What's the Problem?

[www.sitepal.co.uk]

If 98% of my orders are from the US why is it that UK business have no interest in using avatars to sell or help visitors around their site.

Starting to think that perhaps trying to sell a US product in the UK does not always work

Your thoughts please

thanks

Tony

[coxadmin]

Hi Tony

I think your product is dependent on whether people like your product and think the visitors to their site would like it. Personally, I don't like it at all.

What did your pre-launch research show about UK preferences?

[Mwebb]

As a sales tool, i can see no use on my site for it. I do like going to your site and making the woman at the bottom say things though.....i tested it out on "welcome to just carsonline.co.uk" etc,( there are more amusing things she says aswell...left to you imagination) but just can't see a cost benefit to it.

one question though. Are you a reseller, or do you own the technology?

[www.sitepal.co.uk]

Hi Tony

I think your product is dependent on whether people like your product and think the visitors to their site would like it. Personally, I don't like it at all.

What did your pre-launch research show about UK preferences?

UK business tell me that the product comes across as a gimmick and not seen as a professional tool to sell

I think that perhaps people focus to much on how the character looks instead of the message it can deliver

In the US they are using the product but the british seem to be unsure about it

[Ozzy]

Hi Tony,
In a similar way that some things that sell well in the UK do not sell in the US, some of it is down to the slight cultural differences between the two countries.
The US public may take well to having a website "talk" to them whilst they browse, that may not take well in the UK...although on some sites that are targetted to the younger market this may actually work well. Try talking to some site owners who's target market are under 20's perhaps?

Personally I wouldn't use it on my site because its not the sort of thing that would sit well with my office based accountant and solicitor clients. Picture a nice quiet office and then a partner calls up my website to order a company to be greated with "Hi Dude!!! Welcome back, allow me to guide you through,..... etc etc". Most adult web users in the UK have the sound switched off on their PCs when using the web...me included.

[Rob Holmes]

I tried this a while back and actually had clients on the phone and accessing my site. They were groaning and cringing with every word the thing said.

I guess they are perceived as a sales tool and traditionally UK people like being 'sold to' in a more discreet way.

I know they can be used for much more e.g. faq's etc and if I were ever to use one again I'd only ever use it for faq's - but even then I don't hink it would work for us.

Maybe you should focus your efforts on the US more then.

Rob

[www.sitepal.co.uk]

[quote="

one question though. Are you a reseller, or do you own the technology?[/quote]

I work with Oddcast who make sitepal and own the domain names

I try to provide input to make the product sell in the UK but feedback remains negative

I spend so much time/MONEY advertising in the UK but only see sales from the US

I was told by a few business men that trying to sell a US product can be tough because the british think the Americans are creating gimmick QUICK SELLING products without much thought and they therefore do not wish to be part of that.

Perhaps it may be a pricing issue and puts business off.

I realise now its easier to sell to the public than business owners so perhaps when the product is ready for mob content i will see better sales

One question i do have is UK business really doing well?

[Mwebb]

I guess they are perceived as a sales tool and traditionally UK people like being 'sold to' in a more discreet way.



Rob

This is so true. The British hate being sold to. They like to thnk they are in control, and have the "power"
A clever sales pitch whether online or off will let them think this, while actually getting them to buy....allowing the buyer to believe he made the choice, not the seller.

This tool is too in your face, and doesn't allow the buyer to make the decision to buy, it pushes the product on the buyer.

[www.sitepal.co.uk]

I know they can be used for much more e.g. faq's etc and if I were ever to use one again I'd only ever use it for faq's - but even then I don't hink it would work for us.

Maybe you should focus your efforts on the US more then.

Rob

Thanks Rob

I think that i will focus my efforts on the US from now on

Perhaps in years to come it may sell in the UK

I would say to anyone thinking of selling a product from another country do your research.

I never did that and have spend thousands on advertising with nothing at the end of the day.

Thank-you all for the time you give for replys

best

Tony

[Rob Holmes]

Tony are you in a position to do more 'high-level' stuff ? - just thinking it might make you more money than trying to advertise it and make £5 a month from people.

Say for example going into a biz like Virgin and doing something for them?

I am pretty sure you are an affiliate for this product rather than attached to the company in any way more than a good affiliate would be - do you have any UK rights over Sitepal e.g. all UK biz has to go through you etc etc - if you are an affiliate with no UK distributor rights then this maybe the next step with Oddcast.

Rob

[Mwebb]

I'm sure you could get big companies on board. You would hve to maybe design a new avatar to suite the personality of the person who runs the company.

IE a richard branson one. He could then record a voice so he spoke to his customers..........?

[SillyJokes]

To me it looks too gimmicky and to be absolutely and brutally honest, amateur - like something my 10 year old would add to her site because it is brightly coloured and moves.

My kids have responded incredibly well to it but they have no concept of time and their reading skills are not great. I think you would have success if you targeted sites with a lot of kids on them. have you tried approaching the BBC for the CBBC site? Imagine having Blue Peter presenters talking to you like that - brilliant.

When I surf I want to get straight to the chase and not wait to be told information. I don't want any animation and with first fold space at such a premium I think it is wasted on a site pal.

Another thing, (while I'm giving you some savage feedback) there are quite a few site pals out there and although I understand they are customised, in actual fact they all have the same look and feel. They don't look intergrated with the sites they are on and the prominent SitePal link gives it away. It is this fact that makes them more like gimmicky add-ons than actually helpful salespeople.

I honestly think there must be a place for site pal but I wonder if you go back to your UK research you won't find that it is kids that respond better to this product and therefore it may be worth your while talking to sites like

http://www.swapitshop.co.uk
beano online
girl guides/brownies/cubs/scouts
cartoon network
bbc.co.uk/cbbc or radio1 even - they like gimmicks.

If people are telling you it is too gimmicky maybe you should use that as research as sell it as a gimmick!

Good luck, Tony, you'll get there in the end. (One last cynical thought maybe US Site Pal people are not being honest with you as to the success of it over there)

[profitxchange]

Two things
The British like to Buy not be sold to. there is a wide gulf between these techniques.

Your image is poor, it needs to reflect an image a prospect might aspire to. It is important that the people who use this talking advert also use the right wording in their message text. You should offer advice on how they can best exploit this concept! Generally one should major on the benefits their product or service might give the prospect, or what pain it would take away. one minute is plenty to reinforce this or point visitors to more info on the website.

You need to add value to the concept it too feeble in its present form.

[Cornish Steve]

This is so true. The British hate being sold to. They like to thnk they are in control, and have the "power"
This is true of most Americans too; however, the US includes people originally from many countries and cultures, so you're more likely to find a market.

From all I've heard, avatars are becoming big business with young people in the Far East. Have you tried to sell in that region?

[Jayne]

Hi Tony,

Been thinking, seen as most of the adults on here don't like site pal. Why not aim at children. Silly Jokes had a good point about the BBC and I was also thinking games/toys.

I quite enjoyed playing about with site pal, giving them green hair etc, with a bit of imagination you could market this into some kind of game, especially for young girls. Talking dolls to dress up, they would love it.

Plus you could do a grown up version for Nigel :lol:

Jayne :D

[DuaneJackson]

I had been geetting ready to say "give up on it". It's not appealing to the UK business community.

But I think the kids and celebs approach is a very good one.