 |
| VerlinStudios bonus gift offer |
The hardest part of running a web-based business is not only "generating" traffic to your site(s)--but "conversation" rates into sales.
And it take an "ah-hah" genius idea!
I first learned about this out of the box thinking back in 1984, when I first met with jewelry retailer, Richard Goldman.
Rich looked like Rod Serling (in my mind) and had a very cool, casual way about him.
His family had been in the jewelry business for decades--and he had opened his own smaller shop when I first met him to advertise on our classical radio station.
He would voice his own radio ads--and he like most local retailers had a rhythm about his delivery that built his brand quite quickly with our audience.
They'd ask for him when they came in--and that name/voice recognition was huge. His credibility was a huge asset as was being associated with "their" classical radio station.
All of this played into his marketing and branding success.
But his real success--went back to the basics of marketing and merchandising.
He told me near the end of his life--as he had decided to sell and focus on his health issues (he later died of cancer)--that "he was as big of an SOB as the next guy--he just said it differently"!
That statement stuck with me over the years and I would use it to discuss with my current client lessons to be learned and applied for their advertising.
Now, it's my turn.
Having lunch the other day with a home furnishings friend of mine--and discussing this new web-based business, VerlinStudios--I lamented how when you know you've got 933 views that day to your site--and few sales conversions--how do you make it work?
All businesses have this issue--but I trusted his judgement as a businessman for decades in retail. Even though they were online with their business--upscale walk-in was still the most important and profitable area.
As I'm more of a "techy" guy than he--he made some interesting comments that all business owners attempting to navigate this web might learn from.
First, he said--(almost suspiciously), how do you "know" those numbers are real? It could be that the business platform management that you're on are just throwing out numbers each week for your analytics just to keep you making money for them.
Ok, fair enough--I do have to look critically at my business to make good decisions. But I've put months into developing my site and creating products that (I think) would appeal to my target customer.
I did check online--and a number of this sites' business owners had written in a forum that "many of their "activities" traffic--wasn't THEIR site--but a combination of sites that they had "favorited"--which didn't do them any good.
This was a problem I noticed as well--and made me "suspicious" of other activity. I was being charged .20 per listing--so it wasn't like a huge issue for me--but making sure customers visiting my site could actually "buy" a product so I'd make a "sale" was. Still looking into this one.
I didn't want to hear this. Secondly--my friend suggested, why don't you try a test and give something away to see if the numbers are real?
Ok--that's what I did want to hear--a practical idea that wouldn't poo-poo what I had already spent months on building on the web.
So--since my site specializes in PhotoGifts--targeting women who like design/decor etc.--I checked out photo gift sites and mouse pads, photo note pads were nice sellers to women--that didn't cost an arm and a leg.
So--I packaged them up as a BONUS GIFT promotion--based on an overall total purchase of $65 or more of my prints, mugs, woven rugs, runners, etc.
Of course, you ask yourself--are my prices too high? Doesn't anyone want what I have? Am I wasting my time and money?
These are all valid questions we must ask--but only experimenting and time will tell. And thus I am in the midst of.
Over the years in working in radio advertising--most clients like Rich Goldman had spent a lot of money "testing" print, tv, radio, direct mail, etc--and weren't bound to give up the ghost of secrets to anyone!
So--while I still look for the daily analytics on social media and text/display ads I've taken out in March on some social media sites--the jury is still out.
In answering the question--is my stuff I'm promoting a bunch of crap--is it what customers want? Do I even know what customers want--or am I just foisting upon them my stuff--hoping to make them buy?
These are honest questions I have to ask myself and I suspect all business owners go through the same thing. I do know about electronics and what sells to some degree on like eBay (i'm testing it as well).
But what I'm looking forward to is showcasing my photography--and i'll have to "say it differently" than any competitors, etc.
Maybe I'm wrong about this--and it's all based on a percentage of numbers i see weekly that i need to convert.
I'm a small business--so I don't need huge results to be profitable. And--for all practical purposes--this is FUN!
I may fail in the process--but at least i'm having fun in the process. I see it as a journey every entrepreneur takes and just like in sales--tenacity and persistence are key.
I remember the story I was told by the guide to Sun Records in Memphis when I went several years ago.
He told the story of how Elvis recorded "My Happiness" for his mother at Sun--then kept "calling the secretary every month, asking if they needed a new singer yet".
We don't hear too much about how a young Elvis was persistent. And when he did land an audition for replacing a singer that Scotty Moore and Bill Black performed with--they weren't' terribly impressed with Elvis--particularly as a "ballad" singer.
He was high-pitched, nervous--just wasn't cutting it.
Until they took a break--and he began messing around with a popular song amongst Sam Phillips "black-recording" artists group. Big Daddy Arthur Crudup's "That's All Right Little Momma".
And the rest is history. So, having Elvis, Thomas Edison, all who have persisted as my inspiration--I plow forward.
I'll keep you updated as to how my "testing" goes on offers, products, etc".
I know in marketing that you have to reach the "right" customer, with the "right" product, "right" offer, etc.
With digital marketplaces--at least we can "measure" who, what, when, where...and try to match things up.
When I began in radio advertising in the early '80's--all we had to go on as far as results were what the client told us. Did anyone say anything about your ad? Any other feedback? Did anybody "buy" and comment that they were there because of your ad?
Not easy stuff. We had to work hard to be creative in the ads that aired and how we could create some sort of "measurement" to justify the client spending money with us. Today--it is still important but the "metrics" have changed so to speak.
But as my blogpost points out--it's still a challenge.
I'd love any feedback or suggestions you might have about my site, my approach, etc.
You can email me at jverlin1@yahoo.com or visit my Etsy site at:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/VerlinStudios?ref=si_shop
Or--if you'd like information our marketing ideas/suggestions visit:
www.ondemandadvertisingsolutions.com.
Comments
Post a Comment