My new business - marketing expert needed!

[yourdj]

Hi I have just bought a handbag shop and am not sure which way to go with marketing :confused:
and no I have not come out of the closet - just an excuse to go to fashion fairs and stare at the models :p

http://www.myhandbagshop.co.uk/

Its purley an online enterprise so any advice on online advertising useful.
I know the obvious like adwords etc. but any other tricks would be good :)

Its not bad on google already (13) http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=handbagshop&aq=f&aqi=g-sx10&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

I also need it for my other site too:

http://www.bogfrog.co.uk/

Thanks in advance :)

[Marc J]

From what I can see you have a total of 18 bags. Content is king, so you're never going to do very well with such a small inventory in a huge marketplace. If there was something unique about them then maybe, but as far as I can tell they are just generic handbags. No manufacturer / designer details or anything, so there's no way to easily compare your prices with anyone else's for the same bag.

The advice I give to clients selling online is either get exclusivity deals on good products, or simply sell cheaper than the next guy.

Looking at your site it throws up various warnings which would mean I personally wouldn't buy, and these are things I advise clients against: -

1) Uses free software (osCommerce)
2) Claims to have SSL for payments, but the account creation page (where customers enter personal details) isn't secure.
3) Seems to only use PayPal for payments.
4) No contact details, not even a phone number.

Run an adwords campaign if your profit margin allows it - but only if you fix the above issues first or it's a waste of money.

Submit product feeds (regularly) to price comparison sites. Start with Google Base as it is free and widely used. Others are: -

ShopMania
NexTag
Shopping.com / DealTime.com
Shopzilla.com / BizRate.com
PriceRunner
Yahoo Shopping (Kelkoo)
eDirectory.co.uk
MSN Shopping / Ciao
SHOP.COM
PriceSCAN.com
http://www.pricecomparison.co.uk/
http://www.foundem.co.uk
PriceGrabber

Get a Google Analytics account and stick the code on the site - you need to know where it is succeeding (or failing).

Submit a sitemap to Google and make sure it's updated when your inventory is. Stick it on Google Local (maps).

Lose the scroller on the right hand side!

This link isn't anything to do with me or the ecommerce software I personally use, but it has a lot of good info: http://www.easywebstore.net/Promoting-your-Online-Store

[yourdj]

From what I can see you have a total of 18 bags. Content is king.

Looking at your site it throws up various warnings

2) Claims to have SSL for payments, but the account creation page (where customers enter personal details) isn't secure.

4) No contact details, not even a phone number.


Thanks for the help - very useful :)

The stock on there is just some random bags my girlfriends mum bought.
Im getting a load of stock from bulaggi who sell very nice bags. should be fashion, party, summer, business categories.
Im adding a manbag section at some point too.

I will put an address in but my girlfriend is in full time employment at the moment but will come out of that when this gets going.
Do you think i could get an 0844 and have it divert straight to a message?

it is paypal now and will be sagepay soon when i can justify the monthly payment.

I have registered for a business link seminar which should be good :)

cheers

[Spirits High]

I have registered for a business link seminar which should be good :)


I'm going on my second one next month ;)

1st one was all about marketing the one next month is "Brand awareness, what do your clients see"

Which again should be an interesting day out and the bonus side is there's always loads of coffee and lunch!

[UltraBeat Entertainment]

I know very little about this subject but I would say if your going to introduce male products you should change the pink trimming around your site to something more neutral. I quite like the site layout, looks good.

I think you really need some contact details on there. You have a link to youtube, Are you planning to upload video's of your products otherwise a tad pointless. Home page looks empty.

[CRAZY K]

I'm going on my second one next month ;)

1st one was all about marketing the one next month is "Brand awareness, what do your clients see"

Which again should be an interesting day out and the bonus side is there's always loads of coffee and lunch!

Business Link
:thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up:

[yourdj]

I know very little about this subject but I would say if your going to introduce male products you should change the pink trimming around your site to something more neutral. I quite like the site layout, looks good.

Cheers.

It was more for females buying gifts for thier men.
Im setting up another site for blokes bags. It will have loads of naked women on and guns and cars. :D

http://daddytypes.com/archive/staten_manbag.jpg

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Man bags you mean....

Blokes bag...:lol:

[Alex]

Toby,

First thing is the SEO of the site.

First thing I noticed was in Google it shows the menu bar details as the description of the site.... this should fix fixed asap.

I've found the best way to rank highly on google is using the following sum: PT + (PD+URL)

PT is page title... this is the first section google tends to show and scan,
The next is PD... page description.... the spiders will search through the page description looking for keywords.

Finally.... URL.....
Currently your day bags shows : http://www.myhandbagshop.co.uk/day-bags-c-41.html

Where possible, I would try shortening it and removing the suffix too... so it reads
http://www.myhandbagshop.co.uk/day-bags (At the moment this brings up a 404 Error bar)

With regards to AdWords.... it is widely known that 90% of consumers actually ignore the sponsored results. The public are getting switched on knowing that chances are the "advert" wont be actually what they are looking for.... so while I think it would ok to start with, just to start getting brand awareness out there ... long term, I think adwords doesn't work that much anymore. And it's costly when doing it nationally.

Think about the search terms that people will be using... for example :

() Ladies Handbags
() "brand name" handbags (insert a real brand)
() Man bags
() shoulder bag
....etc....
Perhaps create landing pages with the PD + PT optimised for these kind of searchs.

Another thing is to join shed loads of woman forums... like netmums.co.uk and things like that... and just post occasionally.

HOTUKDEALS..... is very very popular. Post on there.... advertising a " sale " items perhaps?? Or a bargain someone could grab!



Some other points.....
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QUOTE: Lose the scroller on the right hand side! ---- COMPLETELY AGREE!
instead, have a random image module that shows just ONE image perhaps, that changes each time the page is refreshed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

I would also move the SSL image. I personally would put this either at the very bottom of the left menu or at the bottom of the screen.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Search Feature --- This needs to be made bigger and perhaps put at the top of the left menu. Allowing easy search features will make it more user friendly.


Also as a note.... I don't see a problem with using free software
QUOTE: (1) Uses free software (osCommerce))

The worlds most successful Mazda MX5 Parts and Accessories store runs OSC.... www.mx5parts.co.uk
In fact, it was myself and my parents who started & ran this company for 8 years before selling it on for a nice sum.....
So personally, free E-commerce software is NOT a problem. In fact you'll have a lot of support from each community that created the software.

Toby if you want on Tuesday, we'll have a chat.... I've got a fair bit of knowledge in mail order so may be able to offer you some help.

[STEVE HANLEY]

I can't even believe I've clicked onto a thread about handbags:eek: :eek:

Now where's that thread about Paratroopers who jump without a reserve??

[Alex]

Quote: Do you think i could get an 0844 and have it divert straight to a message?


Yes you can get this service but it is expensive.
You might find it cheaper to install a second line and have the 0844 connect to this? Then have an answering service to answer the call.
If you have a spare PC this is easily accomplished....
if you call my landline number : 02392 345556 you can hear what I have set up.
In all fairness each option has it's own mailbox so my messages are organised

I've always used : http://www.uk2numbers.co.uk/

They are relatively cheap for numbers and the reporting section is fantastic! Outstanding information!!

[yourdj]

Yes you can get this service but it is expensive.!

it was more of a question to ask if people would trust a voice machine and not talk to someone? at least the options there and they will think its a direct line, which it will be when my girlfriends full time.

its £15 a month for my ringcentral account for DJing with call mins too. :) worth it i think to install some confidence in my prospective clients. ;)

[yourdj]

Toby,
HOTUKDEALS..... is very very popular. Post on there.... advertising a " sale " items perhaps?? Or a bargain someone could grab!

I don't see a problem with using free software

Toby if you want on Tuesday, we'll have a chat.... I've got a fair bit of knowledge in mail order so may be able to offer you some help.

Thanks Next tues would be great! :)

do not see a problem using free software either as i doubt anyone buying a bag would know or care anyway? I don't know the difference and I'm a graphic designer! Its an online shop too me LOL.

Unfortunately its tied in with a hosting plan and i cant touch it! I can change a few bits and bobs but its stuck like that for now, but im happy with it to be honest. I did submit a redesign (although i was very limited with what i could do) as the previous site was really bad (but she made lots of money!).

I think getting good contact details, good stock with good photos is first thing and then list the hell out of it and as you say get on womens forums, google base etc.

bit like the uk wedding blokes marketing scheme getting one here :p He is not a dj but more a person trying to sell a service.

:)

[Alex]

it was more of a question to ask if people would trust a voice machine and not talk to someone? at least the options there and they will think its a direct line, which it will be when my girlfriends full time.

its £15 a month for my ringcentral account for DJing with call mins too. :) worth it i think to install some confidence in my prospective clients. ;)

Tricky one... as i think from a customer service point of view it would be better to have a direct line to an advisor ( your girlfriend ) but obviously if this is a side venture at the moment.... then I would say a voice mail system would be ok for short term :)

I'll be arriving at the meeting about 6ish so we can have a chat :)

[Marc J]

First thing I noticed was in Google it shows the menu bar details as the description of the site.... this should fix fixed asap.

That's only because the example google search was for "handbagshop", something which (imho) would never be searched on, and there's no description tag. In the abscence of a description meta tag Google picks what it thinks is a relevant snippet from the page to show, which is what has happened. Search for "Green glamorous leather effect handbag" (http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&q=Green+glamorous+leather+effect+handbag&aq=&aqi=&aql=&oq=Green+glamorous+leather+effect+handbag&gs_rfai=&fp=72c1a04cfa3293a1) or "site:www.myhandbagshop.co.uk" (http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&q=site%3Awww.myhandbagshop.co.uk&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=site%3Awww.myhandbagshop.co.uk&gs_rfai=&fp=72c1a04cfa3293a1) and you'll see something more meaningful (although that last one lists a lot of products which are no longer there).


I've found the best way to rank highly on google is using the following sum: PT + (PD+URL)

PT is page title... this is the first section google tends to show and scan,
The next is PD... page description.... the spiders will search through the page description looking for keywords.

Finally.... URL.....
Currently your day bags shows : http://www.myhandbagshop.co.uk/day-bags-c-41.html

Where possible, I would try shortening it and removing the suffix too... so it reads
http://www.myhandbagshop.co.uk/day-bags (At the moment this brings up a 404 Error bar)

What are you doing with that sum? The page titles are relevant on sections / products, it's only the Home page that has "Welcome" and nothing else (and that needs fixing.) I'm not so sure about removing -c-41 from the URL would make any actual difference, the important thing is that it does include the section / product name.


With regards to AdWords.... it is widely known that 90% of consumers actually ignore the sponsored results. The public are getting switched on knowing that chances are the "advert" wont be actually what they are looking for....

Where on Earth do you get that from? I just did a quick check on a very successfull multi-national site I run, which does very well organically in SEO but also runs Adwords (which typically hit budget half way through the day) and the balance for Google traffic is exactly 50% organic 50% adwords.

Which kind of agrees with this: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/poll/10-08-2009/do-you-click-the-ads-on-google - i.e. 47% ignore them. Not 90%.


Also as a note.... I don't see a problem with using free software
QUOTE: (1) Uses free software (osCommerce))

The worlds most successful Mazda MX5 Parts and Accessories store runs OSC.... www.mx5parts.co.uk
In fact, it was myself and my parents who started & ran this company for 8 years before selling it on for a nice sum.....
So personally, free E-commerce software is NOT a problem. In fact you'll have a lot of support from each community that created the software.


do not see a problem using free software either as i doubt anyone buying a bag would know or care anyway? I don't know the difference and I'm a graphic designer! Its an online shop too me LOL.

Unfortunately its tied in with a hosting plan and i cant touch it! I can change a few bits and bobs but its stuck like that for now, but im happy with it to be honest. I did submit a redesign (although i was very limited with what i could do) as the previous site was really bad (but she made lots of money!).

There's nothing wrong with using osC, especially if your budget is tight, I've used it in the past for clients who are just starting out. What I did say was the use of free software along with the other 3 points I listed would set alarm bells ringing and I wouldn't buy from it. And it sounds like any advantage of using osC (i.e. the free software, community support, ability to get in and customise it) are all negated because it's part of a package by a web design company, and so the reason for the use of osC is to increase their profit.