Archive for the ‘Effective Web Site Strategies’ Category

I have recently been indulging in my love of reading by purchasing ebooks online. I have discovered a LOT of publishers and I have been enjoying the books – although I will admit that the writing skills are often uncertain.

As I have made my purchases from a variety of Publishers and their varied shopping carts, I have created my personal wish list for what I look for in an online buying experience.

Here is a brief excerpt:

1) Have a Wish List option that allows me to choose an item and return at a later date to purchase it.

I would prefer that it NOT be kept in the Shopping Cart. I would also like to be able to click on the item to see its detailed description so that I can refresh my memory and review my choice.

2) Allow me to return to my current search page after I look at an item’s detail page and I have added it to my shopping cart. It is annoying to have to recreate the search each time.

3) Let the Shopping Cart keep my items even if I have to leave unexpected before finishing the purchase. Things happen. We are all busy and interruptions are a given. If I have to *recreate * my purchase, rest assured… I am unlikely  to bother… and you have lost a sale.

I could continue, but it is late and I am sure that you have gotten the point! LOL

As you surf the web and interact with web sites, watch your own reactions and patterns. I am sure that it will offer insight into how YOU can improve your site and its online buying experience.

Sharing the Road to Success!

Tink

I got one of those dreaded phone calls from a friend a while back. (Note that names and details in this cautionary tale have been changed to protect the innocent!)

Poor Patty’s web site needed some changes ASAP, and she couldn’t reach her web master. Patty knew how to make some minor changes to her site, but for some reason, she couldn’t get onto the site to make these changes.

She had some online classes coming up and it was imperative that the information be updated ASAP… so she called me, the best friend who *knows all about web sites*!

I, of course, insisted on asking those pesky questions… What is your User ID and Password? Who is your web host? How do you normally make the changes?

Well, needless to say, I couldn’t gain access to the site….

Hmmmm…. Time to ask some more deep and searching questions…

After much talk and confusion, we began to get it sorted out…

It turned out that Patty’s web master had moved her web site to a new hosting company.

OK, that is reasonable. She had sent Patty information on the changes. That is a good thing! I can’t fault the web master on this.

But Patty wasn’t sure what to do with the info and why she needed it? (not good) and now the web master has gone AWOL (very much a NOT good thing).

I spent some time explaining to Patty what that information represents, why she needed it, and I waited while she went thru old email and miscellaneous scraps of paper.

The good news is that Patty did have the information, and she eventually found it. I was able to access the web site and talk her thru the making the necessary changes.

The bad news is that her web master has had some major life changes and won’t be doing this type of work any more.

Patty, being a resourceful business owner, is handling the problem as needed and getting more knowledgeable and organized about what she needs to do to protect her business!

Unhappily, the situation with Patty was just the first in a very busy couple of weeks, where I ended up fielding calls from friends, family, and clients with similar problems…

After a number of long phone calls and late nights (everybody seemed to be in a different time zone! LOL) I decided that I needed to do something!

And that, dear reader, is how *Disaster-proof Your Online Business* came to be.

I think that it is one of the most important tools a business owner can acquire and cheap at the price! Believe me, I would be thinking that even if my worst enemy had written it!

From now until the end of April, I am making it available for my blog readers at a discount!

Believe me, this is a business owner’s MUST HAVE!

The discount key is : SaCApril07

Sharing the Road to Success!
Tink