Need advice on how to increase user base

mikefm

I am not looking to spam you with details of my business but I'm looking for some genuine advice in relation to my new business that I launched recently.

The business is supply.ie. It is an online quotation system, where the objective is to source great local suppliers with competitive quotes.

To date there are lots of suppliers on board. However, I need to generate awareness amongst business owners and business managers to get them to try this once.

In order to generate awareness I have done some networking locally in the Cork area, dabbled with social media, emailed friends/family/contacts, created an iPad competition and got some PR locally.

This has been effective but how do I replicate nationally?

I would greatly appreciate any advice whatsoever.

PCPhoto

you want to attract business - you need to advertise.

investment may be needed in order to promote all of your suppliers.

As regards the website ...its extremely slow loading (for me)

it only shows "Print Services" or "Printing Supplies" .... not enough to entice people - you need to have a range of businesses.

try offering a 3month free trial to businesses - so they can sign up and get a free trial...after 3 months they pay for 12months ...or they walk away, it will mean a lot of extra work for you but in the long term...it will allow your business to show a lot of resources can be found through your website....but you need to use any money on promoting the business.

or instead of offering 3 months free then businesses pay ...offer 3 months free when they sign up for 12months (they think they are getting free 3 months but they are signing up for 9 months and are now your client !!! )

mikefm

Thanks very much PC.

Advertising is planned (once the budget materialises!). Any recommendations for publications/mediums to target business owners/managers?

I am aware of the slow loading of the homepage too - enhancements planned with security (https), asp.net compilation and prezi location should assist in the coming weeks...

Finally, I started out with Printing as 'every company prints' and can relate to shopping around for the best supplier. Office supplies, consumables and furniture will follow - any suggestions on additional categories?

J_Wholesale

You need to advertise online. For web based businesses, online advertising is far more effective than offline advertising. There are exceptions of course, but on the whole, offline advertising is a waste of money for this sort of service.

Start with a Google ad campaign.

Also, your home page doesn't really tell anyone what you offer. "Source great local suppliers with competitive quotes." What sort of suppliers? Plumbers? Second hand cars? And please don't say watch the video, because I never bother with intro videos unless I know it's something I'm interested in, and even then I rarely watch them.

mikefm

Thanks J, once the printing pilot ends this month, I will try a Google Ad campaign - we need to create some suitable landing pages first.

I will promote the fact that we are currently just focusing on Printing too - thanks for the tip

J_Wholesale

We went through the very same process when we started out online 4 years ago. And we made the 'print media' mistake too - thinking that because there is an advertising option open in the print media, that it would reach more potential users than online advertising. Of course, there's also the 'work with what you know' problem - whereby you advertise in the print media because it's familiar to you, while online advertising is not.

What we found was that advertising a website offline simply didn't work. Your ad is reaching people who on the whole are not sitting in front of their computers, and many/most of them are not currently looking for your product/service online. They may very well buy it from a bricks and mortar business, but that doesn't mean they'll do so from a website.

With online advertising however, your ad is seen by people who are already predisposed to do business online - otherwise they wouldn't be online. And with targetted PPC advertising, your ad is seen by people who have specifically searched online for what you offer.

The difference in conversions between the two groups is huge. Realistically, you shouldn't be considering offline advertising until you've exhausted the online options. Time enough to try and persuade the reluctant newspaper readers to come online when you've already landed all those who embrace online buying. By going to the traditional media first, you're chasing the most difficult to catch customers for online businesses and ignoring the easiest to catch.

It's the Ben Dunne mistake - one that is made by just about every web business that you hear advertised on the radio. In 6 months they're all gone, having wasted their start up budgets on traditional, glamorous advertising.

mikefm

J, that's fantastic advice.

I am aware that online advertising is much more targeted and focused when the buyer is actually buying.

Can I ask about your business? & how it is going over the past 4 years - PM if you wish

mikefm

Continuing to spread the good word... supply.ie will be featured on George Hook's show tomorrow morning! Further info http://www.newstalk.ie/programmes/all/hooks-saturday-sit-in

mikefm

Encase you missed my chat with George Hook regarding supply.ie - my piece starts in/around 21min mark: http://media.newstalk.ie/listenback/58467/saturday/1

mneylon

mikefm wrote: »

Thanks very much PC.

Advertising is planned (once the budget materialises!). Any recommendations for publications/mediums to target business owners/managers?

Try Smart Company and Business Plus

Hire a professional designer to design your ads - don't use the "inhouse" design service if you can avoid it.