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Generating traffic and visibility

konstrukkonstruk subscriber Posts: 1
edited January 2007 in Marketing
We have started a new company creating a childs construction toy. We have done a website and submitted to all the search engines and are indexed in most. We are also attending the New York Toy fair in Feb. What I would like to ask is how are the websites hat you would never think are newsworthy make such big splashes and others like mine are too low on the radar. I can spend money but I am sure most do not, they just sem to be aware of something I am not. Any ideas, hints or tips would be appreciated.
for reference only
www.konstruktubes.comkonstruk2007-1-29 12:21:41

Comments

  • PokermanPokerman subscriber Posts: 5
    Press releases... press releases... press releases.
  • AddassaMariAddassaMari subscriber Posts: 2
    Dare I repeat Pokerman`s suggestion -- press release, press release, press release!  Call your local media - Newpaper, Radio, TV, PBS Station and request a Press Kit.  They are usually FREE.  In a Press Kit you will find everything you will need to gain exposure in that medium.  Most Local Media will gladly give you some free press, especially if you do some kind of "community service", ie give a few toys to a kids home, homeless shelter, women and children refuge/shelter, a displaced family, etc.  If you start something like this you could make it an annual event, nothing like free and repeat press. Watch your local news and see what type of "community news" they feature.  I know my local stations feature a community calender, a free listing of events in the community. 
    Does it work?  A friend of mine saw an upcoming event for a local cancer society event and called the folks in charge.  She offered the services of her beauty salon to come and style wigs and do a makeover at the event.  Sure it cost her a few hundred bucks.  But the reward, she used to do walk-ins, now you have to make an appointment.  To top it off she does it every year. The publicity is fantastic.  Because of that she applied for a grant for a mobile salon, to do hair and nails of people who can`t get to the beauty shop.  She got enough money to get two mobile salon and pay off her shop.  She gets paid by two local beauty schools to intern their students to work with the elderly and sick patients.
    Her story is the exception, but you see the possibilities.  And I will tell anyone who ask what can a press release do for me? You never know till you try. She did not view it as a business move, she was doing to support our girlfriend who is a cancer surviver.  That was five years ago, and every year the mobile salon is at the local event, and every year she gets thousands of dollars of free publicty.
    The lesson, people will support you, because you support the community!
    There is a big difference between advertising and publicity.  Advertising you pay for.  Publicity is free.  My motto: Free is Good!AddassaMari2007-1-29 13:51:47
  • dougb61dougb61 subscriber Posts: 0
    Andy is right,  you have to have text on  a website for search engines to find your website. I see you have the description and keyword metatags which is good but you also have to have actual text in your content. The site is heavy with graphics and Flash animation. Your first page is over 700kb!!! A dial up user will never sit there long enough for that page to load. As a rule I try to keep web pages no larger than 100kb and preferably less than 75kb. Do this by using as few images as possible, reuse graphics as much as you can within a web page and optimize the graphics you do use. I understand that you are trying to make it fun for kids to visit but even they won`t stick around for large files or pages to load. Another option is to have two versions of your site, a broadband version and a dial-up version. I do like the product concept, I`ll be interested to see how you do in the marketplace. Good luck!
  • stonesledgestonesledge subscriber Posts: 608 Silver Level Member
    My daughter is 4 and I asked her to look at your site, she thought it was fun and wants to order when you have the ordering going. She loves to build stuff. It did take a bit to load, but i have a satellite connection and am on wireless above that.
    Press releases are great and the trade shows are great. Could you do demostrations to local mom groups and business. Get your product into local toy boutiques. Also teaching stores. Locally we have 2 large teacher stores: TeachandStuff and Scholarship. I know they have online stores and sell Melissa and Doug Products which is a company that started small and grew big.
    Where are the moms? Where are the kids? This is where you want to be. Your local paper..see if they can do a story on you and your product and your vision for kids. Can you get into catalogs, mail order books?
    You have a great product...don`t sit on it...put an ad on your car, drop by sample products to your local shelter, ymcas, boys and girls clubs, schools, daycares. Daycares sometimes will allow you to put an advertsiement up. Go by the local gym and donate some to the kiddie area, library. Ask to be in there newsletter. If the kids like the toy, it will be easy to sell the parent on buying one. Sell online in different venues, like ebay, ecrater, wagglepop, yahoo etc. Partner with teaching sites, get them to ad a link or a featured banner. Submit articles online about your vision and your product. Be the Purple Cow, stand out and don`t forget to keep it fun!
  • ticktubesticktubes subscriber Posts: 1
    I am wondering ... will our ZOOB set or Capsella clip onto this?*some similar toys (KNEX) have an educational component. For example KNEX gear and bridge making sets. You can demo elevators and plumbing with your set.*And have you looked at using this product for ferret or rat owners? (make a cloth sling for the ferret) *How about a place on your web site for people to send in photos of what they have made? [If you send me double set of the product, I can make a ferret toy/bed AND a working loom ]
  • konstrukkonstruk subscriber Posts: 1
    Thank you for the advice, I agree with the Flash problem. I suppose I got carried away with the whole neato factor. I will start the mods to the site right away. Your input and that of everyone elses is wonderful and I very much appreciate it. We are brand new and bound to make mistakes but I hope to address them more quickly than most people might. Evrything was done inhouse and thats the reason for some of the errors, but budgets do dictate how things get done. I will defiently take a lot of the advice given and do what I can to improve the site.  Thanks again so very much..
     
  • konstrukkonstruk subscriber Posts: 1
    I have made some major changes to the website. No more Flash. I think the load times will me a whole lot better. IF you have time a second opinion would be greatly appreciated,I also would like some more info in what is involved in submitting a press release.
  • Wirehead321Wirehead321 subscriber Posts: 0 Member
    I think you have a great toy.  I used to have a toy store some years ago. I would let pre-school and K-3 know about your toy. Then with all speed put your shopping cart together. If I wanted to BUY your toy I would`nt know how. If you want to sell on the web or anywhere have a price. Especialy with toys and collectibles take it from experience nothing is worst then coming across something you want and you can`t buy it. What happens I got to someone I can buy from easily. While press releasese are good nothing beats a testimonial from a happy customer. So get that shopping cart up now and get some orders.
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