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Poor Internet Customer Follow-Through? 6 Reasons Your Website Traction May Be Low

If you have a high visitor bounce rate, or you find visitors aren't taking action, your are experiencing the signs that your website has low traction. There are some things you can do to increase the type of internet customer follow-through you desire. It begins by taking an objective look at your website.

1) Did your content deliver on the search keywords?

This is something you learn by analyzing your site analytics. You'll discover what leads customers to each page and where they leave your site. If they are leaving on the landing page that could suggest you aren't delivering the content expected. If they are leaving your site elsewhere, you'll need to dig further. You must identify why your site isn't keeping website visitors.

2) Did you include a call to action on the landing page?

You can't assume your visitor is going to do what you want him/her to do. What action do you want your visitor to take? Do you want him/her to opt-in for a free white paper or eBook? Then that call to action should be near the top of the page. In fact, the upper right side of the page is one of the best spots.

There are two things you can never assume. First, never assume your visitor is going to stay on the page long enough to scroll down the page. Second, never assume your visitor is going to know what to do if you don't tell him/her.

3) Do you have a customer friendly ordering process?

If you see a tendency to leave your site at the shopping cart, you may want to figure out what caused the customer to turn away. Look at possible scenarios.

Could it be that you require credit card information before you supply shipping rates? Or did the customer go ahead and supply the credit card info, only to cancel the transaction after the shipping costs were revealed? This may suggest that the reason the customer didn't complete the transaction was connected with the cost of shipping.

4) Do you have a merchant account or PayPal?

Could it be that you don't offer PayPal? Some customers don't want to go looking for their credit card so a site that doesn't have PayPal could lose traction unless the pricing is too good to pass up.

Could it be that you only use PayPal to process credit card transactions? You could be losing traction with the segment of the population that won't use PayPal because of the perceived risks in doing so. Having a merchant account can prevent this type of customer loss.

5) Is your sign-up process frightening?

People are afraid to give away private information. In most cases, if you are building a list, all you need is an email and name. Asking for more than this may frighten potential customers away. Only make essential information mandatory.

6) Is your content engaging and informative?

Finally, don't create pages on your website that sound like they came out of an encyclopedia. And avoid content that is artificial and stilted because you are trying to work in keywords. Any keywords you use should be used as naturally as possible.

Learn what your potential customers are looking for and focus your website on meeting that need. This should improve the traction of your website. Just remember that a 2% conversion rate is good. If you are getting higher than that, your traction rate is exceeding the norm.

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Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Poor-Internet-Customer-Follow-Through?-6-Reasons-Your-Website-Traction-May-Be-Low&id=6168904] Poor Internet Customer Follow-Through? 6 Reasons Your Website Traction May Be Low

Sell Your Product at a Consumer Show or Swap Meet

Renting a day space at a swap meet or a consumer show is a great way to sell your product or service, and also to see if there is enough interest to quit your day job and try it full time. A swap meet, or flea market, is typically a weekend event that consumers come to in order to see a variety of products. These people are typically very motivated to buy and will often impulse shop.

A consumer show is typically organized by a product category. For example, I recently rented a booth at a hunting/fishing show to sell food vacuum sealer bags, rolls, and machines. A consumer show may be a better place to sell a product that is specific to a particular type of industry or hobby. A swap meet is great for general consumer products.

Regardless of the show you attend, you must have an attractive space that will draw potential customers in. If you do not look reliable and legitimate, then they will go elsewhere. A large sign advertising your business is a must. People will not stop if they do not know what you are selling. I purchased a custom vinyl banner online for around fifty dollars. I highly recommend vinyl banners; they are weather-resistant, and they easily roll up for storage.

You must also have some tables to demonstrate or display your products. Most consumer shows and swap meets can refer you to a furniture rental company if you don't own suitable furniture. I have found that draped tables are the best way to go, because you can store product under the table, and it can't be seen from the outside of the booth. All rental companies have draped tables available.

Depending on your product, it is a great idea to have a few available for the customer to examine prior to purchase. You should definitely take whatever you are selling out of its box and put it on your front table for display.

I sold discount rel=nofollow [http://www.vacuumsealersunlimited.com/About_Us.html]FoodSaver bags at a consumer show recently. I had several bags of sealed food on my front table, along with several vacuum sealing machines. If you have a variety of products, it is important to display all of them. Rent several tables for your booth, so you can show all of your wares.

If your product is something that needs to be tried on, like clothes or shoes, make sure that you have a private dressing area. This can be accomplished by purchasing wire mesh walls at a home improvement store, like Home Depot, and attaching material to three sides and a drape across the entrance.

If you can have live demonstrations of your product, I highly recommend it. It is a great way to draw people in. I also sell commercial chamber vacuum sealing machines and bags. I drew in several people by vacuum sealing bright red sports drink in a vacuum sealing bag. People love to be entertained, and even someone who might not have to come to buy your product may buy it if they see a live demonstration. Be sure to be cheerful and friendly, and to answer all questions patiently and thoroughly.

Another important decision for you to make is how you will accept payment for your products. Do you want to accept credit cards and personal checks, along with cash? I opened a merchant account, so I could accept credit cards, because I've learned that most people want to pay that way. Most venues have wifi that you can purchase by the day, so you can use your computer to get their credit card information. I personally do not accept checks from customers. Because swap meets and consumer shows are typically on the weekend, there is no way to verify with the customer's bank whether or not there are sufficient funds to cover their purchase. If you offer cash or credit card payment, the vast majority of people will be able to purchase from you. Also, most venues offer ATM machines, so a potential customer has access to cash that way as well.

Last but not least, be sure to have the basics to keep your booth running smoothly. If you are accepting credit cards and need your computer, be sure you have access to an electrical outlet and bring extension cords to plug your computer into. Selling your product or advertising your service at a weekend swap meet or outdoor show is an inexpensive way to earn some extra money and to see if there is a potential for future success.

In addition to being the mother of three busy sons, Lisa also owns and operates Vacuum Sealers Unlimited, a recognized leader in the vacuum sealing industry. Vacuum Sealers Unlimited sells FoodSaver bags and rolls and Seal a Meal bags and rolls for up to 60% off retail.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Sell-Your-Product-at-a-Consumer-Show-or-Swap-Meet&i...] Sell Your Product at a Consumer Show or Swap Meet

How to Make Money Using Ecommerce and PayPal

The charge card fees charged by some of the card companies can be pretty stiff for small retailers but all in all those sales would not have been made at all if it were not for the charge cards. Each of the Ecommerce sites provides the retailer with signs and cards that they may display on their tables showing that the retailer accepts credit cards. I did find that at major shows we had to have an extra person on hand to perform the credit card transactions. It does take a few minutes to complete the paperwork but most people that see if you are working just on them will be patient.

For the first two years of our web site presence we did not have an online checkout cart and took only checks and money orders as payment. Although we did well in sales, quite often and much more than we liked, an order was canceled when the buyer could not use their credit cards. PayPal was not yet offering checkout carts outside of eBay so we were somewhat limited as to whom we could partner with in a checkout cart. We did locate a company in Connecticut who not only had a online cart feature but also offered us the ability to use a hand held scanner to make credit card sales at our craft shows. Sales more than doubled when we started accepting the major cards. We did add the PayPal checkout cart to our website when it became available which in turn added even more sales from eBay users.

Some care must be taken however before you sign on the dotted line to assure the fees that are being charged are competitive. The charge card portal fees as they are called, range greatly between different companies. Some charge by the transaction, some charge by the total monthly sales volume and so on. Even a quarter of one percent difference can add up to a substantial amount of money that you will have to pay each month for the service. Get the lowest fees you can find.

You will find that the shopper who would have bought perhaps only one item if it was a cash sale, will purchase two, three or more items when they can be placed on a credit card. The "I'll pay it later" mind set causes them to overspend and of course this works very well for the retailer. Being able to place the major card's logos on your website pages showing you accept credit cards, lends some additional credibility to your web store and shows you are here to stay and are a serious business person.

Pete Ackerson

Pete is a 30+ year building inspector with experience in both public and private construction industries. From schools to treatment plants, from private homes and condo projects, to large residential landscaping projects, he has worked both in the building design areas and field construction in the Eastern US. In 2006 he formed along with two other building inspectors, Wagsys LLC which produced software for municipal agencies in the fields of building departments, planning boards and Zoning Boards of Appeals.

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How Students Can Save Money?

Get a job

Not the most popular suggestion among students, this. While the university years are generally seen as a time to party hard as well as work hard, the financial reality of the situation means that landing a part time job could be the difference between scraping by and actually being able to enjoy yourself while you're away. Bar work is always a good idea if you can get it as it gives you the opportunity to socialise as you earn. Even if you just choose to work in a shop for a few hours on a Saturday then it's all bonus money that can go towards a few more drinks in the week or ensuring that its not beans on toast for dinner five nights in a row. If you're able to spare some of your earnings, even better - put whatever you can into a high interest savings account and you'll have a nice little pot there over time for emergencies.

Go second hand

One of the biggest expenses at the outset of university comes with buying recommended text books for your course. Consider buying used books rather than new copies - remember that many people will have no use for their books once they've finished their course so you could be in line to snap them up on the cheap. If you can loan the books, even better. Or, find some like-minded people from your course and buy one book each with the understanding that everyone in the group can borrow each other's books when the need arises.

Draw up a plan

Coming up with a realistic budget that you can stick to may sound like a dull activity but it's one that you'll thank yourself for further down the line. Many students decide against sticking to a budget, confident that they can regulate themselves efficiently on the fly - and a large number of them find themselves scratching around for money a few months down the line having spent everything. It's not surprising when you think about it; students are generally away from home for the first time and are having their first experience of financial independence. Note down how much rent, bills, food, entertainment and any other outgoings are going to cost you over a given month and make sure that you've going to be able to cover them all. If not, it's going to have to be the entertainment figure that gets chopped down a little.

Be careful with credit cards

Credit cards are a great way to manage your money - but only if you're completely on top of things and are able to pay off your balance every month without fail. In any other situation the interest you'll be charged make credit cards an extremely inefficient way to borrow money. It's easy to pay for things on a credit card and just forget about them but this is a dangerous road to travel down. If you won't be able to pay the bill in full at the end of the month then don't use the card. If you are in a position to use a credit card the right way then think about applying for a cashback credit card for a little extra bonus. Every transaction you make with the card will see a certain percentage come back to you, meaning that you should use the card to pay for anything and everything you can for maximum benefit - provided, again, that you can pay the bill in full.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Students-Can-Save-Money?&id=6096477] How Students Can Save Money?

Three Steps That Must Be Done Before Opening a Home-Based Tutoring Business

1. Legalizing the Business: A home-based tutoring business must be registered with the county's office for proper licensing. Once the business license has been obtained, it is very important to open a business checking account and take payments using one's "Doing Business As" (DBA) name. At this point in one's business, it is very important to accept cash, money orders, or checks. This will help with saving costs at the beginning and eventually saving to use credit card machines. With technology being a supertrend, there's a new way to accept credit cards from clients without the hassle of paying ridiculous fees. The mobile credit card processors are great to use, but one must invest in a Smartphone such as an iPhone or Smartphone that is compatible with Android. Another way that business owners may take credit cards using mobile credit card processors is by using an iPad. In any event, one must choose how he or she desires to accept payments from clients.

2. Finding a Space for Tutoring: There should be a designed room dedicated to tutoring one's clients. Depending on one's specialty (subject area), there are some instructional resources that will need to stay out and it will get harder to try to prep for every tutoring session once business is booming. The goal is to minimize repetitive tasks and maximize instruction. Family members must understand that when tutoring sessions are being conducted that they may not interrupt tutoring sessions unless there is an emergency.

3. Deciding on Your Niche: Individuals need to think about their skills. What is he or she good at? A home-based tutoring business should be designed based upon one's gifts of knowledge. True success will come if individuals stay within their niche. Once the clientele is up, then focus on expanding. A great way to expand one's knowledge base is to take additional classes or workshops.

These are the most important decisions that must be made before opening one's tutoring business. By starting one's tutoring business at home, he or she has many opportunities to work out the kinks and build a strong tutoring brand.

About the Author

Alicia Holland-Johnson, EdD, is a proud mother of two beautiful daughters and an educator with ten years of teaching experience at all levels, including university teaching. She also works as a professional tutor at Realistic Measures & Consulting ( http://www.rmctutoring.org ) and a consultant in the education industry. Her passion is helping individuals believe in themselves and go far. To receive a free special report, join the blog at [http://www.becomingabettertutor.blogspot.com]http://www.becomingabettertutor.blogspot.com.

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What to Do With Your Tax Return

Pay Off Credit Debt

With credit card interest skyrocketing, paying off or paying down credit card debt can drastically improve your financial situation. You'll save on the months of interest you would have paid. You'll also reduce or eliminate your monthly payment, freeing your money for other things.

Create an Emergency Fund

Financial advisers are fond of recommending an emergency fund that can carry you and your family through 1 to 3 months of your living expenses in the event you lose your job or your income is otherwise interrupted. This is large amount of money and is difficult for many to put together without a windfall like a tax refund.

Education

Set up a college fund for your children or grandchildren. Go back to school and improve your own job skills. In either case, you'll be making an investment in the future. Even simple things like a continuing education class in your field is a great way to use your tax refund for education.

Evaluate Your Mortgage

You can prepay your mortgage which can reduce the amount of interest you pay over the course of the loan. If you have a higher interest rate, refinancing the loan may be to your advantage and your refund could cover the costs of refinancing. Taking care of this when you have extra money is better than waiting until it becomes a financial necessity.

Home Repair or Upgrade

Many home repairs are costly, putting them beyond economically-stressed homeowners' reach. Some repairs such as adding insulation can have tax benefits for next year. Keeping your home in good repair can reduce other operating costs and protects one of the largest investments you own.

As you can see, there are many great things you could do with your tax return if you get one. You can use this as a much-needed opportunity to put away some savings or pay off something you've been working on for awhile. When you take advantage of this opportunity and use it smartly, it will pay off in the long run.

About the Author:

Lisa Mason is a [http://www.freelancewriter4hire.com/]freelance writer with a specialty in Internet content and SEO articles and the author of How to Earn a Living Writing for the Internet. She has written thousands of articles, hundreds of ebooks and thousands of website pages and related content in more than 10 years as a professional writer.

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Credit Card Processing Service Reviews

Check with your business credit card processing carrier provider. Your credit processing corporate may be offering to promote or hire credit card machines as part of the deal. Make sure to request for a bargain or a low price from your merchant account provider. Take into account that, a merchant account corporate is not going to volunteer to give you a cut price unless you are making the request. Set up and use. Will your merchant account provider provide assistance with the install of your card processing system? It is very important that you recognize the correct steps in the usage of the equipment as unsuitable usage may lead to you to incur further charges or lead to your credit card transaction to get declined.

Buy your personal supplies. You can to find credit card system merchants that provide package deal applications at mounted per month rate. For instance, your merchant account carrier provider might also offer to offer you with card system and other accessories like paper rolls or printing heads on a normal basis. While to start with glance, this offer may seem like a just right deal, you could possibly store more cash if you are going to buy your card device supplies from a separate office supply wholesaler.

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How to Make Money Online With Cashback Credit Cards

You can maximize your money by using cashback card provided you pay off the money accrues at the end of every month. If you are unable to pay your bill regularly then you may be paying more for credits. In the end, it will severely negate any profit from using a cashback credit card.

In order to avoid being charged interest, you must make sure that you have the money for making the intended purchase. If you make a purchase on the assumption that you would cover the amount from the next pay cheque then you are in for a trouble.

You must also try to make your monthly payments via card instead of debit card. You may be paying your monthly dues for electricity, water, gas, taxes, grocery bills, house rent, and fuel for your conveyance and many more such things. No doubt, some companies offer discount if debit cards make such payments. You should compare the cashback credit earning and discount enriched debit card payment before making a decision. Some cashback credit cards charge you a fee of 2.5% and give back only 2% as incentive.

It is wise to make large payments by your credit card. Paying for a car, house or jewelry if paid through credit cards, shall give you back more cashback rewards. A car comes in $10,000 or more. A 2% cashback means $200 or more. If you are making big purchases and spend around $50,000 to $100,000, you may well imagine the cashback reward implicit in it. You may increase your cashback reward by making purchase for your friends and relatives through your credit card. You may split the profit but also beware of being duped.

It is always wise to keep a track of your account statement and compare the entries with your diary entries. You must not miss out any amount however paltry.

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Health, Wealth and Happiness in 2011: Proven Steps to Improve Your Finances in This Economy

There are a lot of people talking about how you can hedge your bets against this economy. How recession-proof are you? What small steps have you taken to be a little more prepared if inflation hits, if the costs of goods and services go up and your dollar doesn't go quite as far as it used to go?

Although there isn't a lot the average family can do to protect themselves from the possibilities of inflation, there are some good, common sense steps you can take.

Obviously, the ability to weather any financial storm depends on how prepared you are when the storm hits. Look around your house. Where can you make some small changes? Is your family willing to make certain sacrifices?

Instead of going to dinner and a movie, could you pick up a take-n-bake pizza and rent a movie? Make it fun for your family. Get a "do-it-yourself" pizza and let the kids pick the toppings. Not taking a family of four to dinner and a movie each week frees up a lot of cash in a month. This is cash that can be put into savings, or used to pay down some of your current debt.

Are you using your credit cards like an extension of your paycheck? You need to think of credit cards as emergency money only! Get your balances paid down so that you have some reserves in the event of an emergency. Pay down the cards with the highest interest rates first, and pay down as much as you can every month. Make yourselves a deal: If you can't pay cash for something and it's a "want" and not a "need" then save up for it. You don't want to be in a situation where you can't get something you need because of all the things you wanted!

Do you have the ability to purchase certain foods in bulk and store and rotate them? This could save money on items as food costs rise. Food storage is becoming a huge trend for a reason.

Do you have a bartering network in your neighborhood? Can you trade services for labor or vice-versa? Do you have a website in your area for swapping gently used toys, books, clothes, furniture, etc. If you don't have one, is it feasible to start one?

Are you a successful gardener? Do you can your fruits and vegetables? Can you sell those in your neighborhood, at a farmer's market or farm stand? Not everyone is a successful gardener and people love canned fruits and vegetables. Is this a viable option for you to make some additional income?

Are you crafty? Would it make sense for you to sell some of your crafts? If you have people telling you how much they love the items you've made, you should look into selling them. Not everyone is crafty, but almost everyone likes crafted gifts! Can you sell your items at craft shows, farmer's markets, online?

Do you eat lunches out often? Are you buying lattes and coffees every day? You could be spending $15-$20 every week just on lunches and coffees. Examine your petty cash expenditures and then cut back. Use the extra money to put toward your credit card balances. An extra $80 to $100 monthly goes a long way to get a balance paid down.

Could one of you possibly work from home? Is it a financial possibility? Working from home saves money on child care, dry cleaning, gas for the car, purchased lunches, etc. Imagine, no commute and no child care expenses!

Even in these uncertain times, there is no reason the average family can't take some small steps to ensure their own financial security. Adopting better spending habits will not only help you through this economy, but it can be empowering. Good financial habits last a life-time!

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Diane Ducca is a successful business owner who has transitioned into internet marketing, coaching and mentoring. She has written many articles on home-based businesses, women-owned businesses, stay-at-home moms, and product reviews. She is passionate about helping others achieve their goal of financial independence through on-line business ownership. She has been fortunate enough to be able to work from home and is loving every minute of it!

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Health,-Wealth-and-Happiness-in-2011:-Proven-Steps-to-Improve-Your-Finances-in-This-Economy&id=5673713] Health, Wealth and Happiness in 2011: Proven Steps to Improve Your Finances in This Economy

Online Business Ideas - Merchant Account Credit Card Transactions

Steps in Processing Credit Card Transactions

Steps 1 - A lot of institutions are accepting credit cards by the use of software which is a good online business idea. It may sound so easy but problems also occur with these companies, like over charges, frozen funds, and middle man surcharges. The right choice of Merchant accounts can eliminate these problems.

Step 2 - The process of this transaction though a little bit complicated takes only a few seconds. With this kind of online business idea the customer chooses a product on the Merchant's websites and pay using a credit card. You will be connected by the browser to the host server and will be provided with a payment form. The credit card information that is entered to the payment form is totally confidential. The information is transferred to the secured server by the host. Then the secure host server connects to the processing bank of the merchant through a third party. This process could also be done directly if the processor has its own secure payment gateway.

Step 3 - The processor then validates the card and confirmation of availability of the funds. The processor is given the code of authorization in case the transaction is approved and is given to secure payment gateway. The payment gateway converts the authorization into an encryptions and transmits to the Merchants web server to complete the order. The web server of the Merchants sends a confirmation to the customer's browser. The due amount is then transferred from the bank of cardholder. The next three days, the merchant's bank can then transfer the money to the local bank.

Gary Spirer holds a bachelor's degree in Literature from New York University graduating magna cum laude, and an MBA in Finance from Columbia University.

Mr. Spirer began his career at the prestigious investment banking firm Lazard Freres, where he worked at their real estate affiliate. Subsequently, Gary founded his own real estate company, Capital Hill Realty. In real estate Gary has developed, syndicated and invested in properties that in today's value, aggregate over $500 million. Gary has raised over $60 million dollars from individuals and small funds with 100% success.

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