help me - how would you advertise me?

[nursallie]

I am a new website, not live yet, but my products are very different.I am not selling handbags, ipods, etc.
I am selling scratch and sniff stickers. Trying to bring them back from the 1980's but also develop a new following. I compare myself to Hello Kitty, Dora the explorer, Strawberry Shortcake, etc.

With Adwords and Yahoo marketing, I am getting 0.3% click thru rate. Not good.

Since it's a kids product, I know kids can not purchase online.. so how do i get kids to love it and parents to buy it?
Where would you advertise?
Thanks very much


the website is here

[tamecrow]

That's an interesting product.

The site is very kid-orientated, but with headings such as "Characters", "The Story", and "Games", I would have had absolutely no idea that you sold anything at all without you having said so in your post. If the main purpose of the site is to sell scratch and sniff stickers, why isn't your site about scratch and sniff stickers?

[ctabuk]

I hate to say this - I really do -but it is aimed at kids that frankly are too young to be on the Internet -the story lines are based on a three to four year olds mentality. It's well made - sure - but it's 'tacky' -I'm a website marketer -you have chosen the URL title correctly. But you have too much going on at once and I would hate to be the guy advising you on natural search optimization.

Sorry

[tamecrow]

Originally Posted by ctabuk

I would hate to be the guy advising you on natural search optimization.

There's a reason I didn't even start to analyse the SEO, David

[cw1865]

I actually remember scratch and sniff stickers from when I was a kid and I liked them. Only the parents have the credit card so you have to get them to make the purchase.

[nursallie]

Thanks so much for your posts. I really appreciate it. I am very willing to make changes, add pictures, change the button names, etc. If you have any ideas, please tell me. In other words, what is your advice for me? Besides scrap the idea, because I want to sell these products. Just help me on what to do to sell them. thanks so much!

[nursallie]

Originally Posted by tamecrow

That's an interesting product.

The site is very kid-orientated, but with headings such as "Characters", "The Story", and "Games", I would have had absolutely no idea that you sold anything at all without you having said so in your post. If the main purpose of the site is to sell scratch and sniff stickers, why isn't your site about scratch and sniff stickers?

I have there "products" and the tag line is "the only place you can buy the newest line of scratch and sniff stickers".
I thought that was showing i am selling a product... what do you recommend? THanks so much.

[cw1865]

I just sat on the main page of the site for a second and the animation runs for a little bit too long, the first time I completely missed the product hawking. The animation is cool, but shorten it up and get people to your pitch.

[tamecrow]

Originally Posted by nursallie

I have there "products" and the tag line is "the only place you can buy the newest line of scratch and sniff stickers".
I thought that was showing i am selling a product... what do you recommend? THanks so much.

Your site needs to guide people and tell them what to do. Don't just have a "Products" link and a note saying that you sell scratch and sniff stickers - give them to them as soon as the site loads. Tell them where to click, how to buy - what to do. Don't just give them the opportunity - guide and direct them.

[imvain2]

I think you could be missing out on a entire demographic.

I know it sounds weird but if you are the creator, you could go after the Hot Topic demographic and print retro designs and gothic type designs.

It seems like this crowd is into the retro concepts, they are internet savvy and more able to purchase online

[kajamy@mac.com]

I agree, your demographic is much bigger than you think. I would buy retro stickers, I loved those when I was a kid. As for the site, cute but it focuses a lot on the story and not enough on buying them. It would be fun to have a character sniff at the very beginning and say something like, "I smell strawberries" and another saying something else, etc. and maybe pulling stickers out of the grass... just a thought, something that illustrates what the product is a bit more.

You could also put an icon or graphic under that text on the left that says "Store" or "Buy your Scratch & Sniff Stickers HERE!"

Another little thing I noticed is that I keep thinking the fairy is having bladder problems because of the placement of the stars dropping out of it. I see it out of the corner of my eye and it bugs me.

Actually, I would take that green text under Welcome to SmellStickers.com and put it on one line above the square with the animation and change it to another colour, maybe a dark pink or magenta. Sorry if this is too long, part of my job is analyzing sites for creative and layout.

[Orion]

Change header the one on your products page (in the ebay ad) is perfect get the words 'scratch and sniff' up there in peoples faces....
update the nav to include the words stickers etc.

Let me turn off the sound on the flash animation.. could barely hear it anyway ... have the pitch etc that is audio come up in balloons or something in the animation (required in US for accessibility)

Show some product right on the front page. Maybe down a right hand column?

Marketing...

Get the product on the site, even if you have to put a buy button that links to the ebay store, get them in there.. you wanna push the story book album first once they have that they need the stickers.. do it soon... christmas season ends beginning of december online for the most part.

If you have the budget... advertise on websites that are geared for the kids ie. nickelodeon, hotwheels, my little pony, strawberry shortcake, barbie etc... These are websites that (myself even as a parent) parents bring their kids to for games from the shows they watch on TV.. They have large parents sections on them also..

My kids still trade and collect goofy little stickers like this and they are 9 and 11 yrs old now.

RETRO rules.. if the price is right you're 4 sure going to have a ton of us 80's kids =o) picking up or buying them for stalking stuffers and joke gifts for each other...

FACEBOOK.. start a scratch and sniff group on facebook *if it doesn't aready exist!*, put a corresponding coupon or something on your website to link with the facebook group.
Talk to some of the makers of the more popular facebook plugins or facebook itself.. like free gifts, school bus app etc... you can 'sponsor' a free gift of a virtual scratch and sniff sticker to get your name out maybe a link or two..

NEOPETS.. little kids and adults play too ... again sponsor some virtual stuff on the site maybe

that's just a few things off the top of my head...

Cool idea, I'm going to bookmark the site..

[madjohn]

Most of the good advice I was going to post has been said but - espcially about the animation being a little too long and too quiet. Definately needs a STOP and VOLUME control descreetly in the corner.

Get your product on there... as mentioned, show it in the products section and link to eBay but also have it on the front page too!
The website at the moment seems to be all about the characters and the story and not the stickers. Make the story & characters back up the product and allow the product to be the main focus of the website.

You obviosuly can create an animation so try the same on an image of the product to give the perception of smell coming from them. Similar to the stars effect on the fairy (that, sorry to say, do seem to be dripping from her! Take a hint from Tinkerbell).

You have a great domain name but you are concentrating a little too hard on who the final recipient of the stickers will be leaving the prducts almost incidental.

Sorry if I have repeated any of the above.

[madjohn]

Umm, I also had a go at the quiz (the rest of you, don't laugh!):
Although I see the point of the question "What object of the 1980's is coming back?" is to promote the stickers, I think it is not going to be known so well by anyone under 16.

I couldn't see the answer in ther story either - but then there was too much text to read even for me to quickly scan. Try braking it up a little with more pictures (products?) and fun stuff.

Hope this helps some.

[bj]

I think imvain2 is right. Besides, this particular demographic will be having kids soon if they aren't already. They've also got nieces, nephews, little brothers and sisters . . . .

[incrediblehelp]

Nice idea here, but selling stickers only is not going to work. Adding/selling other related products along with stickers would help.

This should have all been though through before getting online to begin with I would think. Remember lots of great ideas find themselves really hard to market online. I dont buy my candy bars or chewing gum online.

[nursallie]

Oh, wow, so many great ideas! I am struggling to get the site's paypal working right now, but I will definitely heed all of your advice as soon as I can. Thanks so much. And any other ideas keep em coming. It's great to get free advice. (I'm paying so many people to help me already).

[Martinscholes]

Yes, I agree. Aim the site at those with the money. Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.

Obviously, you should keep the section for the children, but the main site should be aimed at adults. Also, look for related items to sell.

Retro clothing, perhaps? Stuff like that. Good luck with your site.

Oh, yes. You need to promote it via the media. Maybe send selected journalists some scratch and sniff stickers with an invite to do a feature on your site?

[nursallie]

Hi martin
How would i find jouranlists to write to?
Thanks

[heiril]

Im not good in giving reviewing.. but i guess u site contains too much graphics and less words? First time i enter your site im thinking 'Is this site really selling stickers? What must i do to buy the stickers?
U should add more words explaining what u have to offer your visitors and range of products you have.

Or maybe u can displays all stickers in front page? Maybe Make it like a gallery.. So visitors can have clearly in their mind what product u can offer them..

[joer80]

Most newspapers have this kind of general traffic and being print minded, they dont realize the value of their online presence. For cheap general type traffic, buy ads on newspaper websites. I know because I am a webmaster for one. :P

[webproworld33]

Hello friend !
I think most easy way to advertise yourself is to
create own blog on the popular site . this is most common way to advertise yourself .

[Dubbya]

I'm on board with Incrediblehelp's recommendation to broaden your product offerings.

Why not market the items the stickers were based on? Things like dolls, stuffed toys, books, activity/coloring books, DVD's, doll clothing and the scratch n' sniff stickers. Maybe consider starting with the activity/coloring books and take it from there. Add a new activity book every couple of months and make those collectible too.

Give the kids a place to put the stickers. (My daughter and nieces all go crazy for sticker books.) I'd think it'd be a pretty tough sell to just offer stickers, but offering other items might make it worthwhile for you.

This is a highly competitive arena. Disney, Mattell, etc. are all targeting your client base and they're doing it with a lot of expensive marketing. You'll have to be patient and determined in your advertising efforts. I'd try to partner with or secure some ad space on an established site, you'd probably find that much more effective than Adsense.

.02

[nursallie]

Hello, and Happy Thanksgiving. I've got the website up and running!!! Thanks to all of you who helped and provided suggestions. Please let me know what you think. I did incoporate a lot of the suggestions -- please note --- i am selling a sticker collector album, diary and scented stationery, not just scratch and sniff stickers!!!

If you like the website, please let your friends know about it to help me get the word out. I appreciate it!! =)

[janeth]

I'd build a couple sites to test with.

My daughter is 6 and she spends a lot of time online playing games.

And she loves stickers.

I think the games on the site is a good idea but I would do a lot of testing to figure out what the best way to go would be.

[nursallie]

Hi, What type of testing do you mean?

[bobchrist]

Find what could be little addictive to kids like you can try out adding few interesting games or digital scrap book.

[nursallie]

I will look into digital scrapbook -- thank you!