new business

Hi all,
New to forum and desperate for some good advice on how to push my new ecommerce business forward. Haven't done any paid for advertising yet but so many conflicting views on where I should go first. Ad words, SEO, magazines etc. I have a very limited budget ( or should I say skint) I sell fancydress and lingerie for plus sizes, I know I need to aim for my target market but it's all so costly although I do realise I have to invest to gain some custom . All suggestions very greatlfully received.
Thankyou
Beverley

The big guns will be along soon Beverley

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Hi Beverley

First, do your reseach. What do you offer that others don't?

What would be your keywords. I just took a quick look fancy dress for large people - Google Search (sorry for using the word large, if I was searching I wouldn't think to use the term plus size and presume the average person looking for these wouldn't either?

It's certainly a competitive market. You need to make sure you offer something unique?

Check your analytics results, see what's driving people to your site.
Adwords is good because you can set your budget and tinker with the keywords and monitor the results.

Consider press releases?

That's my couple of cents worth - good luck!

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Skint is ok for a buget, at least you know exactly what you cant afford!!

Good news is, there are all sorts of free marketing opportunuties you can explore first.

Concentrate on Organic SEO results. ie a user typing in "cowboy fancydress" ends up on your website.

Forget adwords or other pay per click, you can't afford it.

If you are SEO savvy, then as mrb says, start exploring your keywords. Try and go for some niche ones, your in a highly competitive industry. Get some onpage optimisation, keywords in you text etc, and start some link building.

If your not savvy with SEO, fear not, heres a starter for 10:
http://www.mylocalforums.com/seo-web...n-newbies.html

As already said, check your analytics. If your not using analytics, then start! The info contained is priceless, and years ago you would have had to pay for it. Good news is, the Google god gives it away for free!

Google Analytics | Official Website

May take a couple of days to master, but will be the best investment in time you'll ever make

That should keep you going for a bit...

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I also not do any advertisement(SEO, Adwords) for my business yet. Only set up a website for displaying our products...maybe the customers will be not easy to find out us without advertising, but i am going to all business forum for posting and searching the potential customers...i think this is also a right way to advertise. What you think?

(And if some body know some other popular business forums？Pls tell me ,thank you advance!)

PS: We wholesaling clothes, shoes, handbags, accesories.

Serina,

I would suggest you start to look at SEO and other ways of promoting your business as I don't think going to lots of different forums and self-promoting is going to win you many new customers (incidentally have removed your self-promotional link, you need to have 10 posts under your belt but you are nearly half way there already).

You need to build a rapport with people whether it's online, or face-to-face to be successful in business.

That's my view anyway!

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Serina - I totally agree that SEO is vital, and social networks and forums are an imperative part of promoting your business and learning. Make sure you are on LinkedIn!

Chris

Dear friend, thank you so much for your kindly suggestion, i am thinking: "is there any free or inexpensive and effective ways for advertising?"

Hi Chris, thank you for your kindly post suggestion, i just log in LinkedIn, and browsing now...., hope i also can learn something from LinkeIn...

No problem! LinkedIn is a valuable tool for professionals. Let me know how you get on? Tork UK is launching a LinkedIn Group very soon, I will keep you posted.

Chris