Okay, so this was a recent question in a small business forum. I will paraphrase it below then give my response. I also welcome your responses!

I have run an online shop for the past year. Although I only sell one product, there are over a thousand styles available right now. My products are high quality and low price. Most are priced $15.

However, business is not good because I only receive 20 orders per month. Is my product unpopular? Useless? Why aren’t people buying from my site?

I appreciate any suggestions from you.

Puzzled

Great question! I don’t want to disclose this person’s business website. However for the record, their product is for everyday wear. Though only one product is sold, there is such variety in styles, the seller can create a niche market. The web site looks professional and secure for shoppers. The web site also offers several ways to search for what you want.

So what the deal? Here’s my response:

Dear Puzzled,

Congrats on a web site that is well-organized and professional. It even looks as though you have optimized your web site for keywords pertaining to your product. Have you put your name out there? Submit your site to e-commerce search engines so that your products come up in their internet searches. Maybe you can even do some search engine marketing like Google AdWords. Promote yourself with press releases, news articles, email newsletters, videos, whatever you can think of!

Now another thing to look at…. the buying process has to be really easy, there can be no roadblocks or annoyances.  When I clicked on “Add To Cart”, a dialog box popped up saying “You Must Login First.” Then users must sign up for your site just to purchase a tie.

My suggestion is to eliminate this step.  Allow people to “Add To Cart” and to pay as anonymous guests. Then once you have gotten their payment/billing info, offer the option to save them as a registered user in your database.  I hope this makes sense, it will eliminate the alarming popup box that might be discouraging shoppers.

Well what do you think?

According to the WebProNews Staff, about three-quarters of all online shoppers are dissatisfied with their online shopping experiences. In addition, “Nearly 80 percent rarely or never purchase a product without complete information, and 72 percent will take off to a competitor that does supply that information.”

If you offer an online shopping experience, these are sobering numbers. In the article 24 Ways to Get a Customer and Keep a Customer, you will find the top mistakes e-commerce websites make, and how to beat out your online competition. It highlights the importance of the search function and your landing pages.

WebProNews also notes that a study from the e-tailing group listed these as the most important online shopping features to customers:

1.    Product overview
2.    Merchant’s guarantee
3.    Stock status/availability
4.    Quality of image
5.    Customer service links
6.    Product specific information
7.    Long description
8.    Size chart
9.    Toll-free number
10.    Ratings and reviews

Not only do you need these features, but they must be functioning correctly and be simple and intuitive to use. Contact Mindspring Design today to install these features on your e-commerce website.

For the other 14 quick fixes, read:
24 Ways to Get a Customer and Keep a Customer

“Colour is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.” — Claude Monet
“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way — things I had no words for.” — Georgia O’Keeffe

Who makes your business’ color choices and how are these choices made? (Is your logo blue because that’s your favorite color? Does your graphic designer choose colors because they are popular?) What are the colors in your advertising and collateral actually saying about you? And why is it so important?

According to recent research, people are 55% more likely to pick up a piece printed in color. The use of color increases retention by an average of 65%. Using color in printed material increases readership by up to 80%. And color can increase the likelihood of a purchase by 80% or more. (Taken from Color Your Business: Develop a Color Marketing Scheme)

The colors in your marketing materials involve the emotions and senses in a way that cannot easily be explained. Colors can convey information about your brand, visually engage potential clients, and involve their senses, memories, and responses. So it’s important to choose a website or graphic designer who makes adept use of color combinations to help you achieve your marketing goals.

Before I briefly list basic color connotations, please remember: Everyone’s reactions to color will differ slightly based on their personal experiences. Western color connotations will differ from those of Eastern cultures. Almost every color has warm and cool shades. The temperature of the color will also dictate usage.

Red. Strength, passion, excitement, stimulation, energy, attention, danger.

Pink. Youthfulness, romance, energy, fun, sentimental.

Orange. Warmth, energy, whimsy, friendly, vibrant, cheerful, youthful, fun.

Yellow. Happiness, sunshine, energy, optimism, warmth, alertness, enlightenment, creativity.

Green. Freshness, nature, energy, growth, refreshment, healing, tranquility, wealth.

Blue. Trust, loyalty, peace, coolness, dependability, security, serenity, stability, trustworthiness.

Purple. Royalty, wisdom, mystery, spirituality, nostalgia.

Brown. Old-fashioned, earthy, stability, upscale.

Black. Power, mystery, sorrow, strength, elegance.

White. Purity, cleanness, innocence, simplicity, youth, sterile.

Book Recommendation:  A Pantone Color Resource. COLOR: messages & meanings.

For a color consultation or analysis of your current marketing materials and website, call Mindspring Design at (856) 393-0385.

Okay, a bit of shameless self-promotion never hurt anyone. Hey, it’s my blog! So the following is going to be put into my new ads. It’s adapted from The Web Design Business Kit (www.sitepoint.com). Everytime you try a new online marketing approach, document it. Document how much you spend, how long it runs, who responds and who buys. Here it goes:

Free webinar details the secret to web site success…

Often times web sites are developed by cool designers who have little or no interest or understanding in your business needs. What you need is a website that really works.

Mindspring Design is a cutting-edge web development firm. We know how to make a web site that generates leads, positions your business, and increases customer care.

Specializing in:

• web site development
• improving under-performing web sites
• online marketing

For your FREE Webinar: 9 Steps to Building a Small Business Website, or for your free consultation, call (856) 393-0385.

I’m a big fan of Hubspot’s Internet Marketing Blog. They always feature hot topics and offer educational downloads. Hubspot also produces cool videos highlighting inbound marketing techniques from industry leaders. Check out their free Marketing Whitepapers which touch on:

• using Twitter and Facebook
• getting found online
• online marketing

Stay abuzz by adding Hubspot’s Internet Marketing Blog to your Favorites, as it is a valuable resource for small businesses!

Many small businesses are using social media (like Facebook, Twitter, and blogs) to drive sales. One firm has their sales targeted to reach $1 million this year.

Here are a few excerpts:

Two-thirds of all online users visit social networks and blogs, according to data from Nielsen Online.

There’s no better reference than your friends telling you about something. It’s that exact interaction that happens on Facebook

Read the entire article here.

Mindspring Design can help you to establish and design your blog, and link your website to Twitter and Facebook accounts.

This short video interviews John Marshall of MarketMotive (former CEO of ClickTracks) and explains how small businesses can make the most of their analytics software. He recommends you answer 2-3 business questions you’ve crafted in just a half an hour using your analytics program. He recommends 3 different web analytics tracking programs. And he also offers resources for help deciphering your analytics reports.

Maya David is a licensed New Jersey teacher who gives private Math and Reading lessons to students (grades K-8) who may need more personal attention than is provided during the regular school day. Maya is also a licensed Spanish teacher who has taught the Spanish language to adults and children, both in the classroom and privately. Here she highlights the joys and challenges of running her tutoring business.

Mindspring Design: What made you start up your tutoring business?

Primero Tutoring (Maya David): I used to tutor in college, and I enjoyed the personal attention and time I got to spend with each student. After I got laid off [from teaching in elementary school], I decided to give it a try on my own. I worked with a tutoring agency for one summer, and I realized I could make more money and get more contacts on my own. So I went off to do it on my own.

How did you develop the concept for Primero Tutoring?

Since I majored in Spanish [in college], I was going to focus on Spanish and also elementary math and reading. I thought that the name [Primero Tutoring] was a good combination of both themes – it encompasses Spanish along with general tutoring. And “primero” means number one!

What do you enjoy most about your business?

I like being able to really see students make progress on an individual level. Because when you teach in a classroom, you don’t get to give enough attention to each student to work on his or her specific needs. And I feel like I can accomplish a lot. I also enjoy the fact that I get to be a support to the family, not only educationally but also emotionally. I feel like I have a more personal connection with the families I’m involved with, and I like that a lot better than teaching in a classroom. I could teach like this all day long!

What are your biggest business challenges?

Finding enough time to find business and staying organized. Also keeping up with developing my professional skills.

Do you have any advice for other small startups?

If you don’t succeed the first time, try again. I tried this a couple of years ago and it didn’t go very far. The second time I did more reading and research and it went better. Keep trying, studying and researching, and that will help improve your chances.

Check out Maya David’s website and blog at www.primerotutoring.com.

Are you a small business owner or marketing manager seeking to hire a website designer or graphic designer? Before you do, you must read this great article by Andy Rutledge entitled Don’t Walk; Run.

He discusses how to save yourself time and money, and to get what you want out of your company’s creative projects. Too many designers simply don’t ask questions or ask the wrong questions, and are more concerned with where a pixel should go rather than meeting your business needs. Rutledge’s article is frank and to the point, and will help you identify a designer who is just as passionate about achieving your business goals as you are.

When choosing a printing company to produce your marketing materials, you want the best quality for your money. Here are a few tips to help you find the best printer for your marketing needs.

Get multiple price quotes from reputable printers. Make sure to send each printer the same project description so that you can compare apples to apples. Include the size of the paper, whether or not the artwork bleeds off the paper, number of ink colors, number of pages, type of paper, file type, etc. Be as descriptive as possible, a good printer will often follow up your enquiry with additional questions and suggestions.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Price Quote Request [PDF Example]
And check out this glossary of printing terms so that you’re not left in the dark!

Aside from your graphic designer, ask your printer any questions you have. They are knowledgeable about design layout, paper weights, ink colors, and more. Once you find a printer you like, try to build a relationship. You may even be able to visit the press facilities for a tour. This has been very helpful to me in the past.

Local Printers

I’ve had good experience with these local south Jersey printers. What printers have you used? Have you had good or bad experiences?

• Alphagraphics
• Kiva Printing & Graphics
• Minuteman Press
• Pirolli Printing
• FedEx Kinkos (the Cherry Hill branch is open 24-hours — I’m listing it only for if you’re in a bind, but don’t expect miracles at this location, let alone a good print job)

I’ve also had good experiences using online printing services for pop-up banners, tablecovers, t-shirts, and direct mail postcards. Just make sure you use a reputable company that gives you a proof (so you can see what your final will look like) and has a good return policy. And make sure to call their customer service reps for any guidance and practical suggestions.

Ways to Save Money

• Design with only 1 ink color.
• Don’t let your design bleed off the paper.
• Choose standard paper sizes.
• Avoid folds, special cuts (die-cuts), special colors (like metallic inks).

Have you found a creative way to save money in your business printing endeavors? Let us know.