By Paul Lang, Editor, Sell It!
September 29th, 1999

See Also   Terrence Sherry and 1 World Sarongs   Andrew Bridgeman and eART-originals   Mark Annett and Scruplestore.com   David Sabot and Cheaphumidors.com   William Waite and Nemmelgeb Murr   Mary Lu Wason and LampLink   Michael Campbell and Cellwest   Bob Rankin and Flowers Fast   Louis Jay and Health4Her.com   Jeff Swearingen and TheGift.com   Bill Broadbent the T-Shirt King   Jim Goodbody and PlanetLearn   Todd Mogren and coastaltool.com   John D. Einhorn and CapShack.com   Beverley Wood and the Gift Ship   Sgt. David Hack and US Wings   Brenda Do and MindFood Media.com   Rory O'Connor and Shopirish.com

[This is the third part of a three part article. The first part can be read here].

Lang: Finally, what are your top tips for anyone considering opening his or her own Web store?

Campbell: OK, of the billion factors that contribute to opening and promoting a successful online store, here are my top million:

• Read my book, "Nothing But Net", apply the techniques and principles it contains. Seriously folks, it's everything I've learned, plus I tell you where to get the exact same software and tools that I use for internet marketing.

• Buy WordSpot.com reports or use the GoTo.com search engine to determine how people search the web for your type of products or services and to identify new market opportunities.

• Use more than one web site with slightly different headlines and meta tags to sell the same thing or split your site into several domains each dealing with its own product category.

• Announce every single page of your web site to the search engines that allow this tactic.

• Write the editors of every single portal and try to get them to review your site. You'll get a big boost in positioning once you get listed in their directory.

• Get your customers email addresses when they place an order. Your customer list will become your most important business asset.

• Get prospects to opt in to your free draw or mailing list and capture their name and email address in the process. Start a dialog with these people.

• Replicate dirt world models for sales messages and catalog purchasing conditions.

• Use an 800 number so if people have questions or returns they can talk to a human.

• Start your affiliate program now and get a network of other people to do your selling for you.

• If the phones get quiet, check your web site to be sure its up and running.

• Test online order forms daily to be sure they're working.

• Check your 1 800 order line, your fax line and incoming phone lines daily.

• Answer your email, answer your email, answer your email!

• Confirm the order has been shipped via email. Tell the customer to save the email as a receipt and start a relationship, a dialog of two people talking.

And as for Web sites, here are some simple page / site content do's and don'ts:

• Make sure your site is well written, free from spelling mistakes, and is typeset like a professional catalog.

• Do use professional graphic design. Traditional graphic design has programmed us for the way we read and understand. We've come to expect certain things from written and visual communications.

• Unless your site is for entertainment, stick with the traditional rules of graphic design that have worked in print catalogs for hundreds of years.

• Use real images, not cartoons or clip art. Real images build confidence and replicate the product in a way people have come to expect from printed catalogs.

• Do use a light or white colored background, it is neutral, does not imply any kind of mood setting and is the easiest to read, therefore it's the easiest to comprehend.

• Use descriptive headlines, put features and benefits in the ad copy, every item must have a price, and don't forget a call to action - ask for the order.

• Use credit card and manufacturer logos to build a sense of confidence and trust so people will buy from you.

• Offer a no hassle money back guarantee and a warranty against defects

• Get an 800 number as it will often outperform the secure order form, especially if there are questions that need to be answered before purchasing. You also get the opportunity to upsell while talking, "Would you like fries with that sir?"

• Post the 800 number and the order button on every page, make it easy to do business with you.

• Use manual credit card authorization on expensive or high fraud items, as you, the merchant, is ultimately responsible.

• Proof your site on both a Mac and PC with several browser software versions.

• Don't use frames, they make it difficult for search engines to find you and catalog your entire site properly.

• Don't use Java or JavaScript or any other fancy bells and whistles unless you absolutely need to. Unless your site is all about entertainment, stay away from the toys. They do nothing to boost confidence and can often break browsers, crashing your visitor's computer and severely limiting your potential sales.

• As Roy H. Williams said in his book "The Wizard of Ads", "Launching an ad campaign is exactly like pushing a car". At first it's very difficult and takes all your strength, but as the car starts to budge and finally gets rolling, it becomes easier and easier to push. Pretty soon you're running along at top speed, pushing the car with a single finger.

Launching your web site will be a lot like pushing a car, except you've got me and all the tools I show you in "Nothing But Net" to help push. So all together now, one, two, three, PUSH!

Michael Campbell is the author of "Nothing But 'Net". How I generated $750,000 in internet revenues with virtually no advertising costs.

Visit the 1st internet marketing store where you'll find all the tools and information you'll need for successful internet marketing, online advertising and web site promotion.