help-more sales needed

[beepbeepbaby]

hi all
i am doing well with regard to traffic to my website, but i need more sales. How do i get more sales?
is affiliate marketing the way to go?
thanks


www.beepbeepbaby.com

[El Craigo]

Hi Beep Beep,

I've noticed you place a number of similar threads asking for advice, but you never seem to respond to any given.

In terms of your sales, as mentioned before ... and my opinion only, but do you really think that people are going to pay to receive SMS messages on a subject they can educate themselves via books and the internet?

If you're doing well with traffic but not sales, that in itself should be an indication to you.

Your site seems to be cute, but I just can't get my head around how people would ever want to pay for it.

regards,

Craig

[newbie]

Originally Posted by El Craigo

Hi Beep Beep,

I've noticed you place a number of similar threads asking for advice, but you never seem to respond to any given.

In terms of your sales, as mentioned before ... and my opinion only, but do you really think that people are going to pay to receive SMS messages on a subject they can educate themselves via books and the internet?

If you're doing well with traffic but not sales, that in itself should be an indication to you.

Your site seems to be cute, but I just can't get my head around how people would ever want to pay for it.

regards,

Craig

I completely agree with Craig. I was going to respond in the same fashion as soon as I found a link to something like "great ideas that started off as something else" but I have drawn a blank.

I think most affiliates assess a new merchant by first asking the question "would I buy from here if I needed it" and in your case the answer was no.

In all other aspects, your plan is good and well-executed. I wish I could think of a useful application for the technology to post here.

I know if I keep searching I will find a long list of very successful companies that changed from their initial course using the same technology but for a different purpose.

[Marlnet]

Originally Posted by beepbeepbaby

hi all
i am doing well with regard to traffic to my website, but i need more sales. How do i get more sales?
is affiliate marketing the way to go?
thanks


www.beepbeepbaby.com

You really need to tell people what they're buying!

Your website reads as if I would receive sms's on how many millimetres the ogre has grown in a week.

Hardly inspiring...

Consider doing more market research as to where would be your biggest market - if it's the USA for example, then de-Australia it and/or have IP specific currency displayed.

You've chosen a niche market in a decidely non-niche genre - there will be plenty of customers for you if you keep testing and trying.

And yes, affiliate marketing is the way forward. Following a few links posted elsewhere on the forum I came acrosss the developers MyGraphicGarden.com.au - just look at the number of kid clothing sites etc that they have designed for! Get yourself out there and research, research, research...! People will promote you if, like your customers, they know what they're actually promoting...

[beepbeepbaby]

hi all
thanks for all your help. It is very much appreciated.

On this point - Consider doing more market research as to where would be your biggest market - if it's the USA for example, then de-Australia it and/or have IP specific currency displayed.

Do you mean here-when the website is searched in america, have it come up in american$ and when searched for in australia aus$? how do i do this though?

also, i have stated in the contact us section that the website is in australia-is this a good thing to do ro should i leave that out?
thanks again for all your help

[Marlnet]

Originally Posted by beepbeepbaby

hi all
thanks for all your help. It is very much appreciated.

On this point - Consider doing more market research as to where would be your biggest market - if it's the USA for example, then de-Australia it and/or have IP specific currency displayed.

Do you mean here-when the website is searched in america, have it come up in american$ and when searched for in australia aus$? how do i do this though?

also, i have stated in the contact us section that the website is in australia-is this a good thing to do ro should i leave that out?
thanks again for all your help

If you were a customer considering this, would you prefer to have the pricing displayed in AU$ or US$? Same in reverse, and for the Kiwis, Brits and all...

A decent developer will be able to get the right landing page showing for the right market...

This of course addresses your secondary question - there is no need to push that you're Australian (unless this proves to be your biggest market) - what does it achieve? By all means (and indeed always!) have a physical address that people can direct their enquiries to, but no need to push your geographical location in this instance is my feeling.

You are asking people to trust their money, their contact details, their friend's and family's details, and associated phone numbers with you - that is one hell of an ask. Do you think (non accusatory) that you cover this off to a sufficent degree? Maybe have an internal round table to debate to ensure that you're happy with the answer.

But still the biggest question remains: why? What am I going to get???

You really, really need to inspire more with your website text - harsh, but I consider fair and true.

Sell it to me - just respect my excitement and anticipation, and that of those around me - positive not cheesy!!!

[beepbeepbaby]

hi Marlnet
thanks so much for your advice.
i totally agree with what u r saying.
i will be working on it asap and will get my developer to sort out the currency issue.

[Robyn]

I've been thinking about this and I don't think the overall concept is a bad idea at all.

I think the gift subscription is probably the best angle and is most likely to succeed. However, I think most gifts are given once the baby is born (or at least late in the pregnancy) not at the announcement of the pregnancy.

I know exactly what you have in mind in the sms subscription service (because I have read pregnancy books) but think you will find it difficult to get paid subscriptions simply because this idea is covered brilliantly in "What to expect when you are expecting" and I am betting every other pregnancy book on the market and I believe traditional old books are far more likely to be loaned or given from family and friends during pregnancy.

The other factor is women and men are keen to research and read this kind of info themselves during pregnancy (and as Craig points out it's easily accessible via other avenues). During my pregnancy I had to stop myself skipping ahead of the forementioned book each week to read what was going on next.

So here's an idea for you:

Could you not either alter or include the content of the sms to be post birth development information and tips? I think this is a much bigger market for you in terms of a great gift idea and after the birth of a child the convenience of sms info and tips could be a much bigger plus, I know I needed the info from books more than ever after the arrival and yet was too damn tired and busy to spend time reading.

Some of the info in the sms could refer back to more in depth articles on your site - pointing to useful products and services (you could make affiliate commision from) as well as free tips, advice and info, why not add a forum for members if you start to get traffic coming back from the sms's?

Finally I agree it's really important to have instant opt out for reasons Gav (I'm pretty sure) pointed out in a previous thread for either pre or post birth subscriptions.

Best of luck with it,
Robyn

[leadegroot]

Side note here - you need to make it incredibly easy to unsubscribe (assuming you haven't already )
Sometimes pregnancies don't go ... well and having SMSes keep showing up for the rest of the term would be absolutely heartbreaking Just a thought.

[beepbeepbaby]

hi all
thanks for all your points, they have been very useful and have given me lots to think about. I think i am in the early stages of the websites development and who knows where it could go. its all very exciting and i am really enjoying working on it.

we do have a very easy opt out system, you just text cancel to a number, or you can cancel online or by email, so there are a few options available for customers to cancel.

i will take all your points on board and work on them
thanks again