Ok. So youve got your website done and stocked with your crafts that you have put your heart and soul into. So you sit back and just wait for all those millions of people out there to come and buy. You check your email, check your stat counter and still nothing. Then, you start checking your competitors sites, and look at how many you have to compete against. It just makes you want to scream. Now its time to get some of the world to look at your site. There are plenty of internet shoppers to go around.
We all know people love getting freebies. I do, I know that. Now you could put some kind of promotion on your site but it still will not drive them there why, because they do not know about your site. My suggestion would be to do a sweepstake. Now I know, we dont like giving things away for free but it will attract visitors and that is what you are looking for isnt it It does not have to be anything expensive, believe me people are drawn to just about anything just so it is free. Find something you think you can part with. Try one of your less expensive items and put it on a sweepstakes website. These sites are totally free to the person hosting the sweep and you decide the rules. 10 days, 30 days, over 18yrs etc
Remember draw them to your web site. When you fill out your form for the sweep, dont just say Send and email and the winner will be drawn at random Make them be redirected to your site, and then at that page in your site you can have a link to your email.
Now before you do that make sure your site is ready. Pick your item that you will be doing a sweep with. If that is the only one in stock, PLEASE make sure you take it off the catalog page. You dont want to have the item in both the catalog and sweep and find out one day low and behold someone else wants to buy that item and unless you can make another one in record time its not very good customer service. The next thing is to make a page on your site just for the sweep item. Remember again, draw them to your site.
Set up a contest page. Make sure in that page you have a picture of the item and your rules of the contest as discussed earlier. Dont forget to put a link to your email, sweepers do not want to go hunting around your website to look for a contact page. If you have any other specials running, (example) 25% off your first order, or free shipping, try to include that in your contest page so they are aware you have specials running on stocked items. If they like your item and realize there are other specials they might want to shop while they are there.
Now find some system that will work for you on how you will handle the emails coming in. Can your server handle 500 emails If not, maybe you should print or write down all the names every other day or so, that way it wont take much of your time each day.
All depending on the time of year (Christmas is best of course) and how long you host the sweep will depend on how many people will visit. I really dont suggest a sweep longer than 30 days.
Good Luck! Happy Sweeping! And many sales to come.
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Stained Glass crafter Marie Sylvester is the author and can be reached for comment about this newsletter or any of her items from her website at
The most successful advertising is obviously expensive.There are ways of free advertising that over time will work out to be just as profitable for you.
Everybody, at some point, has brought a product over the internet. If you like the product then write a testimonial for the business you brought it from. Say how much you like the product and how it benefited you and let the business use your testimonial if they include your signature file at the end.
We have all seen websites with forums on them, post your message there, be it a question or compliment. Again, leave your signature file there for all visitors to see.
If you come across a website that you highly enjoy, write a review for it. Explain what you like about the site, for example, design, services, ease of use etc. Send the review to the owner and tell them that they can use it if, yet again, they include your signature file.
A lot of websites have a guest book where people leave a small comment about the site. Sign the guest book with good compliments about what you have seen on the site. People do visit guest books more than you think and this is a great way to advertise.
If you read a good article or have a preferred ezine then by all means let the editor know. Compliment them on the content of their article or ezine and give permission to the editor to use your compliment with your signature file.
Even article writing is a free form of advertising and should not be left out.Plenty of people are looking for articles for their ezines and you can let them use your article if they leave the byline intact.Your articles could appear on hundreds of websites if they are good enough,therefore leaving your signature file all over the internet.
Sometimes the best way of advertising is by using techniques that you would think dont work, but any form of advertising works if you persevere with it. If you can do it for free it has got to be worth the effort I think.
About the Author: Alan Richardson is the owner of where authors can submit their articles for webmasters to use in their newsletter,ezine or website.