You have great products, a great site, superb customer service…but do you have security in place to protect yourself and your customers? All of the technical mumbo-jumbo can seem confusing and overwhelming at first, but it’s important to tackle it head on and not sweep it under the rug. The Better Business Bureau has created an easy to understand document to help explain the details: Security & Privacy Made Simpler
Who is Pure Baby Joy?
Pure Baby Joy is an online store that supports natural parenting. Behind Pure Baby Joy is me, Wendy. I work outside the home and out of my home and am the mother of three little girls. My girls are my inspiration. I have a very supportive (and patient) husband, Dan, and we live in Cleveland, Ohio.
What do you sell?
I sell cloth diapers, baby slings/carriers, nursing accessories, and all natural & organic bath and body products. Helping the novice cloth diaper user is my specialty.
Why did you decide to start a business?
Although the web market is overwhelmed by baby boutiques, there really is no one in my local area that offers these types of products. Although I do not have a storefront, I do meet with local customers for cloth diaper and baby wearing consultations and participate in local venues to showcase my products.
How did you get started?
I started looking into cloth diapers for my daughters and got hooked. Once I saw that there were no local resources supporting cloth diapering, I decided to start my business.
What would you have done differently in the beginning?
I would have done a little more research into the financial aspect. I did not obtain a loan, but used all my own personal funds. I did not realize how much money it would take to get going.
What advice would you offer to a WAHM just getting started?
If you are getting in a business with lots of competition, don’t forget your local customers. Customers like knowing that there is a real person behind a web store and once they meet you and know that you take the time to introduce yourself or are willing to present your products in person, they often form a loyalty to you.
I just finished up a great new OOAK template: Blue Fleur Boutique Template. I really enjoyed creating this design and the custom category/page rollover menu is a fun touch. Be sure to check it out!
SEO can seem like a daunting task, but articles like “Backlinking - Why Search Engines Think It’s Important” from the Vertical Response Marketing Blog help to make sense of it all.
What is Backlinking?
Plain and simple it is what it sounds like – getting other web sites to link back to your web site.
But the search engines don’t just count the number of backlinks you have, they QUALIFY them.
Google and other popular search engines use a ranking algorithm (which is a closely guarded secret that Sergey & Larry probably don’t even know) to evaluate the quality of incoming links, page rank of the linking site, the content on the site or blog linking in, the link text, and a whole host of additional criteria, to determine the value of that link to the search engine.
Bottom line? You don’t just want anyone linking into your site, you want the right kind of site with the right type of link.
I have been compiling a list of business resources and articles that I have run across. I thought it would be helpful to many of you out there to have a list like this. You can find tips on search engine optimization, buying a domain name, and numerous resources for purchasing business related supplies. If anyone has a great resource that they feel would be a welcome addition to my list, please leave me a comment and include it.
I will be updating the list as I find new resources - be sure to check back often. Thanks and enjoy the list!
:: View List Here ::
AllBusiness.com put together an interesting list of the top 10 e-commerce mistakes. A good list to read over if you’re just starting out or trying to improve your current shop.
The novelty of shopping on the Internet has worn off, and today’s customers are sophisticated and discerning. Because the competition is always just a mouse-click away, you need to make sure your site is the very best it can be. Because if you do not do e-commerce right, your visitors will find someone who does. AllBusiness.com
Who is Kickshaw Confections?
Kickshaw Confections is me, Heather, my husband Karl and all my little taste testers. I’m a work at home mom and confectioner/chocolatier. Candy making is in our blood and we love being in the business of satisfying sweet tooths.
Why did you decide to start a business?
We started Kickshaw to help supplement my husband’s income so he can eventually work less hours and spend more time with his kids. I also needed a creative outlet. My mind is always running and it needs to stay busy. I guess 4 kids doesn’t keep it busy enough. :0)
How did you get started?
We purchased a little lollipop e-store and then decided to take on the family tradition and expanded to a full line of confections. My inlaws have been confectioners for over 20 years.
What do you sell?
We sell a full line of handcrafted from scratch confections. We do not use dyes or preservatives. Our chocolate is very fine and we are so proud of that and our best selling gourmet almond roca.
What would you have done differently in the beginning?
Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have bought the little lollipop shop. I would have just went straight on with our other confections. I was nervous to have people try my treats, because even though my family and I loved them, I was so nervous what others would think. I would have put that fear behind me instead of hiding behind it for nearly 8 months.
What advice would you offer to a WAHM just getting started?
Don’t let fear stop you. Look at it straight in the face and tell it to move on over. Go straight to your dreams and when you face a hurdle, don’t stop, go over it, even if it takes a while.
Ecommerce imagery: Persuading with pictures
The power of images in making a sale has been well known in traditional marketing for a long time. This becomes even more important online when there’s no physical product for users to handle. The images on your website alone have to work even harder to convey the true look and feel of your product.
You’ve worked too hard and for too long to let someone steal your creation. To help protect your intellectual property, register it at www.myfreecopyright.com .
MyFreeCopyright.com provides a third-party, non-repudiation, registered dating of your original digital creation. By using this service, you publicly associate your digital copyright and defined rights to you…
What you can copyright is viewed broadly and includes mostly all literary, musical, dramatical, graphical, audiovisual, sound and architectural works.
Awhile back I had posted on a message board about my brother, who is in Iraq, and his wife, who is expecting their first child. Molly of BlueBerriest wanted to show her appreciation for their service to our country. She was was kind enough to send my sister-in-law a wonderful baby sling. Molly was great to work with and was helpful in picking out the right size. If you are, or know anyone in the market for a baby sling, be sure to checkout www.blueberriest.com .
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