Online shop started out from a hobby, where to start.

by xell
3 replies
Would be helpful, if someone can give directions on what to do now. Link to my project in signature.

A bit longer than one year ago i moved to Japan and at same time i got new hobby, japanese teas and tea ware. Several month ago i got introduced to a local teashop man and that's where this idea appeared. With his help i started my own internet tea shop. Now i'm having big problems on deciding what exactly i should do next. Product itself should be at least not worse than similar sites, those few people who actually trusted my site and bought gave positive reviews and some of them ordered several times already. At least this part is fine

I have little to no experience in marketing, only some really basic web developing skills. I was able to setup and slightly modify Opencart for my needs, but no heavy custom design is possibly for me. Waiting now for next version with build-in affiliate system and can invest in custom design. Since next version will have major changes and old design templates will probably need quite a lot of fixing.


Before this message will become too long What i did so far, started google ad-words, similar ad program in russian network and facebook ad's for now with low bids. Posted few messages on tea related forums without violating their rules and checking for questions. There is sooo much material on internet marketing, i will get old when i finish reading and decide what should be first thing to do.

My goal is to grow this project and rise it from a hobby addition to a small business that can support me and my wife. For me lower paid work that i enjoy is a lot better than higher paid but like a prison

p.s.
My english might be a bit bad
#hobby #online #shop #start #started #tea
  • Profile picture of the author Steve Faber
    I know nothing about the Japanese Tea market (although I do drink tea frequently). That being said, the first thing I'd do is set up a blog dealing with that and include a squeeze page so you can get visitors to sign up for your list.

    Give away a value packed report closely related to one (only one, you'll save the rest for later) aspect of your niche as an incentive to join your list. Call your list a newsletter. Make regular, high quality posts to your blog to build visitors and value for your returning visitors. The most important thing you'll be building though, is a relationship with your visitors. Ditto for your list members. Make sure you send them regular, engaging, and interesting reads. It is very important.

    After a while, you'll monetize this in one of two ways; either through affiliate marketing (referring your visitors to sites that sell products related to your niche, in return for a commission on sales generated by those you refer), or with your own products. More likely you'll use both techniques.

    There is plenty of information here on the forum to get you started. I'd recommend joining the War Room as soon as possible, too. It's value to you as a marketer can't be overstated.

    You can link to your existing sales site to help SEO somewhat. I'd also start a back linking and article marketing (See Alexa Smith's numerous posts on this) campaign to bring visitors to your site. In time you may want to start your own affiliate program as a way of recruiting a powerful sales staff.

    Hope that helps somewhat.
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  • Profile picture of the author webdango
    From my experiencei n sales, it's the downstream were your money comes from.

    That is to say you don't make money by someone showing up at your site and buying tea, you making money by having somone show up at your site, buy tea, and then COME BACK AND BUY MORE.

    I capitalized that because that's the most important aspect of building a sustainable business: repeat sales.

    Right now, while you are still new, I would start working out how you are going to keep in touch with your customers and keep them coming back.

    Your goal over the next 3 years is to figure out how much each customer is worth. Once you know that number, you will also know how much you can spend to get each customer.

    Let's say your AVERAGE customer spend $600 over 3 years.

    Let's say you PROFIT is 20% (might be high, but for a small, family run business it could even be more). So that would mean each customer, on average, is worth a profit is $180. That means you could spent $180 to get a new customer, break even on that customer in 3 years, and then make a profit.

    Or spend $90 to acquire a new customer and start realizing a profit after 18 months.

    So I suggest you start getting your downstream marketing plan together

    How are you going get new customers
    How much can you spend to acquire a new customer
    How are you going to communicate with your customers to keep them coming back (tea of the month?) and buying

    The more downstream revenue you can generate, the more you can spend to acquire new customers and the more profitable, ultimately you will be.

    Very short and missing a lot of details, but that's it in a nutshell.
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    • Profile picture of the author xell
      Thanks for detailed replies.

      From what i found here probably i can narrow my search and start creating my own "to do" list.

      1. First priority, before i start doing anything else. I guess there is no way around this, i have to create all unique content, no reused pieces, everything should be my own text.

      2. Create a blog. This will be more difficult. Since there is not that much to write about Japanese tea and it won't be anything special or new. Will be something related to Japan fine? For example following with 1-3 photos per post and short story. Something special for photos, story etc.
      Does it matter which text i use for link that i will add to the end of each post in blog? If yes, how to choose?


      Also started too look for a good way to add additional content to my page, now i can't really add much. For example i want to add few origami manual's (i'm sending origamis with each package, think that this can make some unique memory)


      Seems this is good place to stay and learn about internet business
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