HI all,
I am thinking of getting a website, I don't want to spend all that money if it isn't going to pay for itself. So, can anyone tell me how much business you get from your sites, yearly? If you had to do it all over would you use a website or just not worry about it? Also, how do you advertixe your site?
Thanks in advance
I serched the archives and all I found was if it is worth building your own site. I Used to build them as a hobby so that question is already answered.
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Charley,
I have to say that my website was a good investment for me and continues to be. I went through Jason at Nuttyhost.com. He set it up and does the upkeep for me. I spend about 160.00 per year on it. It doesn't take more than a couple of customer mounts to pay for the site each year. My return on investment for the first couple of years is in the 6 to 8 week time frame. I have the real numbers if you want.
Doug
I guess if you're just beginning or you're a big operation, Doug might be right, but for me, it was a waste of money. My customers already knew who I was and what I did. They were uneffected and most of my new customers came from word of mouth from my old customers. It's a good tax right off, but I found it to be much like Yellow Pages, I only got price shoppers who never came to me anyway. An email address on my business card did just as much if not more for me.
My web site for my sculptures does "really" well but my taxidermy site only broke even so I now only have it as a link on my sculpture site. I have gotten a few high dollar out of state taxidermy clients over the past few years that keep me paying for it. The taxidermy site is just a brochure on line. Nothing is for sale on the taxidermy site so no actual or direct sales are made. I went the cheap route with both sites at first and that is a TOTAL and COMPLETE waste of all money spent. Do it right with a "real" pro setting it up or do not bother. Most taxidermist sites I have visited look so amature I think that they are an embarrassment to the profession. I would guess that only about 10% or 20% are really nice. If you are a small shop that mostly does fairly local work, don't do it, you do not need it. My area and business strongly depends on out of state hunters and so to compete I feel I have to have a presence.
How much was your start up cost to have it created. The 160 per year, does that cover everything?
Open a Yahoo account, take some time and create your own with a link to a price list page and field care tips...I'm still building mine in my spare time, which I haven't had much of lately between my two jobs and Federal Jury Duty.
Have gotten some feedback through email links and having an online price list helps cut out the price shoppers.
www.geocities.com/wickstromtaxidermy/
You can then email and get your site listed on this web page as long as you place a banner linking to taxidermy.net on your site.
The geocities free sites must be kept relatively simple, but you can eventually upgrade to better plans. The visitors counter keeps resetting itself for some reason, and other quirks, perhaps my fault.
Strangely, like George said, I have gotten better response from my email address on my business cards, even though my web link is on my cards! Then I email them a link to my website!
One response to my website was a lady wanting her housecat mounted! I politely redirected that request, needless to say.
Jeff W.
do it yourself and cheap routes into a web site again, are a COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY and time, esp. for a taxidermist.
I think a website is a great tool. But, it is like any other tool, you have to know how to use it properly. I use my website sort of as an online brochure. If I have a customer call, I can direct them to my website for prices, pictures, etc. Another reason I like the website is because the area I live in is growing rapidly. People are moving in from all over the country and alot of them don't know any of the local taxidermists. They go online to Yahoo and type in "Raleigh Taxidermist" and guess who comes up #1... I have more than paid for my website with new customers. I built the website myself and I think it looks really profesional. But, I learned a little web design in college. I agree with Jim that most taxidermists websites I see are total junk. Unless you are competent at HTML programming, I would pay someone to do the work. Also, stay away from the "free" web hosts. Many of them infect users with spyware and they contain banner ads and popups. You can have your own domain and hosting for $60 or less per year...that's only $5 per month.
I'm in need of a web site to market my new mounting stand. I need a web site that has a video stream to show the benefits of the stand (360 degree x 360 degree x 180 degree rotation all without ANY tool or screw adjustment what so ever, simply move it by your hand and it stays there). Can you suggest anyone that can develop such a web site - and it does have to look profession!