Welcome to Friday - time for a new customer spotlight!

Spotlight On: Sinelleo Combo Deals of the Day
Service: New logo, eBay store design, and matching eCommerce store design
Website: http://www.directsinelleo.com

The Need: Pepe has a great product line - high end designer clothing at amazing prices - and great energy. He wanted to capture a hip, urban, youthful spirit that would appeal to his younger, brand-conscious customers, but that would also be clean, upscale, and have the professional quality of the "big guys". When we asked him for sample sites he likes, he went straight to Ralph Lauren!

The Solution: So, how do you combine the elegance of top brand names with a fun, energetic quality? We hope we've done it! By keeping this website clean and very well organized, with a simple color scheme of cool blues and greens, it has the feel of an easy to navigate professional design. By giving Pepe's logo tons of eye appeal and using youthful models and lots of subtle textures, the site gets an added punch of funky and hip. Cool + upscale = problem solved!

Q & A:

Q: What kinds of model pictures can I use?

A: Anything you have the copyright license to may be used on your website. Images you may use include:

• Photographic images you take yourself
• Full-rights stock photography you purchase
• Limited-rights stock photography you purchase (as long as it's not resold in any form
• Images from your vendor(s) that you have express rights to use

Images you may not include:

• Photos of celebrities
• Photos you found on another website
• Stock photography images purchased by someone else
• Ad images from your vendors/suppliers/brands (unless you have their written consent)
• Model and/or product images from your vendors/suppliers/brands (unless you have their written consent)

Q: Does this include my product photos? Can't I use the photos from the manufacturer's website or print catalog?

A: Technically, no - unless you have their express written consent, this is copyrighted intellectual property and cannot be "borrowed" for use with your sales. Do people do it? Sure, all the time. But they set themselves up for a copyright infringement suit and can cause themselves a lot of headache and hassle if they are pursued. (And yes, people ARE pursued for this every day. Amazon and eBay both have very strict VERO policies, too.)

Q: So where do I get my images then?

A: Product Images: You can start with asking your suppliers if you can use their images - many will say yes. Some have limitations on where or how they can be used (for example, "not on eBay" is a common restriction), while others will give you full access. In lieu of that, you should take your own product photographs - they add significant value to your web business, becoming your own intellectual property asset! (You can also hire an "industrial photographer" to take your product photos, but this can get quite expensive - expect to pay $10 to $30 per photo for raw, unedited images - and up to $50 to $250 per edited image!)

Model Images: There are some great stock photography sites out there that sell limited-rights access to professional images. Depending on the image quality and usage rights, you can expect to pay between $2 and $25 for standard images at sites like www.istockphoto.com and www.dreamstime.com, two of my favorites. Or, ask your designer! We make it our business to find the best quality stock photo images, and maintain lightboxes for all kinds of different photography subjects, from plants to foods to men and women in various kinds of activity and attire.


Let us know your feedback and questions about this site design (or any of our others). And thank you, Pepe, for working with us on both of your new websites! We know you're ready to take the urban market by storm.

Holiday eCards

Now is the perfect time to get your holiday ecards ready to go - before the big rush of last-minute orders!

What? You don't do a holiday ecard? ...Can you hear my gasp from here? My dears, get yourselves out there! Sending periodic emails to your customers builds loyalty and brand recognition, and is still the #1 most cost-effective marketing technique out there. If you're selling on eBay or Amazon, this is especially important for reminding buyers that you are your own selling entity online. Plus, it's a nice thing to do.

Fine-quality print cards can be very expensive, especially if you look into custom printing, and then of course there's the hand-addressing and postage expense. Not to mention killing trees.

When you go digital, you get the same beautiful effect, plus an immediate opportunity for buyers who are already at their computers to click on your site link or your bookmark - and they'll already be feeling warm and fuzzy, due to your heartfelt expression of gratitude and goodwill.

We have a selection of over 50 beautiful holiday ecards to choose from (including Christmas, Hannukah, and general winter holiday greetings) for only $50 - you pick your favorite image, your favorite saying, and then send them out to everyone on your list! Or, for $150, you can have a completely customized ecard with your store logo and branding plus full website navigation and your own completely unique message. Again, send it out to 20 people or 20,000 people - let your buyers know you care.

For examples of what we can do for you: http://jennarationx.com/EmailAdvertising.html - and see the Greeting Cards and Examples & Pricing tabs.

Product Photography, Part 2: Camera & Setup

As I mentioned last week, you'll see nearly immediate benefits by improving your product photography for your eCommerce website. And yes, that means Etsy and eBay sellers, too, without a doubt!

I'd like to start with the basic equipment first. No, don't start covering your eyes and going into a panic attack - you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that your professional equipment setup is surprisingly affordable! Do try to invest in the best quality you can afford; these items should last you for several years.

CAMERA
You definitely want to go digital here - you'll need to take a LOT of shots, and don't want to be stingy with film. The good news is, there are tons of fabulous choices for a good quality digital camera in the $100 to $250 range that will easily meet your needs.

Look for a camera that has:

• 5 mp resolution or better
• White balance setting
• Macro zoom feature (if you'll be photographing objects smaller than a coffee cup)
• Easy plug-in to your computer (i.e., cable or port)

CAMERA ACCESSORIES
You don't need much here - but you'll find the following investments will pay off nearly immediately:

• A few good sized memory cards (so you don't have to be dumping photos every few minutes)
• Rechargeable batteries - you'll want these right away! Digital cameras eat up batteries quickly. Get 2 sets - one for the camera, and one to be charging while you work. Radio Shack has great rechargeable batteries (and the recharger station) specifically for home electronics.
• A case or protective cover for your camera - especially important if you will be traveling or going outdoors for your photo work, but also good for protecting your camera from dust, scratches, or falls while it's being stored at home.
• A tripod - this can be a small table-top device, if your products are smaller, or a full-size, to-the-floor device. Look for one with multiple height and angle adjustments. Pick up a used one for a great price on eBay or Etsy.

STAGING EQUIPMENT
I will talk more about product staging next week, because it's absolutely critical to taking a good product photo for online sales. For now, take a few minutes to look into the following:

• For ALL items: Proper lighting. This means natural, full-spectrum light bulbs (you can get them at any Home Depot), and lots of them. Inexpensive clip-on desk lamps work great - you can pick them up for $10 apiece and affix them easily to surround your product photo area. Get several.
• For small items: A desktop light box. We absolutely love GemEBox, made by MK Digital Direct. EZCube is another good brand to look at.
• For clothing: A good-quality mannequin. Yes, you need one - please don't keep photographing your items laid out on the dirty floor! Yes, you can buy one from a store that's going out of business, but PLEASE make sure it's in good repair. That means no major scratches, and it should have hair. Yes, even if you sell used clothing.
• For large items: Most large professional lightboxes are pretty expensive purchases, so if you're photographing large items we generally recommend that you start with some drop cloths to "white out" your backgrounds. You can get white canvas painters drop cloths at Home Depot, or some clean white cotton yarding at the fabric store. Make sure it's nice and thick, so you won't see things through the material. Also try to pick a fabric that doesn't collect dust or pet hair easily. While you're there, grab a few plastic zip-up bags to store your drop cloths in when not in use.

I know these items require both time and money investments. As you gather them, remind yourself that they will very likely pay for themselves in just a few weeks' time. After all, one of the beauties of selling online is that you literally have an even playing field with the "big guys" - give yourself the professional advantage of the right equipment, and I guarantee you'll be glad you did!

Product Photography - Make It Your New Hobby!

I'd like to do a series of articles on product photography, because it's so very essential to eCommerce, and so very often done wrong! We get to see it all, from the excellent to the "what are they thinking?" - and, trust me, this one skill can absolutely make or break you when it comes to selling online.

If you're not convinced of the importance of product photographic quality when it comes to selling online, keep in mind that over 70% of people are more visually oriented than any of their other senses. And that web commerce relies nearly 100% on VISUAL appeal to attract and retain customers. Whether you're selling cell phones, dresses, or toothpaste, making the product look appealing is nearly the #1 skill you should develop, if you haven't already.

There are a few rather technical things to know in order to take a dramatically better photo - fortunately, they are quite easy and affordable! They just require a little know-how and some practice.

Since there is much to cover on this subject, I'm planning to do an entire series on product photography, so look forward to that every Wednesday through November, and please feel free to send in your questions! We'll be covering things like: getting the best lighting, what types of backdrops to use, when (and how) to remove backgrounds, showing clarity and detail, differences in image techniques based on your product line, image editing and cleanup, cropping and web optimizing. By the time we're done, I hope everyone knows how to set the white balance on their cameras and the ideal image resolution for your website product display pages.

Trust me, when your sales start climbing, you'll be so glad you knew these simple tricks!!

Customer Spotlight: Skin Obsession

Welcome to Friday - time for a new customer spotlight!

Spotlight On: Skin Obsession
Service: New website design to match a new store name & logo
Website: http://www.skinobsession.com/

The Need: Julie recently underwent some big changes in her online skin care company, including a new name, new logo, and relocation of her shopping cart platform from ChannelAdvisor to Volusion. She needed a new look that would accomplish several goals: be appealing to women looking for a cost-saving spa experience, while still feeling comfortable for men to shop - keeping lots of homepage text and keywords for optimal SEO - and offering multiple ways to shop her specialized product line.

The Solution: We took Julie's color scheme and logo elements and blended them throughout the entire design, giving the site a very custom, professional look without sacrificing functionality or search engine optimization. She now has easily editable text areas, rotating featured item boxes to highlight her best-sellers, and features such as a newsletter signup box and links to her social networking sites - all of which will help her expand her customer base, staying connected and building trust. And that means better sales! That's what I'd call putting your best face forward.

Q & A:

Q: Do the colors used on my website really matter? If so, how?

A: You bet they do! Any good graphic designer will have some training in color psychology (sometimes called "color therapy") and will help you select colors that will best appeal to your specific target market.

There's no "one perfect color" that induces all people to pull out their credit cards all the time - if there were, the marketing world would be awash in it! But obviously, there are colors that have universal meaning (or at least, within a given culture). For example, soft colors relax and soothe, while bold colors excite. Have you ever noticed that virtually ALL the fast food restaurant chains use a combination of bright red and yellow in their logos, signage, and interiors? That's no coincidence - it's because red, orange, and yellow are colors that stimulate us to be hungry!

Q: But in your survey, you asked me what MY favorite colors are - what does this have to do with optimal design?

A: Great question! And there are a few reasons we do this:

(1) You will be looking at your own website day in and day out, probably for years. (Yes, we know your mum is uber-supportive, but will she be logging in daily? Don't think so...) We want you to feel motivated every time you see it, to feel great about your virtual space and proud of your storefront. So yes, how YOU feel about the design matters greatly!

(2) We assume that you are selling a product, line, or service about which you feel great passion. And you are probably somewhat of an expert in your line. As such, it's likely that the kind of customers you'll attract are people of like mind, who have similar tastes and interests. Yes, you could go for a generic look and try to appeal to a maximum number of people, but studies show that web businesses are actually more successful when they target a niche market directly. Therefore, your own personal tastes ARE relevant and probably one of the best indicators as to what your similarly-oriented target market will be attracted to, also.


Let us know your feedback and questions about this site design (or any of our others). And thank you, Julie, for trusting us to help you with your Skin Obsession branding online - we hope the makeover brings you oodles of new buyers!

Customer Spotlight: BLD Science

Welcome to Friday - time for a new customer spotlight!

Spotlight On: BLD Science
Service: Website makeover & relocation to Volusion shopping carts
Before Site: http://bldsci.com/
After Site: http://www.bldscience.com/

The Need: BLD Science already had a professional logo and a website catering to doctors and laboratory equipment purchasers which was doing quite well. However, the site design was extremely "templatey" and generic looking, and needed a serious professional upgrade. They also needed expanded navigation options in an organized format.

The Solution: Their new site design makes use of their existing logo design and color scheme, with a very clean and streamlined look that still allows for custom graphics, a large rotating promotion banner, highlights of their stand-out services, and loads of navigation. A fly-out menu bar allows for 3 category levels to appear in a compact space, and drop-down "Shop by Brand", "Shop by Price" options make maximum use of the Volusion platform's search capabilities. An expanded footer bar organizes lots of additional site/page navigation for this now-formidable company. Web 3.0, meet BLD Science!

Q & A:

Q: Does it benefit my website to have multiple search-by features?

A: Generally, yes! The easier you make it for your buyers to find what they're looking for, the better. For some product lines, a simple 1-level or 2-level category structure plus a search box will suffice quite nicely - for example, books or movies sorted by genre and searchable by title or author via a standard keyword search box. For other sellers, "shop by brand" or "shop by size" features will greatly improve the buyer's shopping experience. Give some consideration to how YOU like to shop for a particular product, and let that be your guide - or post an open-ended question on your blog or Twitter page and let your customers tell you themselves!

Keep in mind that some "shop by" features may be limited based on which shopping cart service you use. If a feature isn't automatically available, your trusty designer may be able to hard-code one in for you. :)

Let us know your feedback and questions about this site design (or any of our others). And welcome to the JennarationX family, BLD Science! We're so glad to have you.

Monday Thought...

What one thing would you do today, if you knew you couldn't fail??