Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Goals of our site:
    We make one-of-a-kind toy barns using 100% reclaimed barn wood.  With each barn, we include a booklet telling the history of the barn and the wood, when we can find it.  We can`t always save the barn...but we can save the wood and the story.  We live on a centennial farm and are saddened by the loss of our agricultural heritage.  We`ll do for barns what Pleasant Rowland did for dolls.  We hope to sell barns through our site.  Honestly, we didn`t have a strategy to begin with.  Guess I`m weak in that area.
   
Design:  My son did all the work on the web site.  He is self-taught and I don`t even know how to answer this question because I just asked him to do it and he did.  I don`t know how long it took him. 

Thick skin...bring it on.  "And remember, we toys see everything...so play nice!"

Posting - I am more than happy to post back.  I sincerely want good input.

url - http://www.streamsidefarm.com  (I don`t know how to "make sure" it`s clickable yet.  Is there something special I need to do?  Sorry)

Navigation, etc - this is where I need help.

Time - I do understand that and appreciate any help that is given. 

Subject heading - I tried to be specific.  I like it...mostly.  I feel like it needs SOMETHING...just not sure what. 

TIA!

And thank you for the guidelines on posting here.  It was very helpful. I hope I have given enough information.  If not, just ask.

Cynthia

Here`s the link: http://www.streamsidefarm.com

Thank you.  How do you do that?  I`ve only been on boards that do that automatically when you enter a url.

Hi Cynthia :-) Welcome to Startup Nation (SuN). Don`t worry so much about if you did something right or not---this is pretty much a free-flowing lounge where entrepreneurs and people who want to start their own business talk about everything that`s involved.

I went to your site, and it looks nice in general. The problem I see has more to do with the content---the copywriting, or written text. For example, here`s your lead-in text:

I`ve bolded the "shutter-click" of the content to show you how I see it. I`m a proofreader, freelance editor, and writer, so I`m making my argument based on reading an awful lot of stuff. :-D

What I`m seeing, and hopefully trying to highlight, is that you have way too many Trademark symbols, you`re talking about everyone OTHER than yourself, and you have a mixed message---something about horses, wood, barns, and toys.

To solve the trademark issue, put a disclaimer down at the bottom of the page that says something to the effect that all brand names, including (list) are trademarked by their owners. You can look up the actual text on the Web.

But to solve the mixed message problem involves some thoughtful analysis and introspection. In your above post, you`ve given me a clear and easily visualized explanation of your site. I knew "all about it," even before I clicked the site. Then when I got there, nothing of what you`d said comes across.

Why not pretty much copy and paste what you put into your introduction here, right into the lead-in content of the home page?

Instead of "Welcome to Streamside Farm," (I`m there already, assume I`m welcome), consider putting a quick sales pitch into a headline. It could be something like, "Historic Barns---Own a Little Piece of History."

The heading should provoke a raised eyebrow, introduce a little mystery, and attract the reader to perhaps read "just a little bit more" to find out how these barns are a) historic, and b) can be owned (purchased).

I`d like to click the large image on the front page, which is excellent, and go to the main "Barns" page. That`s your products page, and lots of people sort of expect a picture to be a link, these days. It would introduce an "activity" for the visitor---something for them to do, instead of just sitting passively.

In the same way, instead of bolding the words "Gambrel" and "Monitor," in the content itself, turn those into links and put the viewer onto a page that explains and has pictures of that particular model.

All in all, it`s a nice site, but it isn`t focused on selling either the barns or the "historic wood" novelty. I think that can be brought out a lot better, and it`s not about technology; it`s about sales, writing, excitement, and toys. Toys are Fun, right? :-)

I sent you a private message on how to make links.

Thanks so much for taking the time to do this. 

"Breyer, Barbie, and Webkins are registered trademarks of their respective owners." 

This is what`s supposed to be at the very bottom on the home page (in gray).  I see it on my computer.  Do you not see it on yours?  That will be a problem, if we stay with that copy.  I will definitely show all of your suggestions to my web guy (my 18yo son) and see what he can do with it.

When we first started, I was trying to incorporate a very little known fact that the cork pine in the late 1800`s outvalued the California gold rush by more than a billion dollars.  I find that fascinating and wonder what people would say if I were offering them an oppportunity to buy gold from the original CA gold rush.  So...I completely understand what you`re saying and agree wholeheartedly.  I`ve gotten conflicting advice about what to write, though, so it`s sometimes a challenge to know which way to go. 

Thanks again, very much.

It`s not that I can`t see it...it`s that when you have a disclaimer like that elsewhere, you can eliminate the "TM" symbol in the content itself, other than perhaps the first occurrence in a repeated name.

For example, if you were going to talk about SBC`s "Quick Talk(TM)" you would use the trademark symbol only the first time. From that point forward, "Quick Talk" wouldn`t need a symbol. However, common usage on Web pages, since they`re not being used for hurtful practices, is to avoid special symbols when they detract from the flow of the content.

In your situation, you have too many symbols, and they definitely interfere with the flow of the content---as it stands. The much larger problem is that all those other brands take the focus OFF your product, and put it elsewhere. You want to keep the customer`s attention on YOUR brand and product, see? :-)

Got it now, thanks!  I was focused on the disclaimer aspect and not the detracting from the text.  

The copy is long and not selling me. It needs to be tightened up and more precise. Consider who your market is ... is this a child`s toy or a collector`s item? What are the benefits of your barns over other barns? Why should I buy yours?

Read this: copywriting.

Thank you.  You brought up a good point and a source of a little of our "identity crisis".  It probably is a collector`s item (wood is rare and no longer available, 300 years old, etc.), but it can definitely be played with.  My daughters play with one all the time that dh helped the oldest build two year ago with no ill effects on the barn.  I think the wood and the history is our advantage.  So, I need to focus on that more.   Thanks for the link.  Perhaps the "crisis" is also part of my own thinking, as I was one of those mom`s who let their kids play with their beanie babies.  Gasp!