A Business is Born

[GuestUser202]

Yes, you need to advertise! How else would people actually get to your website? Look into Adwords.

How would Adwords work if I change the URL? ie, when I buy the domain? Any other suggestions other than Adwords?

 

[stockyal]

enjoyed the read and your enthusiasm, as others have mentioned, is great. I hope you have success in the future, having created my own brand for re-sale on ebay, amazon and etsy I am suprised to hear you have stuck with the product for this amount of time without a sale. i was worried after one week with no sale, so your commitment is admirable. In regards to the URL i have to agree with @BostonHusky most online web development sites offer a free domain with a monthly fee, it really is simple to do so if you are unsure of transferring from a domain provider to website developing provider this is the best way. In regards to advertising i am currently using twitter and facebook, and have been since day one to get as many followers as possible so that when i released my site, new products etc i could tell my following.This may be something you want to consider as an option other than adwords ( i cant comment on adwords yet as i have no xperience yet but will be trialing soon) also try leaving your twitter username / website URL somewhere on your packaging and may be offer a discount code for signing up to your email list. good luck!

 

[JR]

So my question to you @Lone Wolf is where can I get a $10 domain?

Just in case you are still looking for an answer to this, you can purchase a domain from places like moniker.com, godaddy.com, 1and1.com, etc... It takes 5 minutes to search and purchase. Prices will range from $9.99 - 15.99 per year.

Hope this helps

 

[GuestUser202]

What do you mean if you change the URL?

Why don't you go buy a domain right now? It takes literally 3 minutes and $10. You can connect it to your current website in minutes.

No, I don't have any other suggestions other than Adwords. Adwords makes me (bleeeeeep) for every dollar I spend on advertising. Adwords is the greatest tool that you can ever have in your arsenal as an online marketer with a website.

I see what you're saying about the domain. I hadn't thought about that! I think I have Monday off so I'll check into it Monday.

As for Adwords....sure, I'll check more into that too!! I'll keep you updated!

So question...I know it's my business and my decision, so I guess looking for advise. Is it worth dropping $2-3k on inventory now? Or should I wait to see if Adwords works to prove the idea?

 

[GuestUser202]

So...I thought about going store to store and dropping off samples. I would rather not do that at this time.

Domain...I've seen domains for $10, which yes, I can buy anytime, but up until just now, I didn't realize I could setup a simple redirect. But I see what @BostonHusky is saying now.

As for not selling one single item yet...I don't know. Lack of advertising??

And speaking of advertising, I am on Instagram and Facebook and I will probably start a Twitter account too. Oh and linked in, which seems to be gaining popularity for advertising. I managed to find a free social media marketing company (with a pay option of course) so I'll try that out...one post but posting on several sites at once. Kind of nice how that works.

URL is now gone. I knew it was risky putting it up, but as we all know (and was pointed out in the book) there are a thousand other people doing this already and a thousand more to follow.

I think I answered all the questions and topics??

 

[GuestUser202]

Why not go try to sell your glasses, and why all the delay? Businesses aren't supposed to be money sinks where you keep putting in effort with no return for almost a year... They're supposed to make you money.

You need to accept all your mistakes so far and start on a clean slate.

It would have taken me 1 day, tops, to make a very good looking Wordpress site using themes. It would cost me around $15 to buy a domain and hosting.

The fact that you've been delaying this very simple process for months makes me feel like this is all mental masturbation, and just making yourself feel like you're actually doing something when you've accomplished pretty much nothing so far. Sorry, buddy.

ALSO...

WHY DROP THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS ON INVENTORY WHEN YOU HAVE NOT MADE A SINGLE SALE YET?

I don't get it! I DO NOT get it!

You consider THAT, but you don't consider investing $20 for a top of the line website/domain, let's say $40 extra for a really good premium wordpress theme, and $50 on Adwords (which should get you plenty of sales if you do your homework) TO TEST YOUR IDEA?

I'm sorry, man. I can't be PC anymore. This whole thing is just ridiculous. You need to get your shit together and ground yourself. This is the equivalent of masturbating to pornography and feeling accomplished for having sex with a woman.

I started making money on my most recent business the same day I finished my website. I didn't have to go around and do a gazillion different useless things that customers don't even care about when they buy from me.

...and you want to drop thirty effing benjamins on inventory with nothing to show for..?

Show me where I can get $40 hosting.

And why would I want to spend $40/mo on hosting and learning Wordpress when I already have a functioning website with a shopping cart and payment options already?

 

[GuestUser202]

Thank God you guys dropped off this thread!!!

 

[Lone Wolf]

Yeah thank goodness, they were disturbing your mental masturbation session.

Classic wantrepreneur. I can see the post I made just under 1 month ago and I've achieved so damn much since then, and you've achieved what? Registering your business, while still not having sold your sample or even created a damn website that takes all of a few hours.

Time to take a serious look at where you're headed, and how bad you want to be successful.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[LateStarter]

Thank God you guys dropped off this thread!!!

Dude, with all due respect, you're letting your ego get in the way of seeing the valuable advice given to you in your thread. I get it. It's a natural reaction but you're seriously discounting the value you've been given.

So before you get defensive and start feeling attacked, LISTEN. This is all constructive criticism. People are trying to help you to succeed.

What you have is a company, not a business.

The point of all of this is to make sales, not a website. One day, hopefully soon, you'll look back at this thread and realize you're on the classic wantrepreneur's path. You need to change the path you're currently on.

We don't know what your product is, so we can't offer you advice on the best way to sell it. Still, you owe it to yourself to show some hustle and make some sales. While you're waiting to get a domain, learn AdWords, and create your LinkedIn account your local competitor is making money from your potential customers. Doesn't that piss you off? It should!

You want to know where to make sales? Look in their back yard. Where are they selling. Who are their customers? Where are they advertising. Go after their audience and prove that your product is better.

Is it easy? F*ck no!

That's the point. Get out of your comfort zone where you've been cocooning yourself and and feeling proud for getting an LLC and EIN. Instead, get to work and make some sales!

It might sound obvious but, if you want to change your life, you actually have to change your life!

You want this to be a success, right? Then what's your plan? How are you going to achieve your goals? Detail it. Put timelines against it and hold yourself accountable. Post your plan here and let the forum members help keep you accountable. That's what 'Progress Threads' are great for! It allows people to detail their path, to get advice, and have others hold them accountable. So why are you bitching about people that are trying to help you? Change your perspective and just hear what is being said. Take it at face value, even if you aren't going to heed the advice you're given.

How long are you willing to wait before you make your first sale? How long are you going to drag this 'company' on for until you finally decide to kill it because you can't sell anything?

You've read the other threads. You know the whole idea is to get sales from your samples and test the market. That way if you fail, you can fail fast, and move on. To quote @JasonR's thread...'What's stopping you?'

You're not making progress here. What you are making are excuses to yourself.

We all want each other to be successful but really you're just another screen name to us. We don't have any skin in the game with you. If you fail it doesn't matter to us. If anything it pushes us harder to not fall into the same trap you've been caught in. Your business doesn't matter to us, but it should to you.

You should care! You should be fighting every day to make this thing happen. What's your motivation? Where did your hunger go? How badly do you want it? You've let fear and obstacles slow you down and you're not just OK with it, you're justifying it. Overcome the obstacles. If you want it you've go to PUSH HARDER!

People here are trying to help you and even if you don't like their advice, or agree with it, you should still appreciate it. These are the people that are trying to help you attain the life you want instead of pandering to the life you already have.

TL;DR
Be humble, be gracious and be open. And get back to work!