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My site isn't converting, need help/advice.

by klick
14 replies
Well, I got my site up and running and i've been doing some advertising and had some traffic, but I've yet to have any conversions/sales. I'm probably not like most IM'ers on here, my site is a business i've been working on for a while, i found this forum while looking for advertising stuff, and I'm pretty sure you guys are experts at selling so I think this is the place to ask.

I sell/manufacturer custom made picture frames, somewhat similar to any personalized picture frame that you can get I suppose, but it's done much differently. My product sells offline very nicely, as long as people see the product, it converts well. Online however I haven't sold a single unit, granted i've only had around 100 or so targeted, seemingly interested visitors to the site.

Here is the site: customcutframes dot com (I can't post links yet)

I paid for someone else to come up with the logo and design, but I implemented the html. I do realize that I need a lot of work to be done on the site, I need lots more pictures of the product (which I have, I just need to take more pictures and such). Also my big idea was the use of the "wizard" to detail out their picture frame, not sure if it's the most effective technique for this. Which people have been using, and appear to have success with it, from the logs I can see people are using it fine, and i have had people add frames to the cart.

I wasn't sure if I should post here or in help wanted, I am willing to pay for help, but at this point I don't even know what I need.

Is the site just horribly laid out for sales?
Am I right that I just need lots more content in regards to my product? (I am working on this, but this is my only idea at this point)
Does the wizard make sense? To complicated?
Perhaps my pricing is to high?, but goto a local picture framer and just to get a standard custom sized frame is more expensive then what i do, so I doubt this is the issue, plus i have offline sales.

I did think about finding a copywriter on here to do a landing/sales page, might help with conversion if people get a solid idea of what the product is.

I do have lots of marketing questions as well, but I figure I should start with the site, see if I can get any pointers on it first.

Thanks,
Ross
#converting #help or advice #site
  • Profile picture of the author webapex
    It's uncommonly aggressive to have a Buy Now kind of screen on your home page, particularly for a product that's not a well known commodity, this is the sort of page someone already seen a catalog and is sold on the concept would access, seems like you have to warm up your visitors first (unless they come from some sales affiliate site that has already endorsed you)

    I believe a more friendly welcome page including some gallery images introducing the product and listing benefits as well as features (memories, increased kids self esteem...) and a paragraph walking them through the process might be good for pre-warming customers. They also should be able to see the size options without going through the order process. An extended version of your toutube video would be a valuable addition.

    I would give the photos in the gallery a 6 out of 10 rating, a photoshop artist could create a nice collage out of the images with something nicer than that gray background. (I guess there's limits to what one can do with a limited color range, can't offer other materials?)
    The order process looks good, though the font selection would go more quickly with font style previews in the selection list.

    A 1 out of 100 conversion is a pretty common sales conversion rate, making some paid traffic prohibitively expensive.
    tracking software, like the free Google analyticc would give you an idea of how many people immediately bounce off the home page, and where people abandon the order process.
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    “An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field” Niels Bohr

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    • Profile picture of the author klick
      Thanks for the replies.

      Yes, i realize the gallery is weak, and the images aren't even in proper ratio, I'm getting together lots of images to fix this all up.

      I do have google analytics, although I don't see where to see what the exit page is, I however have anaylzed the log by hand and have seen people use the wizard, then goto the gallery and disappear. Which is why I'm fixing that up.

      It was interesting to read your 1 in a 100 convert, that's kinda along the lines of what i was guessing. My site in it's current form i'm sure is even worse. I was paying over $1 per visitor to get targetted advertising, that's a whole other subject on how i'm going to reduce those costs...

      I do agree with the font preview, that page needs a little tweaking. I'm not even sure i'm going to stick with the wizard. I was going to make the front page have an "idea center" with different frames, kind of show some different things you can do, and then create a hotlink type thing, where they just type in their name they want and then they are almost done.

      I guess my focus will be gallery and the main page having more frames to kind of kickstart them. I was thinking of making a video of how to use the wizard that would play on the front page, so it shows them how to do it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bret Ferguson
    Your product looks like a great product. But your landing page hmmm....

    First thing: your prime real estate on your header is occupied with a not so great logo. More visuals on your home page and maybe a slogan that quickly describes your business/site.

    Second thing: Pricing. Where does your pricing start at. Is there a price range? I understand that depending what the customer builds dictates the price but there must be some type of "base" price. Certainly you could have a per letter/frame style/size type pricing visible for people to see. This will weed out the lookers from the buyers.

    Third thing: I would re-do the look of your site.

    You look like you have a great product and like you've already said you need a site that converts into sales.

    I could send you some Generic site samples if you'd like to see something a little more eye catching. And there are certainly a whole bunch of people here on WF that could do an outstanding job for you as well.

    Good luck.

    - Bret
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  • Profile picture of the author klick
    Bret,

    Yes pricing was always an issue, I was thinking for some of the picture frames that I would put on the front page I would include a price. I personally hate when sites don't have prices, and then mine you don't get till yer pretty deep into the process. I could calculate a "minimum price" during the wizard, but the front page does need some pricing info as well.

    I kinda like my logo hehe, i used 99designs.com to get it designed, anyway, i don't really care, it's just a logo. I care about sales.

    I would be up for re-doing the look but i'm horrible with design, which is why i also outsourced my layout to someone else as well. I'd be interested in seeing some other site sample layouts. You have any recommendations on users here on WF to hire to do any of this?

    Thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author salikkhan
    I think that you need to work on the content of your site, some unique and informative content will work for you..
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  • Profile picture of the author RandySeet
    People don't care about you, they only concern how your products can benefit them.
    1. You might want to put in more benefit words.
    2. Add pictures (Best frames) on your home page.
    3. Add testimonials if possible video testimonial.
    Hope it help.

    Yours Sincerely
    Randy Seet
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  • Profile picture of the author laustinseo
    I have found that if there is a low conversion rate, it tends to be due to the customer not trusting the site enough, i suggest giving more information, changing your logo perhaps? Play around with different elements, but you need to give your customers more than enough reason to trust you and your site
    hope i helped
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  • Profile picture of the author HigherPrThanGod
    Looks good to me, maybe you just need more traffic? You might be getting visitors who want to know how to make one themselves. You could do a video course/pdf course on how to make them, unless it's too convoluted. Then charge for the course as well as doing it for them.

    I would buy like 20 domains around long-tail phrases of custom picture frames and make them little lead generation pages. Good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author chubbsky
    Hey, great product! Who's your target market - mothers?

    First impression - your site looks cold and impersonal. If you look at specialty baby stores online (example: Cutest baby hats ever! Infant hats to toddler hats), you would see that the site is "cute". I am assuming you are targeting mothers/parents or those looking for children's gifts.

    Next, your logo looks like it belongs to an industrial company, not a picture frame specialty store. Your frames are very recognizable, it would be perfect to incorporate that design in your logo.

    Of course, you should add more pics which you already know.
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  • Profile picture of the author celente
    I could sit here and tell you all the problems with your site.

    however you know why your site is not converting...you just need to test various things, and ideas you have. You could also test the other ideas you have in here.

    Once you find something that coverts well, keep using that, and then try to beat that conversion. Test, test, and test some more. The failing IM markters out there forget to test. its the most important part of this game, and if you are not doing this, you might as well go back to the stone age.

    Remember Thomas Edison, he did not belive in failure, or an instant answer. It was all about testing till he came up with a winner.
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  • Profile picture of the author Will Leighton
    Perhaps you could offer some pre made templates that they can customise or request? Ones that they could make minor changes too by simply filling in an enquiry form?

    For example the frames with the name. You could have a page dedicated to a gallery of various templates and designs of which they can click on to see that products individual page. On that page you could display a price, some picture examples and an enquiry form. Or you you could have a buy/add to cart button they can click and fill in an order form with the name they want on the frame.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lyanna
    Lots of good advice here. One tip I can give:

    I however have anaylzed the log by hand and have seen people use the wizard, then goto the gallery and disappear. Which is why I'm fixing that up.
    They are not disappearing because they don't like the product, they are disappearing because there is no link for them to click!

    I suggest you put some copy there and a link so they know where to go next.

    The price also seems high to me but what you should do is go to other websites that offer similar services and check out their prices.
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    • Profile picture of the author klick
      Wow thanks for all the responses. Much to think about and much to do. A lot of what everyone is saying is basically what I was figuring.

      The pricing is basically the same as other similiar products, although calling engraving similar isn't really accurate, regardless the pricing is around what they charge. I also plan to offer many 25% off, stuff like that for advertising and such, so there is a little inflation i the price.

      I did think about the template, or easier way to add the frame, like in the gallery, show a price next to the frames and then have them enter in some text real quick to quickly add an equivalent frame. A lot of people view the gallery (and after I fix it with 20 or so pictures) there will be lots of options to choose from, so it could become a quick ordering page of sorts.

      video testomonial is a good idea, i was planning on a high resolution "fly-by" of some frames, so that the dimensional qualities could be seen. As I said before, offline sales are easy once someone has seen the frame. So a video and testomonials might help this.

      The quality of the frames, i dunno, the only thing I hear from customers right now is how much they love the frames and how perfect they think they are made, so i'm guessing it's the pictures. I take pictures with a nice DSLR, but i take them in my basement/cave, so lighting is horrible. I've been thinking of taking 50 frames to a photo studio place and getting some good pictures taken, since I can't seem to take that great of photos hehe.

      Yea, the front page is kinda missing a link, the button might not jump out at people enough, granted, more info and having the button multiple times would help.

      My organic traffic is very low at this point, i was receiving targeted traffic from facebook (people would see an ad with a picture frame, i targeted poeple who "liked" parenting). Also google adwords, it was expensive though, and no conversions, so that's been turned off for now.

      My target audience is mainly mothers, although current customers are generally mostly mothers, grandparents, someone bought a frame for their dog, a few wedding frames (ie. Brian & Sarah), I was gonna try graduation as well. There are a lot of different markets, but as you can tell my initial/primary focus was on babies/women parents.

      Alright, well thanks for all the replies, lots of work to do.

      Thanks,
      Ross
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  • Profile picture of the author Lyanna
    Keep in mind that people can't visually see the scale of the pictures with no frame of reference. That's why in some photos people will randomly place a pencil in the background so you visualize how big it is in relation to other things. When you re-do the graphics for the gallery, have someone hold a frame or have a kid stand in front of it or something similar.
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