your own business

longshotsports

Not sure if this is in the right section so I'm sorry if it not.

I have not long started my own business. I stand market every sunday morning and have a full website but working through the SEO is a bit of a slow process. I'm doing it myself with no money to spare to afford any help.

My questions is what easy ways are they to get some almost imidiate custom.

I have posted on face book which i refresh my ads every other day.
I have posted on numerous free ads
I have business card that I hand out.

Am I Missing something that could get me a steady cash flow while the site picks up.

Also does anyone know of any Markets around the Leicestershire area that allows the sale of air rifles , archery, air soft etc as that is what my business is about.

The only one I have found is Melton, The rest wont allow my wares.

Patchwork_Girl

Are you selling your items online too? Unless you are dealing in a specialist market I don't imagine that a website will be especially beneficial to a market stall - I can't imagine customers going out of their way to attend a specific market that they found online unless the product sole there are unique in some way. To my knowledge there are several online sources for the product you describe so web users might go there rather than travelling.

You need to give your customers a reason to come to you in person - have you got a lot of useful, personal information on your website? If you can make yourself into an expert - the 'go to' person for the category, then you have more of a selling point. A beginners guide, information about licenses (if you need them?), that sort of thing. How-to guides or demos filmed and put on You Tube.

Can you attend events that fit around the interest?

Have you got involved in local facebook groups for selling in your area? And interest groups around your products? They might be a good starting point.

Just some thoughts - you might have tried all this already!

longshotsports

Thanks patchwork girl for the advise. I do have a website up and running

I would say the items are unique. There air pistols, archery, paintball. Things that you cant always find on the high street. Plus with the gun laws you have to sell them face to face so it makes it easier in some ways as it meaning there not 100's of other guys out there doing them through the post.

"A beginners guide, information about licenses (if you need them?), that sort of thing. How-to guides or demos filmed and put on You Tube" - I like that idea, Make it more of a advice site and not just about the selling, You tube was interesting as well. Get some working examples of the guns we sell.

I'm already on face book with adverts as well.

I was thinking of pay per click but not sure if its the way to go. Could lose a lot of money for very few sales.

Either way cheers for the help!!:)

podperson

Could you look at getting involved with other business in the field - so if you're selling paintball guns, for example, are there are paintballing centres nearby who would let you come in and sell onsite, either in exchange for advice to customers, a fee for renting out an area or a small commission on items sold?