Websites that Work
This is the beginning of a series of posts, newsletters and shows on Wrap'n Radio on making a website that works. By "works" I mean that it functions properly, as well as does the work for you of bringing in customers and actually having sales.
I know of quite a few candy wrappers who have websites that don't make sales. I've heard from others who have asked if the expense of a website is worth it, or if they really can have enough sales to make it worthwhile. To both, I say Yes!
The information, tips and ideas will take you through the steps from first concept, right through to uploading and even some seo (search engine optimization). Even though I will start at the beginning, those who already have a website will find it interesting as well. As you read through the different exercises, it's a great time for you to pause and asses the effectiveness of your own website and see if there are some modifications that made it more efficient, productive and profitable.
Let's begin with your first steps in designing a website. The first step actually needs to be done either at your desk or dining room table. You need to organize your website before you do anything on-line.
Always remember through the entire process of designing, creating and modifying your website that it’s not actually for YOU, it’s for YOUR CUSTOMERS. Your website may be appealing or look cute to you, but how will it look at the kind of customer you are trying to attract? So, throughout this exercise, look at your website through your customers' eyes and keep that in mind as you work.
Your website is your store. Think about that as you go through the rest of this article and follow the suggestions it contains. Remember to call in to Wrap’n Radio Sunday afternoon at 4 pm Eastern Time, during the Websites That Work series, where I discuss these concepts and will answer any of your questions.
But first, take the time to sit down with different colors of paper. On white paper, write down every product you want to sell through your website. Each product should be on a different piece of paper. Now think about how you want to organize your page to display these products.
Whether it be by product type, season, occasion, price range, whatever it is you think you want to do. Keep in mind as you go through this exercise of how your prospective customers will find these products. Are they all going to be listed on your homepage? Do you want links leading from say a candle page to matching candle holders? As you work with the pieces of paper, organizing them as outlined below, don’t forget that you have to make headings for your homepage, maybe price list page, ordering page (although most people make it easy on a customer to order directly on the same page as the product they wish to order). As the number of pages grow, the different connotations can become endless. So, let’s take a look at the process.
Write each of these headings on a different colored piece of paper (i.e. if by product type blue would be hats, green would be gloves, red would be shoes, etc.). Then lay your headings out and place the products that match each of those headings underneath them.
This where you can do some planning. If there are too many under one heading, how can you reorganize that? Does the list look overly-long if you have a lot of one type of product in many different colors or styles? Try re-organizing using different headings. Use different colors for seasons maybe and see how that works. This may take some time, shuffling of papers around in different set-ups for different categories and lot of reorganizing again and again until you are satisfied with what you see.
Once you have completed this task, you have conquered a major step in your website designing stage. Now you have in front of you exactly how your website should come together. With the navigation decided upon, the next step is content, such as what you want your customers to see, read and use your website.
Through this series, we will discuss wording, text placement, graphics placement, colors, theme, style – have fun!
Now, I'm sure that a lot of you will have questions as you work your way through this and the following exercises. That precise why it will be the subject on Wrap’n Radio as we go through this series together.
So, tune into Wrap'n Radio each Sunday afternoon, beginning at 4:00 pm Eastern time and call in if you have any questions or need help to clarify anything we’ve covered. Each caller will receive a FREE CJ’s candy wrapper set just for asking a question!
I know of quite a few candy wrappers who have websites that don't make sales. I've heard from others who have asked if the expense of a website is worth it, or if they really can have enough sales to make it worthwhile. To both, I say Yes!
The information, tips and ideas will take you through the steps from first concept, right through to uploading and even some seo (search engine optimization). Even though I will start at the beginning, those who already have a website will find it interesting as well. As you read through the different exercises, it's a great time for you to pause and asses the effectiveness of your own website and see if there are some modifications that made it more efficient, productive and profitable.
Let's begin with your first steps in designing a website. The first step actually needs to be done either at your desk or dining room table. You need to organize your website before you do anything on-line.
Always remember through the entire process of designing, creating and modifying your website that it’s not actually for YOU, it’s for YOUR CUSTOMERS. Your website may be appealing or look cute to you, but how will it look at the kind of customer you are trying to attract? So, throughout this exercise, look at your website through your customers' eyes and keep that in mind as you work.
Your website is your store. Think about that as you go through the rest of this article and follow the suggestions it contains. Remember to call in to Wrap’n Radio Sunday afternoon at 4 pm Eastern Time, during the Websites That Work series, where I discuss these concepts and will answer any of your questions.
But first, take the time to sit down with different colors of paper. On white paper, write down every product you want to sell through your website. Each product should be on a different piece of paper. Now think about how you want to organize your page to display these products.
Whether it be by product type, season, occasion, price range, whatever it is you think you want to do. Keep in mind as you go through this exercise of how your prospective customers will find these products. Are they all going to be listed on your homepage? Do you want links leading from say a candle page to matching candle holders? As you work with the pieces of paper, organizing them as outlined below, don’t forget that you have to make headings for your homepage, maybe price list page, ordering page (although most people make it easy on a customer to order directly on the same page as the product they wish to order). As the number of pages grow, the different connotations can become endless. So, let’s take a look at the process.
Write each of these headings on a different colored piece of paper (i.e. if by product type blue would be hats, green would be gloves, red would be shoes, etc.). Then lay your headings out and place the products that match each of those headings underneath them.
This where you can do some planning. If there are too many under one heading, how can you reorganize that? Does the list look overly-long if you have a lot of one type of product in many different colors or styles? Try re-organizing using different headings. Use different colors for seasons maybe and see how that works. This may take some time, shuffling of papers around in different set-ups for different categories and lot of reorganizing again and again until you are satisfied with what you see.
Once you have completed this task, you have conquered a major step in your website designing stage. Now you have in front of you exactly how your website should come together. With the navigation decided upon, the next step is content, such as what you want your customers to see, read and use your website.
Through this series, we will discuss wording, text placement, graphics placement, colors, theme, style – have fun!
Now, I'm sure that a lot of you will have questions as you work your way through this and the following exercises. That precise why it will be the subject on Wrap’n Radio as we go through this series together.
So, tune into Wrap'n Radio each Sunday afternoon, beginning at 4:00 pm Eastern time and call in if you have any questions or need help to clarify anything we’ve covered. Each caller will receive a FREE CJ’s candy wrapper set just for asking a question!
posted by Terri's Place at 7:24 AM
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