We are a non-profit organization that started our on line shop one year ago.  It is growing, but we are going to redesign the site.  We'll be adding more items and want to know what we can do to get our website out there.  Please check it out and give any suggestions.  wwww.emmetsburgirishgifts.com.
212220
Getting more visitors is one thing; and turning those visitors into buyers is another thing. If you are running an online store, you need to do BOTH.\n\nTo get visitors to your website:\n\n1. Offer the best products. Sounds like a no-brainer, but your products are your best advertisement - if visitors love your products, then they will go back and spread the word to others.\n\n2. Make it easy for users to recommend your site. Viral marketing is very important -- and easy to tap on the Web. But give your users the tools. Get a Recommend this Site script from websites such as cgiscripts.com and similar directories of scripts. Some even go as far as giving incentives to those who recommend the site to their friends. \n\n3. Rank well in the search engines (organic search results, not the pay per click). SEs can be a big source of traffic. The key is to create the best content in your niche. If you have good content, other websites will gladly link to you and offer your site as a resource to their audience. Check the on-page factors and be sure to get linked from authority sites in your topic area.\n\n4. Send out press releases. While outfits charge as much as $650 per release, there are free press release submission places on the Web. Press releases allow you to (a) attract media attention; (b) get more back links to your website without sending each website an email request; and (c) get more visibility especially if your press release gets in Google News or Yahoo News. Some sites that accept free press releases are PRWeb.com, PowerHomeBiz.com \n\n5. Advertise only if it will get you targeted traffic. Whether you use pay per click advertising or buying text links or buying banner ads, carefully monitor your return on investment. If possible, get metrics to tell you whether the PPC traffic is actually converting into sale. Google Analytics can show that to you if you are using Google Adwords.\n\nWith regards to getting the visitors to buy more stuff, here are some tips from the article "10 Ways to Convert Visitors to Buyers" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/072005/conversion.htm :\n\n1. Provide quality products or content. Good conversion rates start with quality and a great value proposition.\n\n2. Grab their attention immediately. Put your most important and succinct statement of what your website offer above the scroll (e.g. sales pitch, order button)\n\n3. It’s about the customer, all the time. Visitors will respond to your offer only if you can successfully make the case that your website exists for them, to provide them what they need and offer a solution to their problem. \n\n4. Design your page specifically for your target audience. \n\n5. Make it easy for them. Make the ordering process easy. An indicator of how well your process works is the ratio of abandoned shopping baskets to total orders – if this is higher than 10 percent, then it indicates that the online ordering process you have implemented is ineffective, or takes too long. \n\n6. Improve your site's copy. More than a tool to inform users of what the site is all about, the best type of web site copy explains to a visitor how your product will fulfill their wants, needs and desires. \n\n7. Think active! Use active voice to keep your customers motivated and fully engaged in the sales process. \n\n8. Increase trust factor. Trust is a key element of success on the Web. Visitors purchase only from websites they know will safeguard their information, provide them with quality service, and offer them products that are value for their money. \n\n9. Build customer loyalty. Loyalty marketing is a proven technique to increase conversion rates and improving bottom line.\n10. Study your metrics carefully. You must have a set of key performance indicators that you can look at every day to understand the pulse of your business.
340147
accept items of interest for resale. sort of a thrift store operation. there is nothing like getting something for your donation. you might can get a location donated.
15270
I would do a Yahoo store, and pay for Yahoo advertising, to get the word out that you exist.\n\nThey are CHEAPER than an Ebay store, and your site will look more professional!\n\nHere is the link:\nhttp://smallbusiness.yahoo.com
399552
Hiya :-) ! Not quite sure whether you will like this but, at the place indicated below, it seems to be quite nice :-) . Good luck and success :-) !
84278
Where do you live. I live in MI and we have a store here by me. However there is no website for them.
457877
This year, my husband and I decided to do most of our shopping online. That way, we wouldn't have to deal with all the crowds, the pushing, the shoving, etc. We made a plan of what we would buy and for whom, and it ended up being a theme this year to get everyone's gifts (except the kids' toys) through a charity or organization. So far, we have given to Beads for Education (they make beaded items to sell to raise money for girls in Kenya to go to school) Autism Speaks, the ASPCA, Jamestown Museum (they raise money for their archaeological research in Jamestown, Virginia) Big City Mountaineers (they take inner city kids camping, fishing, ect.) Breast Cancer Research (we bought items through Avon...100% of their profits go to the research) the American Cancer Society, College of the Atlantic (they "adopt" whales to people for a year, and the money goes to research on finback whales) World Wildlife Foundation, The Make a Wish Foundation and the USHS. It feels good to give to these organizations who could use the money more than my sister needs a new pair of cheap wal-mart earrings, and you can still get something in return to put under the tree. There are soooooo many more organizations out there that need help, and now is a good opportunity to pitch in. Not to mention that I'm almost done with my christmas shopping, and I didn't have to leave my computer....plus, if you have family members that won't be here this Christmas, you can have something shipped directly to them. My daughter even got into the spirit, and cut a foot of her hair off to give to Locks of Love....and she's only 8 years old...I'm so proud of her for being such a good person.  So, as for being "ready" for the upcoming holidays... I'm about halfway there (I still haven't decorated the house) But I took this opportunity to perhaps give others ideas that would "pay it forward" this year. Good luck to everyone!
99808
If you want visitors to come back, keep it update all the times. I have created mine here: http://osbaldoh.com and I keep it fresh, clean and looks cool. Make sure you have interesting facts, do not give your opinion, because no one cares, just put a News page, or write articles about your community events/whatever. Make sure you have a Contact us page, if you don't have one, they will not come back. Frequently asked questions also help out a lot. Hope these tips work, and by the way, Microsoft had FREE web hosting with 50MB of online storage.
175982
There are lots of great tools out there that are helpful, including sites that offer templates and help you get started. I have been impressed with the tools and service of GoDaddy (www.godaddy.com). If you'd like to learn more about the process, consider buying this book, which outlines the process, step-by-step: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764507206/103-8389304-7234204?v=glance&n=283155\n\nHere's some tips from http://website-design.mcdar.net/:\n\nSo you want to build a website here I will explain some simple but also key aspects that are commonly taken in to consideration when a website developer creates a website.\n\n1) Website Design - The website design must be neat meaning that everything looks like where it is meant to be (nothing out of place or out of proportion). Also your sites design is related to the topic of your website e.g. your site is about flowers then your design must have flowers.\n\n2) Site Navigation - Visitors must be able to get where they want to go without going through a maze a good way of putting it if you can get there in 3 clicks it should be fine. Also it helps when search engine spiders go through your site since it makes it easy for the spiders to index the site.\n\n3) Domain Name - Domain name is important since it is one of the first thing that your visitors will see. Your domain should relate to your site topic or business name. Length of the domain usually 6-8 characters is a good length and easy for visitors to type.\n\n4) Scroll Bars - don't make your website pages too long so your visitors have to scroll for hours it is also a good option to just create another page and don't make people scroll side to side.\n5) Returning Visitors - make your visitors return to your site by adding one or all to your site:\n\n- Email Newsletter (Ezine)\n- Community Forums\n- Online Tools\n- Online Games\n- Useful Content\n- Competitions and Prizes\n- and so on\n\n5) Website Logo - Make your logo unique and brandable so that people will remember your logo and then will remember your site and products.\n\nThese are some simple points that you may take into consideration when you build your website if you need some further assistance have a look at your competitors website and see what they have done. Remember what you put in is what you get out of your website and on that note GOOD LUCK and enjoy the whole process of building your very own virtual property.\n\n\nAll that said, if you'd like something simple and quick, here's the company that made my website, and they charged me less than $300. I knew nothing about doing it, but it came out great and they guided me every step of the way: www.wordtechs.com.\n\n\nGood luck with your new venture!\n~Tia~
633799
check with the website that sponsors the group. like if it's a yahoo group, email yahoo about it. letting the members know would also be a good idea, even if the sponsoring website doesn't require it.
545365
Here is an honest   opinion of your website .. because all the hard work involved making one you deserve it . \n\nI think it's really nice .\n-nice layout   \n- Nice colors \n-  Great right to the point  information \n\nI visited every page and link on your site  .. no problems at all \n\nGood site to visit! I'll pass it on . As well as keep it in my favourites .\n\ngood job and good luck with it, !!\n\nIf your looking for visitors go to google groups in music and advertize !! my friend who owns  www.asktheastronomer.blogspot.com  did that and wow he got alot of  visitors and reply's !!\n\nare you paying for it ?  if not what site is the hosting site ?
594874
I just checked out the site. I admit I know nothing about lacrosse or about stringing. But the site looks good and well organized and I can't think of a reason why I wouldn't go with your product. I went to yahoo and typed in Stringing and Pinching to see what is all out there. Once again I don't know if that is how a lacrosse player would search for these products or not. But I didn't see you guys on my search. I can't buy anything from you if I can't find you. You have the site set up now I would concentrate on making sure you are one of the first store that pop up when people search for lacrosse items. People don't like to look to fare for there products and will choose quickly where there money is going to go. Good luck.
507493
The place is very crucial, for FMCG products. In what state you are going to set-up, your establishment? Further, what are the products you are interested in. If you start with one, the other companies having similar products will follow. If you write to me in detail, I can advise you.
505026
i think there is no interaction in your site\n\nit is just showing  what all items available better add animation to the   \npage like the turning around of articles and some like that\n\nbut you said it is your first time\n\nand for first timers your website is cool
255494
Anything from pictures to movies, try seeing if you can put a wombat fact finder game, something to keep ppl interested in your site, update it often...take a look at my site http://nighteyes.serveftp.com and see if theres anything on it that you like and IM me and I'll tell you how its done.
83660
lol...some of the shirts are pretty funny...its weird i saw this bartender wearing the choose sex 1 a couple weeks ago, but i couldnt understand where she said got it. but the 1 problem with the site is the artwork needs a little fixing, i ordered the C.S. shirt but i dont know if i would of if i didnt see it in person..the C.S. takes up the whole back of the shirt, on the site it makes it look like an after thought. maybe they should use actual pics or something.
58360
I adore the website\nwww.theknot.com\n\nI am making my own invitations, but I found the idea on this website.  It's a great resource if you haven't checked it out!
489189
no where near enough information about what's going on.\n\n1st) what's the website - so it can be looked at\n\n2nd) Do you know if you are using CSS or tables or both?\n\n3rd) Is this site just your persona; 'for fun' site aor a business site?   (This is importnat because if it's a fun site I can help you with the alignment issues and we won't care as much about good practices and html standards - but a business site is much more important to keep clean and working right)\n\nLet me know these things via email and I'll try to steer you in the right direction