# Ok, I have a website. Now what?



## bren99 (Jul 7, 2011)

Okay. I have a website to sell T-shirts. Now what? How do I get it out there? I am totally new to promoting a website and what I've read seems complicated. I would hire someone to do it, but who do you hire to do it right. Can somebody put it in an easier perspective for me? What has worked well for you? I already go to fairs and festivals and get a little business but I would like to do some online business and expand. I am at a crossroads. What to do? What to do?


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## Louie2010 (Feb 26, 2010)

Other than SEO and social media strategies, here are a couple of things that you can easily do all by yourself starting today!

1) If you have a customer list from your previous sales you could send them all a introduction coupon to your web site.

2) Two things that help make sales; enthusiasm and word of mouth. Be enthused about your site and your shirts everywhere you go and talk about it with everyone you meet. Carry a handful of promotional type business cards with you at all times. Try and set a goal of passing out at least three to five a day. If you practice this is easier than it might sound. Just always strike up a conversation with people you come into contact with throughout the day. Then ask them what they do, they will almost always ask what you do. Have a brief enthusiastic, passionate description ready to tell them about your shirts. Give them a card and tell them you would love to have them as a customer. 

One thing any new entrepreneur is at risk for is getting discouraged and not sticking with the same passion as time passes. Just remember you must crawl before you walk, and walk before you run. Stay focused, write down your goals (and read them daily) and stay enthused about your products. 

I wish you well


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## poezoe (Jul 10, 2012)

One trick I do is to go to twitter and do a search on what your specialty is and post to them some helpful advice (not a sales pitch!)

Facebook, get into search engines, flyers, free shirts with your company on them, etc etc etc....guerrilla marketing is free and there are endless possibilities


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## sahne (Jul 21, 2007)

I agree entirely with Louie2010. His advice is very sound and right on the money. I too have just recently got my web site out there and am coming to terms with the next stage in the journey to success. One comment I will add however, is to be very wary of any money you spend on SEO work, as in respect to getting ranked by search engines. It could easily take several months+, no matter what SEO work you have done. I would strongly suggest signing up for Webmaster Tools (google FREE) and doing your own site submissions. (If u have not already done so.)


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

The easiest and most over looked thing you can do is to simply add your web url and Facebook to your signature in this and any other forum you participate. Every link helps.

Not sure of what type of shirts you sell or who is your target market but unless you have a very specific niche SEO is going to do little for you. Even with a professional SEO person which 99% claiming to be such are not, you will never crack the top pages of Google. The big boys have staffs to insure they stay at and near the top. 

Adwords is like anything else - it can be very usefull or dropping money down a black hole. Every marketing effort needs to be targeted and specific. Adwords works for us because we have a niche we target. 

It takes time and effort as the days of creating a site and having people find it by chance are long long gone. Best of luck to you


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## Preston (Mar 21, 2006)

SEO. A must but that does not mean it needs to cost you a lot of money.

*Step 1.* Sign up for Google Analytics. Put your website in as a profile. Get the analytics code and put it on your website were it will be included in every page.

*Step 2.*For best results your meta tag keywords and description should match your pages content as best as possible. Depending on how and with what you created your website there may be plug in utilities that will automatically write your pages meta data based on page content. 

*Step 3.* On your website - Relevant Content, Relevant Content,Relevant Content,Relevant Content,Relevant Content,Relevant Content,Relevant Content. Did I say Relevant Content? Pictures are not relevant content. Title the page with want you want people to find and the repeat those title words several times in the content of the page.

*Step 4.* Do not let your site become stagnate. Change and or add content daily. It can be just a simple blog type page but something needs to be added or changed daily.

*Step 5.* Generate a sitemap.xml and a ror.xml file daily. Make sure you have the tools to ping the search engines once the sitemap and ror files are updated. Set the frequency tag in the sitemap.xml file to "daily".

*Step 6.* Get your url on as many sites as you can. Put it in your signature on as many forums as possible if allowed by the forum admin. In other words go join as many forms that have to do with garment decorating and/or products/services you provide and put your url in the signature if allow. Then start posting like crazy on all of them. The more relevant link backs the search engines find for your site the faster your page ranking will go up and the more often the search engines will visit your site.

*Step 7.* Review your Google Analytics data and tweek your site daily. Work on your SEO every day.


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## printingray (Apr 4, 2012)

Hi, i don't want to give you speech. I would like to suggest you do SEO, SMM of your site to get sales online. First off all target keywords for your site like "cheap t-shirts" "online t-shirts" etc then optimize it in the search engines, get rank which is a cause of traffic and sales. Good Luck


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

It is not realistic that by doing some SEO work, even by a professional, is going to get you traffic in this saturated market. I am not saying it is not part of the puzzle but it is not the answer.

Anytime you get such a suggestion check out if you can find the persons suggesting such through Google. For instance in the post above search customer stickers or sticker printing and see if you can find their site on the top pages of Google.

Realize the big boys have dedicated people to keep them on the first couple pages - there is little you can do as a small business to hit to top page unless you narrow it down to a small niche or use Adwords.


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## RecreationalTees (Aug 9, 2012)

I just got three new leads last night. A Middle School and two businesses. How did I do it, well I wore my company T-Shirt to my wife's knitting club and everyone liked the design, colors and the feel of the shirt. No comments on the ladies feeling my shirt please.  The point is that if you are a member of any club or organization let them know what you do. If you are not to far out of HS or College let them know. I have a youth football team that is new this year. If possible send samples, but only to people that ask for them or if you think a sample will help seal the deal so they can see the quality of work you offer then it is a good idea. As always, make sure the sample has your company name and web address on it.


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

RecreationalTees said:


> I just got three new leads last night. A Middle School and two businesses. How did I do it, well I wore my company T-Shirt to my wife's knitting club and everyone liked the design, colors and the feel of the shirt. No comments on the ladies feeling my shirt please.  The point is that if you are a member of any club or organization let them know what you do. If you are not to far out of HS or College let them know. I have a youth football team that is new this year. If possible send samples, but only to people that ask for them or if you think a sample will help seal the deal so they can see the quality of work you offer then it is a good idea. As always, make sure the sample has your company name and web address on it.


Congrats - there is not one thing that is the magic wand. It is all the pieces that come together that will make one successful. One thing may work better than another and the only way to know this is to try different metods.

In you case add you website and facebook links to your signature. Every link helps. As I stated amazing me how many people ask and offer advice on this topic and miss the easiest and least expensive way to build traffic.


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## Reboot1 (Aug 6, 2008)

This is great advice! Thanks!




Louie2010 said:


> Other than SEO and social media strategies, here are a couple of things that you can easily do all by yourself starting today!
> 
> 1) If you have a customer list from your previous sales you could send them all a introduction coupon to your web site.
> 
> ...


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## ryan barker (Jul 21, 2011)

seems to me you got some real good help about SEO. i work in manufacturing during the day ~ the bosses see just-in-time as the end goal... stupid american management just doesn't get it. so, don't see SEO as the end goal, either, rather as another tool. imo.


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## bren99 (Jul 7, 2011)

Thanks again for all the advice. It is much appreciated. I will try some different ideas and see where it leads me.


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## lpc123 (Aug 18, 2011)

If you have a well made , well written site with google product feeds you dont need to go all out paying for seo , i have another business selling laptops in the uk , i spent alot of money and had it made by rippleffect , one of the best in the uk , i was on google page one within days of being live in my specific sales area in my region ...

No seo or adwords used ...

As i said though this cost me 13k gbp ...

My other business is signage and print, also advertising vehicles ...

I got into this after spending so much promoting my laptop business that i reallised the print market never hits recession as people always need to advertise ...

More so during a recession ...

Advertise locally with cheap throw away media , its the best way to begin with ... 

Think flyers , stickers in bus stops phone boxes etc etc traffic light signs , works fantastic and very low cost 

Hope this helps somehow but just giving my two pence ...


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## tqualizerman (Dec 9, 2006)

A quality product speaks for itself. Hard will work pays off if you treat every customer you earn as if they were your only one. Above all else, in this business your have to be unique. If you aren't, then you need to go back to square one.


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## RickyJ702 (Jul 23, 2012)

could you post your website?


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## ForeignMind (Dec 17, 2011)

Just have to continue pushing forward and reseach. By coming here you've taken the first step admitting you need advice. Try trade shows and music fests too. I'm the Style Coordinator at this year's A3C Hip Hop Festival Oct 11th-13th in Atlanta I think you coming out would be a great opportunity to interact with the hip-hop and streetwear communities. After doing so you'll gain content for your site, followers,& ultimately clientele.

Interested simply hit me up.

www.A3CFestival.com check us out

Sent from my SCH-I535 using T-Shirt Forums


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## DigitalInkArts (Jul 20, 2011)

All that is good advise and you should follow through with it. If I may add things I have done?
Google and Yahoo. You can put your site up for free, It will get searched out in a week or so.

Yellow pages. It is free to put your name up online for your area. Do an area search on your business after submitting to yellow pages. Have friends write reviews on your business. Ask your clients to also do so! 
Meta tags ( they still work, I don't care what any one says!) and update your site a couple times a month. My old boss has had a site up for 10 years. When I left that place and started on my own and put up a web site for myself, It was exactly a month before I over took them. Now each time when I do a search from any computer I come up first in my surrounding area. They are a full page behind in searches. Face book always helps. I have noticed lately that more people are liking and viewing my stuff. I dont know many of them. 

Now I just need to get noticed in the city! ( harder than I thought) But you gotta start somewhere!
Also, Forums. Use your business name as your I.D. Forums are great . They are established and It is another way for your business name to get out there. 

Buy some 5x7 glossy paper. post card size. I promote this way. Make an ad on the front and then I send them out to the business in my area. Everyone needs or will need shirts sometime!
I also made packets 8x10. What I do. A price sheet and order form! Sent them out to all schools. Send to the athletic director! They buy shirts , jerseys, hoodies for the students! Many different sports in schools! I want to print their stuff! It only cost $1.20 to send each out.

There are so many ways. Also. Your local paper. DO NOT DO LARGE ADS! I have tried this for a month. spent over 250.00 advertising. One call! That is it!
I decided to go cheap. Reader ads! They are 5.00 a week. I get a call or two each week since doing this. I don't understand it. I am mad I blew big money on the other ads. But those little crap ads with bold lettering work!

Flea market. You have time? It is about 20 bucks a table per day. Set up on a weekend and sell your stuff. 

Lastly! ALWAYS LEAVE YOUR CARD. EVERYWHERE! I drop cards everywhere I go. I dont care. Toilet, Laundry Mat. Pick up a pizza, Sometimes I leave on vehicles. I have no shame! I want my business to make me money. If I dont promote myself, No one else will.
Good luck.


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## jonathan12345 (Aug 23, 2012)

You have to make your website attractive and user friendly so that it could attract a online user at the first glance. For this you can hire a good website designer or you can do SEO for your website.



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*Christmas Jumpers Wholesale*


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