Build Your Website for Under $100

1. Build Your Websitefor Under $100 www.MakeMoreMoneyMakingJewelry.com

2. I MUST have a Web Presence, Right? • Not necessarily…. • MUCH more important is to FIRST establish a niche and develop raving fans in your Local Market. • Get this right and you may discover that you don’t even need a web presence.

3. Then WHY does everyone say I need a website? • Based on faulty “Big Numbers” reasoning • All you need is a few customers from the billions of people on the web…. • Sounds reasonable, but it doesn’t work. • Most handmade jewelry business sites never make even one sale. • This can become a big time/money sink for you if you aren’t careful. • Big Numbers reasoning also leads to lack of focus on quality presentation

4. First Things First • Don’t create a web presence until after you have… • Established your Niche • Created your Brand Image • Confirmed that your customers AGREE with your Brand Image • Creating a web presence without first doing this is like building a house on a very shaky foundation.

5. If You Decide to “Go Web” • AFTER you have successfully established niche and brand in your local market… • FOCUS is MUCH better than scattershot • Avoid the temptation to “cast a wide net” • Assume you have ONLY three seconds to get across what your Brand is all about • Focus on ONE big idea ONLY. You only get to make one point, so make it count. • Images more important than words

6. Your Web Presence Options • Social Media • Facebook • Pinterest • Etsy • Dedicated Website

7. The “Look” is Everything • Images have to speak immediately, powerfully, and clearly about what your Brand represents • Your images of your jewelry are THE key component of your BRAND. Treat them like ROYALTY. • What do these elements of your web presence say about your brand? • Colors • Layout • Does the “environment” of the site begin to establish value and price expectations? • YES!!!

8. How to Do It Right • Some real world examples • Bonnie Blandford (www.bblandford.com) • Does it take long to figure out what Bonnie’s focus is? • Does the environment of the site in terms of image quality, site color usage, and site layout create a value expectation in your mind? • Trick question: Why do you think Bonnie does not list product prices on her site?

9. How to Do It Right • Other examples • Sarah Abramson (http://www.sarahabramson.com/) • Ruth Koelewyn (http://www.ruthkoelewyn.com/)

10. How Not to Do It • http://www.jadesbeadedjewelry.com/ • http://www.lauriestetzler.com/ • http://www.goldanimaljewelry.com/ • What’s the Brand? What’s the focus? The niche? • How good are the images of the jewelry? • How does site color usage and layout impact your perception of value?

11. But I Don’t Have Thousands to Invest! • How much do you think it would cost to develop a site similar to Bonnie Blandford’s site? Thousands? • Great News! • You can develop a site like Bonnie’s for less than$100. • Here’s how you do it….

12. Beautiful Website in Two Easy Steps • Buy a wordpress theme ($30~$100) • Here is the one Bonnie used: • http://themeforest.net/item/infocus-powerful-professional-wordpress-theme/85486 • Outsource wordpress customization ($30~$300) • Check this out: • http://fiverr.com/arjayberg/customize-your-wordpress-design • http://fiverr.com/rogerdivine/create-beautiful-custom-graphics

13. Product Images are Everything • Either pay to have excellent images taken, or better, learn how to do it yourself. • Great tutorials all over the internet • http://www.tabletopstudio.com/jewelry_photography.html • Many YouTube video tutorials • You can outsource image retouching or enhancement at Fiverr.com