Help! How to launch a Directory

[beauty21]

Hi,
We run an online beauty boutique (beauty21.co.uk) and due to customer demand, we have introduced a Beauty Directory.
The aim of this is to list all beauty salons, hairdressing salons, make up artists etc, so that customers can find beauty professionals locally to them.

We have started trying to fill this up, but we are really struggling.
We've made the directory free for any individuals such as mobile make up artists, hairdressers, beauty therapists and asked for just £20 per annum from salons (really just to cover our costs inb administrating).

We are finding though that people seem distrustful of it.
Any ideas on how we can get people to sign up or anywhere we can advertise the service?

Any help/advice greatly appeciated.
Thanks
Jenny

 

[kjmcculloch]

In my opinion these things are always difficult.

I recently started delivering a 4 page leaflet to 10,000 local households and sold each ad box (5cm x 5.5cm) to local businesses for £40. I was shocked how few people were interested. Even to take the full front page was only £600, that was less than the cost to deliver it.

I think that there are so many people out there taking folks hard earned cash from them for the 'greatest advertising in the world' that to business owners advertising sales people are like car sales people, not to be trusted.

My advice is to keep at it, keep offering it, keep calling salons. As more people start to advertise this will encourage others in a snowball effect.

Kris

 

[beauty21]

Thanks Kris, it's really early days, so we will keep going. Just struggling to believe how sceptical business is these days!

 

[kate1]

Ive been selling space for 16 years, I dont do it any more its just getting harder and harder, espcially in print. I cant talk about web though.

 

[gemd89]

Maybe advertise the positives more

-Is your business on page 1 for any terms?
-How much traffic do you get?

Gemma

 

[beauty21]

Hi, yes we probably need to be a bit more creative.
Yes, we're on page 1 for quite a few search terms and get about 3,000 visitors a month.
Think we just need to keep trying!

 

[Sarah Harvey]

Okay, so I had a look at your site and directory.

I am not sure I like the colours that you use for the directory... it appears very script-like, meaning that you bought the script and have not changed a lot on the site in terms of making it appeal to women. You have to understand there are tons of other sites out there similar like yours... so what makes yours different?

This is not an interrogation though, but an attempt to make you look at your site and why anyone would invest even £20 per annum with you, instead of using alternative advertising routes. Your business is your 'creation' so to speak, but in the end you need to look at it objectively.

Have you asked people that visit your site what they think of it? Have you measured their responses? Have you asked complete strangers to look at your site and ask for help on what they think might need improving? Remember, everyone has different opinions, but often family and friends won't tell you the truth in fear of hurting you. Or they just won't have any idea.

One problem I see is that you talk about the site a lot.

People often ask WIIFM (What's in it for me?) If you are just targeting salons to advertise for you, what is in it for them? They don't want to see just another site. Saying how high your site ranks in Google for some keywords, might persuade one of two, but it's still not enough.

You have to target your message specifically to these business owners. Perhaps link to another page where it sells them on why advertising with you is a great idea.

Selling the service in person is not enough.

I know from personal experience when I have advertised my websites on other websites, I would visit the website and see how it would offer value to my own subscribers/members. What are your stats for the website? How many unique visitors do you get? How many impressions do you receive on a monthly basis? What is your target market and how would it bring in business for the salon owners?

There are a lot of things to consider. If your idea is to offer them more exposure on their business, then create a message around that selling point and show through testimonials (not text, but video if you can) how it has helped others. If you were advertising your services in the form of flyers, can you offer them the chance to have their logo and link on the flyer in some way? Just ideas I am throwing out here.

There is a lot you can do, but I would start with establishing your brand properly. Different logo, perhaps different colours unless you can prove people like it etc.

 

[Mike W]

I am not sure I like the colours that you use for the directory...

Have you asked people that visit your site what they think of it? Have you measured their responses? Have you asked complete strangers to look at your site and ask for help on what they think might need improving? Remember, everyone has different opinions

There is a lot you can do, but I would start with establishing your brand properly. Different logo, perhaps different colours unless you can prove people like it etc.

LOL. Other than asking for opinions, I've never heard such rubbish.

It reminds me of the story involving the lighter shade of purple that would make many more people respond! NOT!

Colour and style is a personal thing. The website's perfectly fine.

The thing you have hit the nail on the head with is 'What's in it for me'. That, in a nutshell, is where the problem is. What IS in it for them?

As an additional advertising outlet it's fine. But a paid one? No. The site itself screams of no traffic or no interest. The grand total of 5 directory entries tells me that without even having to think about Googling it to find out...

....but when I did that, no obvious search term at all (eg. hairdressers, hairdressing, uk etc etc) brings it up ...or at least not within the first 3 pages.

Plain and simple...
1) Fill the directory yourself
2) Only charge by adding value - eg. logo, direct link etc
3) Work on SEO/general promotion

Once all these are in place, you'll appear a vibrant, buzzing place to be and then maybe it would seem worth a punt at £20+

Regards

Mike

ps. This is all just my opinion

 

[Kernowman]

I agree with Mike W here, by projecting your mind into your prospect's mind and ask the vital questions you yourself would ask before buying something: "What am I getting for my £20?"

This is also compounded by the lack in the number of existing entries. People crave their safety in numbers for something new and unproven, so 5 entries isn't stimulating that primeval instinct to herd, whereas a few hundred might, a couple of thousands would because they wouldn't want to be left out.

What to do about it? Hmmmmmmm. As always in these situations you don't have much of a budget to play with I suspect You could take up Mike's suggestion of filling the database with your entries - lot of work for no reward there.

KERCHING!!! Add value! Offer a free directory entry which probably none would refuse, then charge a nominal fee if they want to add a profile or advertorial next to their listing accessed by a clickable link. A photo of their premises another nominal fee, a logo another nominal fee too, so at least you may get some money rolling in instead of the pocket fluff you have now. Get into the swing of it and as the Scots would say "Many a mickle makes a muckle".

Once you hit your milestone 100, 250, 500, 1,000 or whatever, then start charging your higher rate prices.

 

[Esk247]

believe me, Directories of ANY sort are a hard hard hard hard..HARD..business!

I started an online directory for my local area back in 2005(ish) and at first, uptake was steady, but eventually..it died off..i just could not get ENOUGH companies on board to make it worthwhile or to up the pricing to give myself a decent wage.

I then set up a directory for a specific market and even this was hard, nobody was interested, they all got work through word of mouth or on the high street, they didn't need a directory at all, many didn't even have any form of online presence and they didn't want one either.

be careful about doing things for free, otherwise people will expect it to be free ALL the time! which can make it hard if you want to ramp the prices up later on.

I have recently had more ideas about how to develop a directory and make it an additional tool on Google, but, alas..that is the problem, Google already does the online thing so as above..whats in it for the advertiser?

 

[oldeagleeye]

I got one immediate impression from your web site OP. Why would anyone TRUST you. The site is almost all about what you business your business has to offer so I and hundred if not 1,000s could be paying £20 quid only to drive potential customer to your shop.

Yes I know you talking about beauty salons in other areas but if your offering a DIY colour rinse for less than a £5 it is a conflict of interests.

In fact this is reinforced by the lack of take up on your offer. I don't think that you even have 1 paying customer in the directory do you. So where is this customer demand you claim.

Frankly OP i suggest you concentrate on your core business and forget the directory idea.

Rob

 

[eventdomain]

Directories, hmmm - you have actually entered the 'Publishing game', which is the most saturated, ego-driven, unoriginal industry on the web.

There are more directories than search engines, and everyone thinks they'll make fortunes off a £100 cheap script - they will all fail.

This will take you years just to fill it, and up against established competitors with superior track records than you, even with a niche idea, I don't fancy your chances - even I wouldn't touch another directory, unless - it truly added incredible value to users and advertisers.

and you gotta sell the bugger and the trust takes years to build up - years.

Took me many years to get to the stage I'm at now, and honestly I got lucky, a lot is luck with the idea, you can't just stick up a site, the idea is key, at the right time and place, and have longevity, but most important is the idea must have tremendous expansion possibilties, and the general directory hasn't got that.

Plus the domain expertise is necessary to the idea, and many dont have this. Even with the knowledge, its still about years of sacrifice for no money, health risks, wasted cash, and you'll just underestimate what's involved on so many levels, oh boy the things that can go wrong...... my advice is don't do it, unless you get the great idea, and have the will power to keep going when many tell you to bugger off.

But you'll make no money for years, as the trust isn't there.

 

[MASSEY]

Directories are no good unless your in the top 5 positions after that its just a long list of names and numbers.

And if your going to part with money to be in a directory it needs a good rank in the search engines or you wont get the traffic which = a waste of money.

 

[Sarah Harvey]

--> Mike W

Seriously... have you seen the amount of generic script sites that can be purchased? It's the same thing as seeing the same horse walking past about 13 times or more.

People that have grand ideas about what colour a site should be, should always take care how they project themselves.

If you had a business site that sported a black background with white text and an interesting alternative-looking logo... would it look like a business site or a rock site? Now all I said is I don't like the look of the generic script they are using and the colour. I am not sure that I enjoy brown or associate cosmetics with brown colours. Have you ever looked at a magazine with cosmetic adverts inside it? Are they dull or vibrant with life?

Never assume you, me or anyone else for that matter would know what someone else likes or what colour they associate some products with.

Unless you have done the research, that is.

In my life time I have seen some rather ugly sites that professional businesses have put up and decided they loved the design, blind to everyone else's opinion but their own.

So I am not the one at fault here. You are simply not seeing the bigger picture.

 

[Mike W]

--> Mike W

Seriously... have you seen the amount of generic script sites that can be purchased? It's the same thing as seeing the same horse walking past about 13 times or more.

People that have grand ideas about what colour a site should be, should always take care how they project themselves.

If you had a business site that sported a black background with white text and an interesting alternative-looking logo... would it look like a business site or a rock site? Now all I said is I don't like the look of the generic script they are using and the colour. I am not sure that I enjoy brown or associate cosmetics with brown colours. Have you ever looked at a magazine with cosmetic adverts inside it? Are they dull or vibrant with life?

Never assume you, me or anyone else for that matter would know what someone else likes or what colour they associate some products with.

Unless you have done the research, that is.

In my life time I have seen some rather ugly sites that professional businesses have put up and decided they loved the design, blind to everyone else's opinion but their own.

So I am not the one at fault here. You are simply not seeing the bigger picture.

Have you heard yourself? You don't like a colour and so it's no good? ...and I'm not seeing the bigger picture??? lol

And as for the 'generic script' comment.... To the expert eye, you may be right (although I think your analogy is poor) but as general joe public is no expert, nothing like that would be noticed at all.

Even if I did agree with you, even slightly (but I don't), the OP's problem all comes back to the issue being about the message, the content and how to get sales, elements that were addressed earlier by myself and kernowman.

All you're doing is throwing in red herrings ....and I'm not too sure they're the right colour

 

[oldeagleeye]

One wonders where Sarah is coming from with her bright colours for make up sites. Beige and subtle colours have been the name of the game for years. Bright red or pink lipsticks on blondes urgh.

Astetic wise I think the site looks great then.

Rob

 

[Esk247]

website looks ok to me, i wouldn't make any changes as you're really asking about the 'Directory' component of the site and this is where we've all identified you'll struggle.

I've noticed its quite a big part of the website already, so i wouldn't give up on it but i just wouldn't expect too much of a directory, stick it up for free i reckon but don't spend much time on it, directories are dead, they may be useful for your visitors who are browsing though!

 

[oldeagleeye]

I agree with ESK about directories being dead now because most Internet users are much more savvy these days when it comes to using multiplr keywords like solicitor+ area.

I know that I also avoid directory sites like the plague many justoffer a fre listing and no url link so a complete waste of time.

I suggest that you post an offeron fragrences to UKBF members coming up to Crimbo OP. Your eran a lot more money and no wasted time.

Rob

 

[kate1]

Yep, me too I think they have gone past their shelf life, I wouldnt actively go out and sell.

 

[eventdomain]

Suggest you keep the directory as a freebie for clients, but don't waste much time on it.

You won't ever get a general directory promoted to the point where it will have major traffic rushing to use it, so it competes with the smallest of search engines, which NO directory ever will - its just not physically, technically or time possible. I only know of 1 directory to do this, and that was Brownbook.net, which got huge media attention, but they ended up with an investor, and is the only reason they got what they did.

But even they had to go free to attract any sort of buisness, and this is how difficult it is.

There's only 3 online directories to have gotten into the media in 10 years:

1. Sportsbase

2. Mine

3. Brownbook.net

technically, I would have been the first in the UK to do this, but Sportbase just beat me by a few months. They got onto the BBC 1 evening news, and its a nice website serving a large niche audience and popular need... and is why they are, who they are - they too got investment which is so difficult to obtain as this isn't the norm, I assure you.

You and the other 20'000 directories will never get this, and I'm shocked anyone would invest into a general directory like Brownbook, based on the complaints surrounding general directories, and this part of the industry practically near death - but I guess its about convincing investors otherwise, but its impressive Brownbook got the media it got, but that's really exceptional, and doubt anyone else will achieve what they did.

The general directory is dead, so just keep yours free and be happy with offering a free service, that might result in sales elsewhere on your website.

Good luck

 

[beauty21]

Thanks everyone for your comments - It's given me lots to think about!

I probably should have been clearer in my initial post, in that the directory only went live last week, so the low sign up so far is expected. We haven't really started trying to fill it up properly, but initial feedback from a few approached was disappointing and so that's why I posted - probably too early.

But all the feedback has certainly helped me think about how we should do it - thanks again.

One of the main reasons for launching was as an awareness exercise - to get make up artists to know we exist (as they could be a key customer segment for us).

Love the idea of getting everyone on board with it - I'd be delighted to offer anyone on UKBF a discount on the site - 5% off on checkout using code UKBF!

Thanks
Jenny

 

[tony84]

Hi,

I only really read the first page however my understanding is that you want to charge people to join a directory?

I really do think you will struggle to get any meaningful number of people signing up (while your charging) unless you have a lot of traffic (in the thousands of unique visitors each month).

Why would i pay to be in a directory otherwise?
You wouldnt pay to be in the yellow pages if they had no customers.

 

[Experienced IT guy]

Hi,
due to customer demand, we have introduced a Beauty Directory.
...
We have started trying to fill this up,
Jenny

Seems to me fill this up is about 5 entries, that alone would put me off the site. Just my 2p

 

[dagaul101]

Maybe highlight the benefits of signing up, list how much it could mean to the salon, with your exposure, the carrot before the stick