T
twinmomjen
I took this class yesterday and I highly recommend it! We went over the basics, and then talked about ways to get the word out about your website. Here is some of the info I found most interesting - but take the class and you will get MUCH more!
1) Who do you want to come to your website? (Hosts, guests, people placing outside orders, out-of-state customers, existing customers, placing re-orders, potential recruits, wedding registry gift buyers, preferred customers...)
2) Keeping Question #1 in mind, pull up your website and pretend you are one of those people (for example, an outside order) - what do you see? What stands out? Now, ask yourself, what could you change (for example, your headlines, or your calendar, or your news items) to attract people to look deeper at your site.
3) Marketing your site: put your website address on EVERYTHING! Business cards, catalogs, invitations, any outgoing mail, fridge magnets, your e-mail signature, car window decals...etc.
4) Mention your site during your shows: mention it at least 3 times. Write a brief (30-second) "commercial" for your website and its benefits, and practice presenting it until you have it memorized.
5) Site content: EYE CANDY! Pampered Chef offers some great "boilerplate" articles you can put on your site, but remember you can CUSTOMIZE it by adding your own features. Some of the great suggestions I heard during the tele-class: Recipe-of-the-Month (when people at shows ask for the recipe, don't hand it out to them - send them to your website!), "Queen Hostess" of the month and her "court" (your top 5 hostesses), Quick Kitchen Tips, Olive Oil 101, Discontinued List (again, don't send people the list - send them an e-mail and invite them to check out the list on your website!), One-Dish Meals, Stoneware Use/Care/Ideas (..."when you buy your stoneware and you get it home and don't know what to do with it, don't panic...you can visit my website 24/7 and get ideas, tips, tricks, and recipes...and if all else fails you can call or e-mail me too!")
6) Host coaching: register EVERY show on your website, as soon as it's booked; put a sticker on your host's catalogs: "Can't make it to the show? You can order online! Visit www.pamperedchef.biz/__________ and enter [host's name] in the 'Our Products' section"; e-invitations are great but you must also send postcards and use the website invitations/reminders only as a follow-up; NOTHING replaces postcards and phone calls - the website is merely an enhancement to these services; hosts should DEFINITELY use the "Wish List" feature online as they can see a dollar amount to inspire them to invite more people and do follow-up.
7) More tips: Keep your site updated (set a date monthly to do so); post your upcoming available dates and host/guest specials; tour other consultants' websites.
That's about all I can remember - please feel free to post your own tips/tricks here to share! Thanks.
1) Who do you want to come to your website? (Hosts, guests, people placing outside orders, out-of-state customers, existing customers, placing re-orders, potential recruits, wedding registry gift buyers, preferred customers...)
2) Keeping Question #1 in mind, pull up your website and pretend you are one of those people (for example, an outside order) - what do you see? What stands out? Now, ask yourself, what could you change (for example, your headlines, or your calendar, or your news items) to attract people to look deeper at your site.
3) Marketing your site: put your website address on EVERYTHING! Business cards, catalogs, invitations, any outgoing mail, fridge magnets, your e-mail signature, car window decals...etc.
4) Mention your site during your shows: mention it at least 3 times. Write a brief (30-second) "commercial" for your website and its benefits, and practice presenting it until you have it memorized.
5) Site content: EYE CANDY! Pampered Chef offers some great "boilerplate" articles you can put on your site, but remember you can CUSTOMIZE it by adding your own features. Some of the great suggestions I heard during the tele-class: Recipe-of-the-Month (when people at shows ask for the recipe, don't hand it out to them - send them to your website!), "Queen Hostess" of the month and her "court" (your top 5 hostesses), Quick Kitchen Tips, Olive Oil 101, Discontinued List (again, don't send people the list - send them an e-mail and invite them to check out the list on your website!), One-Dish Meals, Stoneware Use/Care/Ideas (..."when you buy your stoneware and you get it home and don't know what to do with it, don't panic...you can visit my website 24/7 and get ideas, tips, tricks, and recipes...and if all else fails you can call or e-mail me too!")
6) Host coaching: register EVERY show on your website, as soon as it's booked; put a sticker on your host's catalogs: "Can't make it to the show? You can order online! Visit www.pamperedchef.biz/__________ and enter [host's name] in the 'Our Products' section"; e-invitations are great but you must also send postcards and use the website invitations/reminders only as a follow-up; NOTHING replaces postcards and phone calls - the website is merely an enhancement to these services; hosts should DEFINITELY use the "Wish List" feature online as they can see a dollar amount to inspire them to invite more people and do follow-up.
7) More tips: Keep your site updated (set a date monthly to do so); post your upcoming available dates and host/guest specials; tour other consultants' websites.
That's about all I can remember - please feel free to post your own tips/tricks here to share! Thanks.