New Actinic Designer - anyone heared of

[TraceyHand]

On that demo-site, I see my Tabber on the product pages. I hope they're paying for each copy if they're including it with the deivered design!

I noticed that too and thought exactly the same thing!

[wesleythorne]

and normans tabber is very good, the price is also sensible

[Kate (newbie)]

Okay dokey. Thanks everyone again - you lot are just fab!

We're all snowed in in Bristol ! and according to family I should be out enjoying it instead of "being on that bloody computer again!"

[TraceyHand]

and according to family I should be out enjoying it instead of "being on that bloody computer again!"

ahhhhhh yes
I know that one VERY well

[NormanRouxel]

...being on that bloody computer again...

Get an iPhone. You can do a bit of work while sledging down that hill. Mind you, you'll need gloves with finger holes.

[Kate (newbie)]

Barely got enough money for a calculator !

... and Tracey - good to know I am not alone

[bamboo]

Want my site more snazzy and attract sales.

Snazzy sites are not a guarantee of attracting sales. Often they have the opposite effect.

1. Is there a competitive market for what I am about to sell?

2. Is the market diminishing or growing?

3. How many online competitors are selling what I want to sell?

4. What are the top 3 competitors unique selling propositions or value propositions?

5. Can I come up with a better reason for 'why to buy' from me instead of them?

Get the answers to these questions & you will be in a position of 'knowing your market' that has the potential to bring you far more CASH than a snazzy web shop, with apologies to all the most excellent designers on here.

Remember its a case of READY, FIRE, AIM once you have proved to yourself you will make money from this venture.

[Kate (newbie)]

Thanks, its really difficult in these hard times. We are about half the sales of last year. I have reduced prices so we are almost the cheapest.

I was thinking about about doubling them and doing a was X now Y and then putting a banner on saying half price eg making a big deal out of it, but always thought that sounded desparate and tacky.

[parklifeclothes]

I was thinking about about doubling them and doing a was X now Y and then putting a banner on saying half price eg making a big deal out of it, but always thought that sounded desparate and tacky.

Hopefully you won't go down that path as you may alienate your past customers who would notice the massive increase and suss you out and then steer clear.

Generally its getting tough but the ones that get thru it will be the ones that put their heads down, graft and deliver their promises to their customers.

Think about a newsletter (vertical response is cool), we had been incredibly quiet this week and sent out a newsletter offering 10% off in the rest of Feb yesterday and it has worked a treat so there is money out there, it just takes a little incentive and chasing their custom.

[guccij]

it has worked a treat so there is money out there, it just takes a little incentive

I agree - those in work have the same amount of cash as they did before the banks sent the UK economy t*ts up. We send out a newsletter every 1-2 months, or as soon as we see a fall off in orders. That brings us back up and above where we were before every time.

People like to think they're being treated well, and offering a discount to subscribers is always going to go down well. Call it cod psychology, if you like, but it gets results.

Slapping on a fake discount on inflated prices has the opposite effect - people run a mile. The supermarkets have been rumbled on this big time, by claiming their wine is 50% off, for example, when it turns out the higher price was only for a limited time at, say, half a dozen stores.

[RuralWeb]

I think trading standards may take a dim view of fake discounts as well

[leehack]

I'd say they have more Jules to be honest and considerably more. Things are cheaper at the moment and most mortgages have come down a few hundred pound a month. It's not great while you go through these troughs, but once through the other side, much dross has been dropped and quality companies with good service and products will still be around.

It may be harsh or maybe not, but if you need to ponder over spending a few hundred pound on a website, then the site is either in a market where there are too many vying for the same pound or your thinking and the way you are running the business is the limiting factor. Either way, you probably need to get out and look down other avenues.

I have seen around 60 actinic sites to date, the top ones all have the same great traits. Good looking sites, good products, good service, good info, they think big and they are the hardest working site owners I know.

A mass cull on 50% of sites would do the world of good to the internet and i personally hope it happens, just the same as I do on the high street.

[Firecom]

I agree with Lee. My other business is as a head hunter within IT. I have seen a few downturns and the upside is that the cowboy agents in that market go belly up and get out. Sometimes a fire needs to purge the rot away.

A well run and planned business will survive. I'm betting on 3 to 4 years downturn and then a nice upside. Its not like this is the first recession ever.

IT had one in 2001-2003 and then of course the general one in 1990/1991.

Its generally every 10 years. Up and down, just like a see-saw.

People still have money, just got to convince them to spend it with you

[Darren B]

Sorry 3 to 4 years is well over the top if you ask me, the recession is caused by the banking industry, the knock on effect is a down turn in manufactoring and output, this is not were the recession is but a side effect.

Sure there is more closesures to come and more unemployement, but the biggest problem is the negative press on it. They have succesfully scared people in to not spending money and caused a bigger problem IMHO

[Firecom]

its a global recession and will last 3 to 4 years. The banks are not the only cause. If you look at house sales, they started falling dec 07 / jan 08. Thats when i feel the recession began to creep up, not later when the banks collapsed.

i think if people think its going to be a 1 year thing then all ok, they are in for a shock. just my opinion though

economies are complex things and no one has the definitive answer. its all speculation, but i judge a recession historically. I know several city analysts who told me they are betting on 7 years!!! i do hope they are wrong.

anyway, all i know is this, if you can get the finance to buy property, especially towards the end of the year when it falls maybe another 10%, in 7 or 8 years, when you sell it again you'll make a killing