intro or title page to the dress shirt section. So if you were to "beef up" (add more applicable content that someone might just be searching for), you will have increased your chances of someone finding you, naturally.

 Isn't that the same as advertising?  Perhaps it is advertising but in a very different way.  All you are doing is removing the barriers and streamlining the possibilities for someone who is looking for what you sell to find you. It's natural and intuitive because you are only appealing to people who have an interest in what you sell. You are not interrupting them, or trying to convert them into buying something else.  You are just making the prospect's journey easier while putting your business in the most favorable light. When you think about, it's really a form of "Pinpoint Marketing" (a way of reaching just specific groups or individual customers). It is really the same thing with a different twist or application.

Going along with this more logical or intuitive way of looking (searching) for things, consider this. Using the same menswear example about someone searching for dress shirts, think about all of the ways we could refine a search for dress shirts. How about French cuff dress shirts, monogrammed dress shirts, spread collars, button downed, silk, cotton. Polyester, all white, two tone, and what about all of the different dress shirt vendors? There are a multitude of possibilities for creating simple landing pages that could help someone find what they want and what you sell. You are making it easier for the customer to buy from you.

These pages don't take long to create. 15 to 20 minute maximum if you have the right software to use or your website was created by someone who has set up the ability to add simple pages. Think of the possibilities. We can start to have websites with hundreds of simple pages.  Sound crazy? It's happening every day. It's just a new way of thinking and looking at the world of on-line marketing...Inbound Marketing.

 

 

Who CARES How Long You’ve Been in Business? What Can You Do for ME??

Enough is enough. Am I supposed to be impressed that a business has been around so long? Oh I know it is supposed to mean that it represents stability and trustworthiness. If a men’s store has been around a long time, does that mean I should do business with them? Does that mean they have the latest fashions and carry the newest and hippest looks? Or does that mean they carry the same old stuff they have been carrying for years?

I am as much to blame as anyone else. I would brag about being part of 58-year old family businesses. So what! No one cares about that stuff other than you and your mother. We aren’t selling memories; we are selling merchandise that has to be timely, up to date, fashionable, useful, and affordable (unless you are in the scrapbook or camera business).

Look at it this way — how much great advertising space would you waste by just talking about how long you have been in business? Sorry, it doesn’t sell merchandise. Lehman Brothers had been in business for a long time, the same with Merrill Lynch, and even many of the banks that had been pillars of the community are now all gone. It didn’t matter how long they had been in business.

This hit me over the weekend because I worked with NW Buyers, a wonderful group of dedicated retailers. They are a men’s apparel buying group located in Minneapolis. They had as members some of the finest stores and without any question some of the nicest and classiest people I have ever worked for, from the executive director to the newest of members. I loved working for them and look forward to a long relationship with them.

The 100 years in business scenario hit me when I was doing a website review program. It almost seems as if one retailer said how long they were in business and everybody copied it. That is except one amazing retailer’s site. Please understand that I have been reviewing websites for a long time. On The Retailer’s Advantage, we do regular website reviews and I even owned shares in a website evaluation service at one point. I say all of that because I don’t want you to think that I am easy to impress when it comes to reviewing websites. So when I give a compliment to a retailer and or a web developer, it is not as an occasional observer.

The site I am referring to at first glance doesn’t take your breath away and actually seems a little vanilla at first glance. The site is www.Muldoons.com. This store is located in Eau Clair, Wisconsin and is completely focused on the customer. I didn’t notice the subtleties at first but it eventually hit me. The navigation bar across the top focused solely on the customer’s needs. The navigation bar on the bottom of the site had the “about us” tab and the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section. But even that section was far more extensive than most.

They didn’t spend time talking about the past but they focused on the customer. Maybe that was why when I evaluated them through www.websitegrader.com, they received the highest score I have ever seen and that includes sites from all of the web site developers I have ever evaluated. Actually, their website development company www.uniteu.com is a leader in developing retail sites. (I really want to interview them for The Retailer’s Advantage — they have developed some great retailer’s sites.) Their score was 94% while Muldoon’s came in at a whopping 96.3%.

There is one other item on the site that is worth mentioning… on every page of the site, they maintain a listing of all of the vendors they carry. We have talked about this issue before and it does go against my basic retail beliefs. I think that we should promote our name first, not the brands that we carry. However, when it comes to the web, those brands are pure gold.

There is a lot we can learn from this make it work approach. No one will ever accuse this site for being pretty, but it is definitely effective and they are selling merchandise across the country. It all comes down to the title of this article — I don’t care how long you’ve been in business, but what can you do for me?

Does Your Website Make the Register Ring?

Some ideas to think about

The vast majority of websites created for businesses don’t work! Well, maybe they work technically but they don’t pull their share the way a fixture, a sign, a display, or salespeople pull their weight in contributing to making the cash register ring. That’s why we hear business people refer to their websites as “It’s in progress”, “It’s being done”, or “It’s not finished yet”.  Websites are never finished. There is no finish line when it comes to websites. Websites are constantly being updated, revised, and improved upon.

So how did all these businesses spend all sorts of money on something that is as useless as warm winter boots when you live in South Florida? This happened because businesses didn’t know what the web could do or not do for them.  Things have changed, and we now have a variety of successful business models that work.  The key word there is WORK.  What type of work do you want your website to do?

Do you have to sell things from your website to be successful? No you don’t but why not sell something? Save that thought and I will address it in a minute. Let’s first describe some successful ecommerce models. Notice I went from website to ecommerce? That was done on purpose because there are many businesses that might not have the best website but they do have a very strong ecommerce presence.

Idea #1.  Use email marketing, text messaging, and even blogging to keep in touch with your customers. After all business today is about building relationships with your customers. Out of site out of mind.

Idea #2. Alignment: Does your website look and feel like your business? It should. There is a new term called FSE, First Shop Elimination. It means that the first place people shop today is online. Customers do their homework. If your website looks bad, then you probably have no shot of having that customer walk through your front door. But if your site is good and your stores reinforces the look, image, and feel that your website delivered, the chance of that customer buying your products increases exponentially, even with high ticket items.

Idea #3 Interactive Tools. Do you have any fun or interesting tools such as the jeweler who has a tool to create your own ring? The website has a cool mix and match ring and stone tool that’s fun to play with.

Idea #4 Contact Information. This is so simple, yet so important. Make sure your contact information is on every page.

Idea #5. Be the Source, Position yourself as the Expert: This is the sweet spot in retailing today. There are margins here. We pay extra when we buy from a place we trust. We trust expertise. If you want some great models and ideas about creating expertise status, check out Amazon or Blue Nile. They are the source of information. Teach your customers, make them better consumers and watch what happens. As the quote of the week goes, “Know something about everything but know everything about something.”

Idea # 6 Selling from Your Website. No you don’t have to sell from a website but there are two simple alternatives. Stores have an impression that you have to put all of your products online. NO. Start with 2 or 3 items that the manufacturer/supplier can drop ship for you. That means you don’t even have to get involved with the packing and shipping. More vendors are jumping on the opportunity here because it’s a win/ win for everybody. There is another option and that is being part of an affiliate program.

There are over a million different affiliate programs today but if you are not aware of the potential of an affiliate program, let me explain. It started with Amazon. If you allow Amazon to go onto your site with books you select, (it can be as little as 4 or 5 books of benefit to your readers) and someone purchases a book, Amazon will send you a commission of at least 6 or 7%.

These are just a few ideas that can turn your website into a cash register ringing machine. Watch for more simple ideas over the next few months. Have a great week and Happy New Year!

A Technology Update – Change Is Happening

This is a must read article — it could change your business life.

I want to share two relatively new ideas that I predict will become household ways to market and will add money to your bottom line. Sometimes you hear about an item or concept that is considered so HOT and you wonder why you haven’t heard about it earlier. This is the case with these two ideas for me.

The first is a shopping service that specialty retailers and manufactures are really starting to make money with. The service is called Shopatron and can be found online at www.shopatron.com. The reason that I like it so much is because it addresses one of my pet peeves — vendors selling online and competing with the stores that support them. This “retailer-integrated e-commerce solution allows branded manufacturers to accept orders online and fulfill them through their retailer or dealer channels.” In other words, a customer goes to a manufacturer’s website, orders what they like, but the local retailer fills the order.

Not every retailer will have every piece in a manufacturer’s line at any given time, so when the order comes in to the manufacturer, the manufacturer, with the help and system of Shopatron, posts it for all of the retailers that belong to the system and carry that  particular line/item. The stores that reply with item availability are then analyzed and the one that it closest in distance gets the order. PRICE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BIDDING. Now the customer has the choice of going to the store to pick it up or having it shipped by that retailer.

The fee for the service is charged to the retailer, which is between 2% and 4% plus the cost for the credit card charges which is about the same. Shopatron sends the retailer a check twice a month for the purchases. Their fee is very reasonable because it’s found business that the retailer doesn’t have to advertise or market for.

There are two other advantages to getting involved in this service. By allowing customers to come to your store to pick up the merchandise, it introduces new faces to your business that have just purchased from you. One retailer told me that a customer came into pick up a special baby blanket they ordered through the Shopatron system and while she was in the store bought $900 worth of merchandise. That’s a nice bonus.

It gets even better because Shopatron gives you reports on what is selling and what is not. It also reports items requested online that have very few retailers carrying the item. How can you lose? It is truly a win/win/win for everyone.  Shopatron boasts that 1,480,770 items have been sold and shipped as of today. Not bad for a 5 year old company. At last a service that’s not about the big box store and is designed for specialty retailers.

The other service is again designed only for specialty retailers. A plush toy manufacturer (that is a company that sells stuffed animal type of toys) has hit a homerun out of the park. The company is Ganz and their concept is selling a character and making it part of an interactive website that 4 to 9 year olds are getting addicted to. The site and toys are called Webkinz. It is a site you join after you have bought your first toy.

It has hundreds of activities and games and ways you can earn points to buy things on the website. The things you are buying are all virtual. It has a newspaper of fun news on it, lots of interesting games to play where you can win points, stories to read, and even your own room to decorate. The points you win enable you to purchase things for your home.  Kids that get into it are spending more than an hour a day. Actually I am writing this article from my granddaughter’s house. Alexis is turning 5 years old today and we are here for the big birthday party. She has played with this site for over 2 hours today alone. It’s addictive. It changes the way companies market to kids.

Ganz is expected to do over a BILLION DOLLARS in sales. I first learned about this site in an article last week in USA Today, then last week I spoke at the Kids Today Conference, (a group of businesses specializing in merchandise for the infant and youth markets) and then I came to spend a few days with my grandchildren in Indiana only to see this phenomenon in practice. It’s not just for little girls either. It’s for boys as well.

This is more than just a cute way to market to kids. It is a concept that will be repeated over and over again. Products that have an online experience that enhances the product’s emotional connection will become the new way to market. Watch for them to be refined, reinvented, and multiply into every age group and marketing segmentation. This is more than just fun and games stuff but fun and games are the core component.

Animation and fun characters will become our personal shoppers on the big catalog sites. Landsend has a custom clothing area that is just in its infancy. It will become a new way of creating customer loyalty without the customer feeling any obligation but rather a strong desire to return again and again.

Here is the best part. Ganz does NOT sell to any Big Box stores, discounters, or even any online merchants. They want the customer to purchase from specialty stores. A discount store could ruin the concept and why do that? This is Beanie Babies on steroids. We are talking about a brave new world that blends reality and fantasy to create a very enjoyable place to spend a few hours a day. Move over TV, DVDs, and sadly even books because here comes the future.

P.S. I don’t know about you but I was a big fan of radio. It was always part of my life. I knew the call letters for my favorite country stations, talk radio, sports talk, and sporting event channels. Last week I was asked to fill out one of the Arbitron Ratings Surveys to have me log what radio stations I listened to, when, and how long for one week. I shocked myself that my total radio listening was less than 1 hour for an entire week. (actually it was 46 minutes) Instead I listened to CDs (some were music and others were books on CD), or I listened to my IPod hooked up to either my car or at home. It might have been different if I were traveling during a Red Sox game. Radio helped to build my business but now I would have to think twice before I would recommend it across the board. The one thing that hasn’t changed is that there still only 24 hours in the day. The competition for those hours has increased to unbelievable proportions.

40 years ago Bob Dylan wrote a song that said, “The times they are a changing.” Well not as much as they are changing now. From an independent specialty business’ point of view, the changes are TERRIFIC. If you are a BIG BOX merchant it’s time to go back to your drawing board and start reinventing because you have become the new endangered species.