January 8, 2012
Traffic is critical to the success of your website. You have to keep an ongoing process of traffic generation for the life of your website, so doing it effectively and finding free traffic will be ideal. Here are 10 ways to get traffic without spending a penny:
-SEO: The right search engine optimization techniques will give you the chance to create the ideal amount and type of traffic that you want for no cost. You can use specific keywords to get noticed on search engines, driving traffic to your site.
-Updates: If you update, they will come back. People don’t like to visit a website and find the same information all the time. Update regularly for better traffic.
-Social Bookmarking: Digg, Delicious, and other bookmarking sites can help you generate traffic with ease. You have to learn how to use them accordingly, but that’s generally a simple task.
-Social Networks: Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking sites are going to drive a lot of traffic to your website. People use these sites regularly, and when they see businesses on here, they feel more personally connected to them.
-Links: Use backlinking to put your links on other sites, but make sure that you have quality links, regardless of the quantity. Having 5 top-quality links is better than having 500 mediocre ones according to any search engine.
-Free Promotion: classified ads, directory submissions, and other free promotional tools will help increase interest and traffic for your site. You can pay for listings and ads, but you should always take advantage of the free ones first.
-Free Stuff: If you give people something that they can use, they will come back. Articles, tips, and information are great, but people really love free stuff. Give them a free service or product and they will likely visit more often and check out the rest of your site.
-Viral Content: Anything that is so interesting that it catches like wildfire will definitely get you visitors quickly. When people see content they like, they send it on and it travels like a virus. You want content like this.
-Offline Tools: Yes, you can promote your website offline for free. You can have the URL put on your business cards, post your business website on community boards, and more.
-Signature URLs: When you create a signature in your forums and emails, you should have your URL in it. That way, people can click through to your site to learn more about you.
To schedule a free consultation with Connecticut’s leading online marketing firm, please visit www.allaccessunlimited.com or call our Stamford, CT headquarters directly at: 203-276-9812
March 15, 2010
We got a phone call this morning from a friendly old chap named Bill.
He owns a local Stamford, Connecticut website design company.
He was referred to us from a friend, one of our SEO clients.
Bill works mainly for start-up mom and pop shops, businesses just getting started that need a simple site.
Bill asked us point blank, “Hey, can you guys help me dominate my competition?”
We thought it was funny how he used that word “dominate” because our Marketing Manager, Richard Cagney, gave a speech at a Manhattan SEO conference last year about how to “dominate” your online competition.
So we pulled out the speech and read him the highlights right over the phone. Kind of goofy, but we had fun and he enjoyed the free consultation too.
The speech basically said that anyone can make millions starting and running their own successful business, online or offline, if they knew one simple trick.
Actually, online or offline isn’t really a determining factor because they are both just communication mediums. It’s really more in the marketing angle that you take which will determine whether you are successful or not. And that’s the trick.
The marketing angle we’re talking about is, first and foremost, you have to learn how to sell yourself. This is of the utmost importance because if you do it properly, then you will attract customers to you automatically.
Everyone wants to work with the best—-plain and simple.
Everyone would rather work with Stamford, Connecticut’s best realtor or doctor.
Everyone wants to go to the city’s best marketing firm or plastic surgeon.
Everyone wants to invest their money with the best financial planner in CT.
Everyone wants to eat at the best restaurants, and have the best fitness trainers.
You see, when you’re looked upon as “the best,” your prices are no longer relevant. You can charge twice as much as your competition.
Do you think Donald Trump regularly slashes his prices to compete with the mainstream market in order to make the deal? Does Mercedes? Of course they don’t!
Now, if you think you’re good, even VERY good, but perhaps not “the best,” then in fact that doesn’t matter as much as you might think it does.
You don’t really need to be “the absolute best,” because that is just relative and stems from opinion—whether it’s the opinion of your customers, or your opinion of yourself!
One way to “sell yourself,” and position yourself as “the best,” is to give without want. This simply means giving away valuable high-quality information to your target market.
When you do this, you are positioning yourself in your industry.
So, with this in mind, we told Bill that he should start writing articles describing “tips” on how to build a good website for cheap or perhaps explain the “top mistakes” people make when selecting an affordable Stamford, CT website design company.
We then suggested he optimize these articles with the right keywords (“Stamford, CT website design company” and “Connecticut web design company,” for example) and then submit them to all of the web article submission resource sites.
Now, when someone searches using Bill’s keywords, his articles rank high, providing readers with valuable information and suggestions.
Bill then mentioned he wanted to send potential clients a physical ad in the mail. He wanted advice on that.
We told him that if we were planning to do something like that we would not promote our prices or rates as the lead-in to the piece.
We might mention these in the ad (as many people may be interested in purchasing that day and would want to know the prices) but they wouldn’t be the primary focus.
Rather, we would promote our online Newsletter or perhaps some kind of FREE “Ten Top Tips For Small Businesses Who Need A Good Website For Cheap” Report.
The key is to sell “insider information” on the front end, which puts your company into the “sphere of influence” of your prospects. Doing so, you position yourself as the “go-to team.” Eventually you can sell your product or service on the backend.
We know that local small business owners are always looking for good information on a local Stamford, CT web design company that will keep them abreast of technology and help them make the best decision they can.
If Bill becomes the author of this information and links his articles to his website, then he automatically positions himself as the local expert in the arena. This will land him the calls.
Now, you may notice that we gave Bill this 100% free lead generation strategy right over the phone. Lots of marketing firms charge high fees for a consultation like this—but we gave it to Bill for free.
Make no mistake about it, he was grateful to us for all the free information we gave him. So grateful that he wanted to pay us to perform keyword research, write optimized content-rich articles for him, and post them online for him for the next 3 months. Bill also wanted 3 Press Releases.
Even better, he said that many of his clients—local Stamford, Connecticut business owners—wanted SEO services, and have asked him recently if he knows anybody he might recommend.
We told Bill we would provide him with top references from half-a-dozen SEO clients we are working with right now, all local, if he wanted to recommend us. He said absolutely.
See the value that giving away free information holds in business?
February 22, 2010
As a high-end web design company located in Stamford, Connecticut (and serving all towns in Fairfield County and beyond) we get calls almost daily by local Connecticut business owners asking about the extent of the web design services we provide.
The answer is, we can provide anything and everything you need—a vast wealth of web design services and even software development at affordable prices.
Many of our clients are amazed at the wide range of websites and web design services we provide.
Here is a small sample. This is by no means an exhaustive list:
- ASP.NET
- AUTO RESPONDERS
- BANNER ADS
- BLOG TEMPLATES
- BROWSER TESTING
- CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
- CREDIT CARD PROCESSING
- E-COMMERCE
- EXTRANETS
- FLASH DEMOS
- FLASH DESIGN
- FLASH GAMES
- FLASH INTROS
- JAVASCRIPT
- LANDING PAGES
- LOADING PAGES
- MESSAGE BOARDS
- MICROSITES
- ONLINE FORMS
- RSS FEEDS
- SHOPPING CARTS
- STATIC WEBSITES
- 3-D FLASH
- 3-D GRAPHICS
- CBTs
- FLASH PRESENTATIONS
- INTERACTIVE CD-ROM
- INTERACTIVE TRAINING MODULES
- POWERPOINT TEMPLATES
- WBTs
If you live in greater New York City, Manhattan, Westchester or Connecticut (or anywhere in the U.S. or the world for that matter) here is a simple list of most of the professional web site design services we provide, along with some information you may find helpful:
ASP.NET
A SIMPLE WAY TO CREATE A WEBSITE WITH LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF CODE
ASP.net allows you to quickly and easily build your web applications utilizing a simple text editor, even something like notepad. You’ll be able to build your site in an html-style setup with very little knowledge of code required compared to PHP or JSP applications. ASP.net also offers tutorials and ‘getting started’ kits to help first-time users set up their web sites with templates and best practice guidelines.
AUTO RESPONDERS
PROVIDE INSTANT FOLLOW-UP
You have more valuable things to do with your time than monitor email, but at the same time, your clients deserve a quick response. A fast response shows dedication and customer service, making the client feel more comfortable working with your company. An auto responder program will allow you to quickly and efficiently get back to clients and let them know that they will not be ignored without keeping you tied to your email all day.
BANNER ADS
TARGET CUSTOMERS & DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE CONVERSION RATES
A banner ad can catch the attention of potential customers and redirect them to your site. The creation of banner ads will assist in improving conversion rates, meaning more business for you. A banner ad can be catchy and creative, utilizing bright colors to grab attention, then speak directly to the needs of the potential customer. Phrases can be short and to the point with little detail involved, and yet the banner ad will interest new customers with little effort.
BLOG TEMPLATES
SHOW YOUR OWN PERSONAL STYLE
A blog is just a blog without style. Personalize your blog with templates that show everyone your own personal style and image. A personalized blog will pull more attention to your site, and more traffic means more potential sales. Blog templates will improve the appearance of your blog site, making it appear more professional while catering to your personality and letting your true self shine through.
BROWSER TESTING
ENSURES YOUR SITE LOOKS RIGHT IN ALL WEB BROWSERS
Sometimes, the format in which you build your website will not appear as you wish in all web browsers. To make sure that your formatting appears correctly in every browser that the web page will be pulled up in, browser testing can be done. If you assure in advance that your site will look its best, clients are more likely to feel that you are a professional, and your site will be taken seriously. Browser testing is a major key to making your web site the best it can be and increasing profitability.
CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
GET A WEBSITE WITH EASY ACCESS TO UPDATE
YOUR CONTENT & PHOTOS
With a CMS, you don’t have to buy pricey additional software like PageFive or Dreamweaver. You simply log on to the site’s “back end,” add photos, change content and hit the “submit” button. Then go to your site and see your changes. Presto!
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING
ACCEPT PAYMENTS WORLDWIDE
With the invention of the internet, the information superhighway has made it a breeze for people to go online and complete a transaction without ever stepping away from their computer. By having the ability to accept and process credit cards straight from your website, you will increase your rate of conversion exponentially. No longer do customers want to be burdened with telephone calls, checks, or snail mail. Adding credit card processing to your site will make life easier for clients, meaning they’ll be more willing to spend their bucks on your bang
E-COMMERCE
ESTABLISH YOUR INDEPENDENT WEB STOREFRONT
Regardless of the product or service you are selling, you can’t expect to have a high sales rate if you don’t have a professional looking storefront. A professional, attractive appearance is one of the most important facets of E-commerce, intriguing clients and letting them know that your goods and services, based on the look of your website, will be carefully arranged and beautifully delivered.
EXTRANETS
ALLOW EASY 24/7 ACCESS TO INFORMATION FOR PRE-DETERMINED CLIENTS AND USERS
An extranet allows you to share information and data directly from your private network and intranet with customers, vendors, and other users in a secure manner. Set up this area of your site with a firewall and other security programs and allow access to large volumes of information that cannot easily be emailed or sent quickly and needs to be frequently updated. At the same time, limit the traffic to which your extranet is available so that only those you choose can view and utilize your private information.
FLASH DEMOS
DEMONSTRATE YOUR FULL-FUNCTION FEATURES
Flash demos are an excellent tool for demonstrating exactly what services you provide to clients. With a flash demo, a client can experience an example of the tools they can use, the services they’ll receive, and the attention they can expect from your company, so they know exactly what they can expect to receive for their money. A flash demo is a simple and yet professionally dazzling way to give your potential customers a taste of what you have to offer.
FLASH DESIGN
PUT YOUR IDEAS IN MOTION
Flash adds animation and interactivity to web pages, and provides full design control to maximize creativity, resulting in a consistent end-user experience. All Access Unlimited created the “Flash” design—the animated photo presentation—for TourItalyNow.com
FLASH GAMES
ENGAGE YOUR VISITORS, AND EXCITE THEM TO TELL THEIR FRIENDS
Add entertainment to your site with flash games. Visitors to your site will increase your exposure and advertisement for free through word of mouth after enjoying intriguing flash games on your site. The graphics and pleasant experience will stick in the minds of visitors to your site, causing them to come back again and again, as well as to refer their friends.
FLASH INTROS
BUILD EXCITEMENT & ANTICIPATION
When customers enter your website, a flash intro may be the tool to attract the most attention and cause the most anticipation. A flash intro will be inviting to the clients visiting your site and entertaining to those who may come across it even by accident, exciting them into curiosity. Flash intros will introduce your company and appear professional to visitors, increasing the possibility of a sale based on first impressions.
JAVASCRIPT
ENGAGE CUSTOMERS WITH GAMES, QUIZZES, CALCULATORS & MORE
What can entice visitors to a website better than fun activities? Javascript can provide you with the tools that your clients and web visitors crave, such as games, quizzes, and more. The more impressed and engaged a customer is with your site, the more likely that customer is to recommend that friends visit and use your site. Javascript provides entertainment for clients that encourages word-of-mouth advertisement for your site.
LANDING PAGES
FACILITATE YOUR MARKETING CAMPAIGNS
First impressions stick with customers and upon entering your website, the landing page is the first thing that viewers will see. This page has the power to create a very positive first impression that will stay fresh in people’s minds, making them want to come back to your site again and again. Let a trained professional assist in creating a landing page that will attract potential customers and encourage them to continue delving deeper into your site.
LOADING PAGES
MAKE AN EXCELLENT FIRST IMPRESSION
While your pages load, don’t leave customers hanging. A small graphic or flash message announcing that the page requested is loading will decrease impatience and frustration, helping to retain customers who are in the process of ordering products or services, as well as letting potential customers know that your page is functioning properly and has not become stuck. Loading pages will increase customer retention and conversion rate, ultimately increasing you level of profit.
MESSAGE BOARDS
PROVIDE YOUR VISITORS WITH AN ONLINE MEETING PLACE
Having a message board on your site will allow visitors to contact each other, share information, and learn about your business through mutual experience. Often, site members and visitors can answer each other’s questions without contacting you, meaning that you have more time to run the business without interruption to answer generic questions.
MICROSITES
SUPPLEMENT YOUR MAIN WEBSITE BY ADDING SPECIALIZED OR CURRENT INFORMATION
A community organization may have a main site with all of the organization’s basic information, but create a separate, temporary microsite to inform about a particular activity or event. Businesses use microsites to add editorial value. For instance, a retailer of party goods may create a microsite describing the history of Halloween. Beyond driving product sales, microsites add value to the site’s visitors for branding purposes and also provide editorial content and keywords allowing for greater chances of search engine inclusion.
ONLINE FORMS
COLLECT IMPORTANT MARKETING DATA
Of course, you could always spend the time and money to send out surveys or make phone calls in order to collect information regarding how clients are faring on your site. However, the best way to get people to complete a form is to make it available online. This saves you money, as well as offering a simple way for visitors to your site to provide feedback on their experience with your web page. This information will help you better your site and ultimately provide more turnover and profitability for you.
RSS FEEDS
SYNDICATE YOUR CONTENT
With an RSS feed, you can advertise your website’s latest developments and allow customers to track information with short “blog”-like pitches and a link to your site. This will keep clients and potential customers informed of the latest updates to your site and related activity, giving them reason to return for future patronage. Improve customer loyalty and conversion rate. All you have to do is allow other sites access to syndicate your material for greater exposure.
SHOPPING CARTS
ACCEPT ONLINE ORDERS
In today’s web-crazed society, it doesn’t matter how creative or attractive your site is; if you can’t accept orders online, then you won’t get as much business. A shopping cart allows your customers to collect all the items they wish to purchase from your site and pay for it all in one transaction, without ever leaving their computers. A shopping cart is the only way to truly do web business and is an essential part of your website!
STATIC WEBSITES
SHOW YOUR BUSINESS TO THE WORLD
Static websites are easy-to-maintain and can net you more customers by professionally showcasing your business, products and services. Many small and even mid-size companies simply set their static website and then forget it.
3-D FLASH
EXPLODE YOUR ANIMATION & CONVEY THE ESSENCE OF YOUR IDEA
If flash intros and presentations are great attention grabbers, imagine what having 3-D flash animation can do for your website. 3-D flash appears high-tech and impressive to potential clients, letting them know that you mean business. It can also provide high quality demos showcasing your services and/or products so that visitors to your site will know exactly what to expect from your company.
3-D GRAPHICS
BRING FLAT ARTWORK INTO THE THIRD DIMENSION
Graphics are always a great sales tool, but 3-D graphics will impress your audience to a greater degree, appearing more complex and professional than flat graphics. Improve the appearance of your site and watch your customer base grow as word of mouth spreads regarding your high-tech website!
CBTs
OFFER TRAINING TOOLS CONVENIENTLY TO THE DESKTOP
Computer based training is an easy, convenient way for people to learn a new skill. Offering CBT’s on your site will entice patrons to spend time and money on your endeavors, increasing your profit margins without any hassle on your part. Keep customers happy, offering them the opportunity to learn from home on their own desktop computer, never even having to leave the house to receive the training they need in your field.
FLASH PRESENTATIONS
CAPTURE ATTENTION WITH SHORT & HIGHLY-FOCUSED FILMS THAT STAY ON MESSAGE AND NEVER LOSE ENERGY
A flash presentation gets a message across in an entertaining way that also impresses a professional idea of your company on your customers. Not only is it a simple form of advertisement and information, but it can also keep up a momentum that will capture audience attention and not loosen its grasp until it ends. A flash presentation is a quick way to speak to potential clients, staying on topic without interruptions.
INTERACTIVE CD-ROM
IMPROVE RETENTION AND MAINTAINS FOCUS
An interactive CD-Rom is an excellent learning tool that can be applied to almost any project, service, or product that is sold or offered. Interactive CD-Roms can be used just about anywhere, are easily stored, and can travel, as well as be shared between multiple trainees. Interactive CD-Roms engage the student or customer in the learning process and are a proven way of helping users to grasp information more quickly and effectively.
INTERACTIVE TRAINING MODULES
ENGAGE YOUR EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATION IN TRAINING SESSIONS
Engage your current and future employees to be eager participants in training programs with professional, interactive training tools. The more interested and eager an employee, the more likely they are to retain and utilize the information provided by the training session. Interactive courses aid in maintaining alertness and participation of trainees. This means that the trainee is more satisfied with a course that is not boring, and you, as the employer, are more satisfied with the outcome and resulting knowledge of your employees.
POWERPOINT TEMPLATES
COMMAND ATTENTION THAT MATCHES YOUR BRAND
Powerpoint presentations are probably the most frequently used multimedia formats in meetings, and it can be difficult to come up with something new and exciting that will draw the attention of the audience. Rather than trying to build a new Powerpoint presentation from scratch, it’s fast and simple to enlist the help of professionals with fresh templates for Powerpoint that are engaging and attention-grabbing from the start!
WBTs
ALLOW ACCESS TO TRAINING INFORMATION ANYWHERE THE INTERNET CAN BE ACCESSED
Web based training is one of the newest, fastest growing training methods available. Not only can skills and information be gained from home, but clients can access their learning account anywhere that internet access is available, and with wireless access becoming so prevalent, it’s possible to participate in training at any time in any place. Having interactive WBT’s on your site will increase the positive opinion of your web page, and word-of-mouth advertisement can raise your level of profitability.
For more information on our professional web site design and development services, please don’t hesitate to email us or call us at 203-276-9812
February 9, 2010
We’ve been getting more calls and emails lately than ever before by businesses interested in marketing themselves on the Social Networks.
We’re hearing questions like:
What are all the Social Network sites that everyone is talking about?
How do we create an account—as individuals or as one company?
What exactly should we say once we’re on there?
When do we say what we’re supposed to say?
How much do we post and how often?
Can we sell anything or not?
Our answer to the newbie is always the same.
If you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s better to hire an experienced company to provide consulting, at least to get you started (yes, we do that here).
However, if you don’t have a budget, and you would like to try it out on your own, then the best thing to do at first is to watch and absorb—start with one or two social networks only. Be yourself. Try to have fun and interact. Don’t initially worry about selling.
While you’re on there, keep track of what other businesses are doing, what they are saying. Decide what you like and what you don’t like.
Once you feel comfortable, you can wade in slowly. Think touch and go—NOT media blitz.
Here are just a few social networking sites you may wish to start with:
Twitter: The big site right now, next to Facebook. As described by Twitter themselves: “The timely bits of information that spread through Twitter can help you make better choices and decisions and, should you so desire, creates a platform for you to influence what’s being talked about around the world. Search results spread across Twitter and in other ways across the Web so you can discover what’s happening on and off of Twitter.com, wherever you prefer.”
Squidoo: The world’s most popular site for building free, single pages about whatever topics you’re passionate about. Highlight books, videos, blogs, online shops, or just spread the word about what you love most. An added bonus is that you can raise money at the same time (even for charity). It’s fast, free, and simple to use.
Facebook: Here you can join networks organized by city, school, workplace, and region. The goal is to link up and interact with other people. You can also add friends and send messages, and update your personal or business profile. You can be successful if you provide useful and interesting content here, and if you interact in a fun and exciting way.
StumbleUpon: An online community that allows users to discover and rate Web pages, photos, and videos. Web pages are presented when the user clicks the “Stumble!” button on the browser’s toolbar. StumbleUpon chooses which Web page to display based on the user’s ratings of previous pages, ratings by his/her friends, and by the ratings of users with similar interests.
Digg: Digg is a place for people to discover and share content from anywhere on the web. From the biggest online destinations to the most obscure blog, Digg shows the best stuff as voted on by users. You won’t find editors at Digg — they’re there to provide a place where people can collectively determine the value of content; this site is known for some of the nastiest remarks online. It’s not for the faint of heart. Submit links or vote on the ones there.
YouTube: Video sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips. Unregistered users can watch the videos, while registered users are permitted to upload an unlimited number of videos. Accounts of registered users are called “channels.” If you supplement your copy with images and video and place them out there, it provides linkage back to you for users who might not otherwise access your site.
Flickr: Almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing application in the world. It has two main goals: 1) to help people make their content available to the people who matter to them; 2) to enable new ways of organizing photos and video.
Slashdot: A technology-related news website that features user-submitted and editor-evaluated current affairs news with a “nerdy” slant. Each story on the site has an Internet forum-style comments section attached. The summaries for the stories are generally submitted by Slashdot’s own readers with editors accepting or rejecting these contributions for general posting. Warning: if your content gets placed on Slashdot, make sure your servers can handle the traffic. Google the “slashdot effect” for more information.
Yelp: Yelp helps people find great local businesses like dentists, hair stylists and mechanics. As of February 2009, more than 20 million people looked up a business on Yelp in the past 30 days. Yelpers have written over 5 million local reviews, over 85% of them rating a business 3 stars or higher. You can use Yelp to find local events, lists and to talk with other yelpers. Every business owner (or manager) can setup a free account to post offers, photos and message customers.
LinkedIn: A professional community that was originally intended to act as a sort of job-reference site. The content you place here is all about you, so it can serve as a mini-resume to which (and from which) you can link. LinkedIn makes staying in touch simple, as you can find past and present colleagues and classmates quickly. You can discover inside connections when you’re looking for a job or new business opportunity. Your network is full of industry experts willing to share advice. Have a question? Just ask.
Technorati: The leading blog search engine, Technorati.com indexes millions of blog posts in real time and surfaces them in seconds. The site has become the definitive source for the top stories, opinions, photos and videos emerging across news, entertainment, technology, lifestyle, sports, politics and business. Technorati.com tracks not only the authority and influence of blogs, but also the most comprehensive and current index of who and what is most popular in the Blogosphere. Founded as the first blog search engine, Technorati has expanded to a full service media company providing services to the blogs and social media sites and connecting them with advertisers who want to join the conversation, and whose online properties introduce blog content to millions of consumers.
Newsvine: Updated continuously by citizens like you, Newsvine is an instant reflection of what the world is talking about at any given moment. You can submit stories here, but make sure that they’re newsworthy and not just advertorials.
Helium: This is one of the best content sites. Too often content sites are used by first-time writers looking to “publish” their work, and by companies desperate to get links to their site who will throw up an ad or even a paragraph and call it an article. Helium is a lot of content in a lot of areas, and while it’s not strictly speaking fact-checked, at least an editor takes a look at the material. It’s a good place for your content to appear.
Sphinn: This is a pretty good content site with a social community for Internet marketers. There is a lot of good SEO and other web marketing information and opinions. Users have the option to “sphinn” the content found here.
Wikihow: Just as Wikipedia offers information, WikiHow is a how-to site/community made up of user-generated content.
Reddit: Social news website where you can post links to whatever web content you like. Other users may then vote the posted links down or up, causing them to appear more or less prominently on the Reddit home page. Users may discuss the posted links and vote for or against. When there are enough votes against a given comment, it will not be displayed by default, although a reader can display it through a link or preference. If you submit lots of interesting that gets “vote ups” you receive “karma” points as a reward.
If you want to try social media marketing, take a look at these and other sites (new ones appear daily!) and see which ones might work best for your company, your product, your service. Then behave responsibly.
Remember, in the social network marketing world, it’s all about trust.
At All Access Unlimited, we advise small-to-mid-size businesses and organizations, as well as entrepreneurs and individuals on how to use social media marketing (also known as social network marketing) to build relationships and deliver value.
February 1, 2010
We’ve received a greater response than usual to our last blog post, where we issued some tips for business owners suffering from shopping cart abandonment.
So we decided to add 7 more tips; these didn’t make the cut to our original list.
If you’re a business owners suffering from shopping cart abandonment, and you need help, please don’t hesitate to contact our Stamford, Connecticut web design and marketing headquarters today: 203-276-9812
Here we go:
#1 – Show Customers You’re An Honest Company. If you’re like most people, you’re always concerned before you post your credit card numbers online. Generally, most people get concerned during checkout. That’s why you should start thinking like your customer. Let them know you’re a real company by giving full contact info during the checkout process. Show photos of your company offices, people in your company, your brick and mortar addresses, trucks, t-shirts with your company logo worn by employees—anything that you think will build up the trust factor. If you’re wondering why the big corporations don’t need to do this, it’s because most people trust that they won’t get ripped off by these well-known firms, but with you (a smaller company) it’s different.
#2 – Add Third-Party Reinforcement Messages. Show buttons, logos and stickers that will help “prove” your company and website can be trusted. VeriSign, Credit Card Logos, and the BBB logo (Better Business Bureau) can increase conversions. A HACKERSAFE McAfee Secur rating certification can also help, aid and assist you. Think along these lines.
#3 – Reassure Your Customers (At Strategic Intervals). Have you ever been ready to buy something from an online merchant, but then found yourself wondering who exactly is going to be seeing your credit card information on the other end? I think we’ve all been there before. That’s why it’s important to reassure your customers that you’re a professional and honest merchant. And it’s important to do so at the right time and place. Do things like link to product warranties, indicate shipping costs, have return policies handy, show testimonials, and provide optional extended service plans. If this sounds like a total website revamp, don’t worry. All of this information can open up in a pop-up window. Most importantly, make your assurances at the right time and place.
#4 – Display A Progress Indicator On Checkout Pages. When we, as humans, start or engage in something—anything—we usually like to know “how long this is going to take” or “how many steps are involved.” How long is the car ride?—the movie?—how complicated is this project? And so on. It’s the same with buying something online. Regardless of how many steps in your checkout process, you should provide your customers with a play-by-play. You are now on step #3 of a 6-step process…You are now on step #4 of a 6-step process…etc. Number the steps, and, while you’re at it, you should also label the task-at-hand clearly for each step.
#5 – Make Editing The Shopping Cart Easy. It’s important to give shoppers an opportunity to review what they did in previous steps, while affording them a way to return to their current step if they go back. If your customers get frustrated with your shopping cart, you just lost a sale. Provide a way to change quantities or options, or delete an item from the shopping cart. If a product comes in different sizes, quantities or colors, make it easy to select or change values in the shopping cart.
#6 – Track Your Online Mistakes. It’s always important to be notified of errors during the checkout process. Develop a system that will help you improve your online checkout process. We noticed that with one of our clients, a small segment of his visitors had cookies turned off. We developed a cookie-free checkout option for him and his conversion rate and sales increased dramatically. It’s always important to stay focused on perfection.
#7 – Utilize An “Exit Survey.” If a visitor abandons checkout, offer an incentive to complete a very brief exit survey. A simple question might work well: “Did we do something wrong?” That visitor may tell you exactly why he/she didn’t complete that order.
If your company’s levels of shopping cart abandonment are too high, and you would like a professional and experienced team to help, please don’t hesitate to contact our Stamford, Connecticut web design and marketing headquarters today: 203-276-9812
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