Need your thoughts

IntrepidEZJ · Cannabis Sacrament Minister Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 381

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payitforward · Cannabis Sacrament Minister Joined: 12 May 2006 Posts: 20

Hello,

My first thought is that selling advertising is sure a crowded dance floor. Value is measured in traffic through your site.

Second thoughts were of how well represented is your area on craigslist and ebay.com. craigslist has a listing for the Indianapolis area which I would guess includes XXXXX in it's metropolitan area and ebay has a good representation as well. That's some rough competition. I also looked at the classified section for your local paper and their not setting the world on fire as far as listings go.

Selling classified ads seems to me to be a long row to hoe. You're efforts at distributing 6000 flyers is commendable but I would ask you can you do that every month for a year? It takes a spell for people to accept your ad and multiple exposures are needed to stimulate a response.

In answer to your questions:
IMO, the domain name is fine.

#2. All the services you seek (message boards, classified advertising software, etc) are all available. You have 2 choices a) go with commercial software that costs an arm n a leg or b) go with open source software which has a pretty steep learning curve. The software that something like craigslist is running on is dear.

#3 as to structure my recommendation would be to work on your the scale you're working on (local) before you think about national or international.

Trying to write compelling and interesting copy on a steady basis is a real challange. If you can put places on your site where it's easy for folks to contribute, that in and of itself can be the new copy you're going to need.

I'm also working on a site for my local community. I have decided to go with a wiki so that folks can feel free to participate and contribute. I'm working on putting together "conversation cafes" in my local area and using the site to support those conversations. I just started putting info onto the pages.

I decided to work on the KISS principle and to use free services and open source software. Every site needs to be focused on a "Most Wanted Response". My MWR is to have like minded folks join the conversation on sustainable local communities.

payitforward

IntrepidEZJ · Cannabis Sacrament Minister Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 381

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**Brother Adam** · Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 2:23 am Post subject:

I can a few tips from my very limited experience. First thing I would do, is change the look. It looks like it was made with frontpage (like mine did before I hired a pro) and it looks amatuerish. Those words burned me up when I heard them after pouring my heart and soul into designing my site, but they were right. Even if you don't hire a pro, look around at other sites like yours and try to emulate the successful ones. Of course, I'm not saying copy someone, that's illegal, but look at their format and yours, look at HOW they sell their customers.

Next, I would get rid of the counter!! Nobody will buy an add on a page that's only had 985 visitors. I'm getting close to that in a month on my site, but it's almost nothing when that's all the site has ever had. There are sites that get millions of clicks a day, so one that only had 985 over it's lifetime isn't going to bring advertisers...even regardless of how long that lifetime is. Counters are just not a good thing for commercial websites.

Those are the only things I do know that can help you. Other than that, it's over my head.
_________________
-Brother Adam (we are all one family)

“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”

-James Madison

Police officers acquitted for beating a 64 yr old man recently in New Orleans. In the words of their defense attorney "all he had to do was comply"....and they wouldn't have fractured his face.

IntrepidEZJ · Cannabis Sacrament Minister Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 381

I like constructive criticism. I don't get enough of it.

Keep it coming.

**Ferre** · Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 8:36 am Post subject:

Rev. Adam is right about the looks, if I was you I would get rid of all those animated gifs, they are the biggest mistake one can make on a professional website. What you need is a CMS (Content Management System) and there are many of them for free, I suggest to use wordpress or a similar system.
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payitforward · Cannabis Sacrament Minister Joined: 12 May 2006 Posts: 20

What's true for me is that the response you get back from your communications is the 'meaning' of that communication. Your website is a communication and the beauty of the technologies is that you can change your presentation at any time you desire. Make changes every day to the site to fine tune your responses. Keep the KISS principle in mind.

My Dad's favorite bartender always had the advice of: “Don't think out of your wallet”. Over the years I've just always found it to be sage advice. If money wasn't involved, how would the situation look? I don't know if you've considered that taking money out of it allows the opportunities to really step into the shoes of the visitor.

What happens when you look at your communication from the visitors perspective? Sometimes the “What's In It For Me” (WIIFM) factor becomes a first priority. Stop for a few minutes, commune with the herb and then take the opportunity to step outside of yourself and approach your pages from the users' shoes.

Now, one of my Dad's favorite sayings was: “Don't sell the streak, sell the sizzle”. What's true for me is that your steak is selling ad space but your sizzle encompasses concepts like sustainable local economy, the economic benefits for your community when citizens spend their funds with local merchants, the reasons that big box retailers are the scourge of local economies and so much more.

Your concept of a local, community based website is spot on but the website is not the end all to be all in your marketing efforts. It's an important piece of the puzzle, but just a piece that's best suited to supporting your other traditional marketing efforts.

A person may not know if a head on assault on your target market is the best strategy. I'm wondering if you've considered some attacks on the flanks of your target markets? One thought that springs to mind is to prepare a presentation that you can deliver to groups and organizations like the Rotarians, local BBB, the animal club circuit (Elks, Moose, Eagles, etc.). Speaking in public is a great way to spread the word and these groups are always looking for speakers.

Write articles and letters to the editors of local publications is another idea.

I interpreted that you are feeling fraught with disadvantages at the moment. I request that you ignore your perceived “problems” and consider more stuff like the flanking maneuvers.

You might notice how good moving towards your goals feels when you leave behind the tactic of moving away from your perceived disadvantages.

More as I think on it...

payitforward