Hi, this is my website www.stanschipdip.com . I did a redesign 2 days ago. I changed hosts 9/7/08 and it shows I've gotten over 500 visitors since then averaging 53 per day. I'm advertising on google, yahoo, and exactseek. I checked google with the keyword chip dip and found my ad on the side as well as in the middle of the first page. The problem is I haven't gotten a single order or a call for a free sample for the month of September. I'm obviously doing something wrong and would appreciate your help in figuring out what it is.

Hi Larry,

I'm going to be frank. You're not gonna like this, though I assume you already know most of what I'm about to tell you...

Your site isn't selling dip (and never will) because it is terrible (in many ways). It looks like you run the business out of your garage. I wouldn't buy a paper weight from a site like that, much less something that could contain contaminants that could kill me upon consumption!!!

If you want to sell stuff (especially consumables), you need a site that inspires confidence in your product. Also, when selling something catering to a niche (specialized niche consumables), you need a point of difference. What makes your dip so special? Have you won any awards? Is it super-spicy? Why shouldn't I just go to the grocery store and buy something that I know won't give me food poisoning?

Your site does none of the above. It's not even attractive. It looks like it was made in 1995 by a guy making chip dip in his garage.

This is honest advice. If you're serious about starting a business, and you have a real product that you know will sell, hire a professional marketing company and spend $10-15k for a web + advertising strategy that will help you turn it into something. If you're doing it as a hobby, then learn how to set up a real e-commerce site or go with a paid service like Yahoo stores and make it look like you're actually a business that I can trust with my money / life.

Good luck!

I have to agree with the comment above. I just call a "point of difference" a unique selling proposition, a minor point.

You're offering a free sample and getting zero response over a month -- yes, something's wrong.

Lose the flash. Lose the glitter and unusual color scheme. Lose the jokes. If you can't figure out something product relevant to put on the site, then shut it down.

Study commercial design and you'll see how many dozens of basic rules of thumb the site violates. If the dip is "Rated #1 by party goers everywhere" you should have no trouble whatsoever finding a dozen customers to give heartfelt testimonials.

As a starting example to learn from check out the Jewelboxing site. It's a plastic box. (Heck, it's an empty plastic box) And yet they figure out value building things to say about it. If you have to use jokes, that's a dead giveaway you should be hiring professionals in design and copywriting.

You should be able to have twice the content, as you have a plastic box with a product inside it.

Thank you for the honest comments Now the next step is how to fix this. How about a picture of what the product looks like? What about the directions on how to make it? What about adding a forum? I used coffee cup visual designer to make this. I would appreciate help on fixing this.

• Yes product photos (professional ones).
• Yes directions on how to make it.
• Yes write some compelling copy that will make your product sound irresistable.
• Yes heartfelt testimonials from people who love your product.
• Yes lifestyle photograph (professional photo of people enjoying dip watching TV or playing a board game... you can buy them on the cheap from www.istockphoto.com).
• No forum - won't help sell your product, and will open you up to too many problems.
• No coffee cup - don't design the site yourself. Buy a template if anything.

If you're going to do this yourself, you have to learn advertising, sales, and web usability/design, because what you're doing is making an ad and a sales pitch for your product.

Read the following books:

1. Ogilvy on Advertising
2. Hey Whipple, Squeeze This
3. Triggers (Joseph Sugarman)
4. Designing Web Usability
5. The Psychology of Everyday Things

Then you can make a successful site to sell your product.

Good luck! :up:

Here is a list of food&drink templates on templatemonster.com... start by looking here: http://www.templatemonster.com/categ...style=&author=

I have 2 issues with this website.

Firstly the pictures. The presentation of the dip is terrible. People don't want to buy a white blob. People want to buy a really tasty dip that will improve or compliment the chips they are eating. Focus less on the dip itself.. or at least improve its presentation. Focus more on getting the message across that this dip is amazing.

Secondly the design. The home page looks home made. This is a disaster for online businesses. You will be handling payment details, even if it is indirectly and people want to be safe in the knowledge that they are paying a professional company. Not bob from down the street. The shop itself is terrible. Its so plain and horrible. I didn't think it had properly loaded and had to refresh my page. Your homepage needs more work. Your shop needs to be burned down and rebuilt from scratch.

I agree with everyone above. Also your coding is messed up on my mac with ff3, the buttons arent aligned and the free sample button is under the text.

You should work on your site's design in a professional way and if you do not want to get involved in designing matters, get a template as mentioned or contact the developing companies.

Google AdWords is an excellent way of driving real customers to sites but once they see poor design and site maintenance, they will leave.