We’ll tell you some directories you can join, which may feed traffic to your site (and enquiries to your phone), and give you an overview of listing your business online.

First of all we will tell you what to do, and for those interested in the theory we will then tell you why it is a good idea.

What to do…

1. Consider getting a BT business landline

As we describe below, BT feed business contact information to a wide variety of sources. A BT business landline will get you into many of these directory listings…

2. Google business listings

Go to Google’s “Find Business” service (http://local.google.co.uk/) and put in your business name in quotes (e.g. “Borchester Equestrian”) and your postcode. If you’re not there, you can add yourself (http://www.google.com/local/add/lookup).

3. Yahoo! business listings

Go to Yahoo’s “Find Business” service (http://uk.local.yahoo.com/) and put in your business name in quotes (e.g. “Borchester Equestrian”) and your postcode. Yahoo! don’t currently have a method of adding yourself, so if you really need to be in Yahoo! the best bet is to get a BT Business Landline (see above).

4. Yell! (the online Yellow Pages)

Go to Yell ( www.yell.co.uk) and search for your business. If you’re not there, you can add yourself (http://www.yelldirect.com/freelisting/).

5. Thomson Local

Go to Thomson Local and search for your business. If you’re not listed, you can add yourself (http://www.thomsondirectories.com/contact/)

6. UpMyStreet

Go to the UpMyStreet “Find My Nearest” service and search for your business. If you’re not there, you can add yourself to Thomson Local (above) and it will feed through into UpMyStreet.

And now for the theory…

It’s a chain reaction!

Many big businesses share information with online and real world directories. For example, if you have a BT business land line, you will end up with (amongst other things):

• A Yellow Pages listing
• A listing in Yell, the online Yellow Pages (http://www.yell.co.uk)
• A listing in Google business listings (http://local.google.co.uk/)
• A listing in Yahoo! Local business listings (http://uk.local.yahoo.com)

If you take a free listing in the Thomson Local directory, you will end up with (amongst other things):

• A listing in Thomson online (http://www.thomsonlocal.com)
• A listing in UpMyStreet , a local area information service (http://www.upmystreet.com/)

If you don’t have these individual listings, don’t worry. You can add yourself in to most of them, and it’s all in our “What to do…” section at the beginning.

You’ll also find that trade organisations, and other groups you might belong to, may link to you - it’s worth checking if the organisations you belong to have websites, and requesting a link if they do.

Why do you want people link to you?

People linking to your website has two advantages: the more links to your site are scattered all over the web, the more chance people have of finding you; additionally, the search engines count each link as a “vote of confidence” in your website… so the more links you have, the better your site will do in search engines.

Not all links are created equal. Ideally you want your links to come from reputable websites, particularly those with a reputation in your market or area.

Classification, classification, classification… what does your business do?

Many directories group similar businesses together, to make it more convenient for the customer using their directory to find something. Each group is called a “classification” or category.

Most business listings allow a free listing in only one classification, so choosing the right classification is vital and you should spend a little time on it. For example: Yellow Pages does not have a classification “Bridal Wear”, but does have “Weddings – Dressing for the Big Day” and “Clothes Shops – Ladies”… if your business is selling bridal dresses, which classification should you be in?

When choosing classification, you can look at how your competitors have classified themselves; ask yourself if they’ve made good or bad choices. Most importantly, you should try and think as your customers think: how would they classify or categorise your business when they’re looking for it?

Other directories are also available…

We’ve only mentioned the larger directories so far, and the web is full of directory listings services and links based websites. There may be directories specific to your market, or local to your business. To find these, try a searching Google or Yahoo! using terms like “find business [your location or market]” (e.g. “ find business bridal wear ”) and “business listing [your location or market]” (e.g. “find business worcester”).

When you find a directory or listing, you need to ask yourself if it’s worth adding your site. Look at factors like:

• Do I know this website?
• Have I seen adverts in the press?
• What sort of companies are listed already?
• Would my customers use this site?
• What are the implications (e.g. cost) of having a listing?

It is easy for technically experienced people to set up a directory website; it’s much more difficult for them to attract users. So, particularly if you are paying, you need to have an idea of what you will get out of the deal.

One downside to joining directories randomly, is that you will receive more unsolicited emails (spam) encouraging you to join still more directories. You should be particularly wary of sites which require a lot of your personal information to enter a listing.

Tags: startershop, directories, sem, linking, bt, yahoo, google, promotion

The internet is not scary when you’re dealing with Startershop!

- Mary Westridge, The Westie Shop

Tags: ecommerce, startershop, fun, usability, experience, shop

Paws to Feed knew it was important to have an ecommerce store to take advantage of those late buyers. But the task did seem impossible. Luckily their PR consultant, Susan McKay, had heard of Startershop and knew it would be quick and easy to setup. Susan commented:

“Setting up the whole site took about 4 hours - including time to make amendments for the client! Startershop allows you to create an entire ecommerce site from scratch without any technical knowledge. Adding the products is quick, adding pictures takes a couple of clicks of a mouse and they are automatically resized and uploaded. We started with nothing and thanks to Startershop we were able to have a fully functioning online business in less than one day”.

This is not surprising for Startershop founders, David Yates and Simon Wheatley.

“We designed Startershop to be affordable, easy to use and quick to set-up. Everyone knows that online trade is increasing. Most consumer businesses would like to sell online. What Startershop has done is make that process very simple, very quick and very cheap. For £199 Startershop gives you a full web shop with your own web address and logo. It can be up and running in a day, completely editable, all credit card handling and hosting sorted out and built in a very search engine friendly way”.

Susan McKay added,

“Startershop has been massively important to the launch of Paws To Feed. They have a really innovative new product in their market place and when you launch a new venture, cost, effectiveness and time are critically important. Startershop is the only product out there that could have delivered in all these areas.”

You can see the Paws to Feed website at www.pawstofeed.com and find out more information about Startershop at www.startershop.com or by calling 087 1234 3434

Tags: pets, ecommerce, startershop, omega-dent

Tags: startershop, crafts, online, store, ecommerce, china, blue, white

Learn to do beadwork with a Useful Booklet, each booklet tells you all you need to know to get started, and helps you through those first steps as you learn. Already a bead fan? treat yourself to one of Heather’s worksheet packs, which come with instructions and accessories and a shopping list for the beads you will need. If you are looking for a special treat, try a hand made Ceramic Cabochon or a beautiful slice of Cotham Marble to bead around.

Tags: ecommerce, startershop, beads, artist, beadwork, worksheets,

Just wanted to say thank you so much for all your help getting our
shop going. I am having so much fun building my shop.

- Wendy, Eastbourne Ourboard Centre

Tags: ecommerce, startershop, fun, usability, experience, shop

Imagine learning to draw and paint in the stunning countryside of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire with artist Paul Priestley. What better antidote to this stress laden world, than to spend a weekend or short break exploring your hidden artistic talents.

Don’t delay, head on over to http://paulpriestley.browseorbuy.com

Tags: ecommerce, usability, startershop, fine_art, painting, art, learn, paul_priestley

Tags: startershop, ecommerce, gift, print, sport, rock, oil-painting

To mark their official launch at Birmingham’s Autumn Fair, Startershop which normally costs only £199 is now even cheaper, with 10% discount to Autumn Fair visitors. Startershop is already considered to be the best entry level web store available to small businesses. It has been described as “ground breaking” and “an essential tool for small businesses” by Bob Michaelson, Former Chairman of the Institute of Directors and himself a Chartered IT Professional.

Startershop are viewing the Autumn Fair at Birmingham’s NEC from 2nd to 6th September 2006 as their ‘Official Launch’. It is their chance to meet the thousands of small and independent businesses who regularly attend the show. Startershop will be demonstrating the ease of use and the power of Startershop and giving 10% off Startershops bought during the Autumn Fair.

The combination of low cost with ease of use is where Startershop scores highly. It has been designed to be intuitive without compromising functionality. Features include integrated credit card handling, fully automated picture upload and resize, stock control, automatic order status update and a full set of administration tools. Full details on Startershop are available on their website: http://www.startershop.com

Startershop owners get a fully branded website with home page, information pages, product sections, shopping basket and checkout functions. Running a Startershop requires no technical expertise or understanding. The user can edit their store as if they were changing the items on the screen itself. Additionally Startershop have gone to great lengths to strip out all the technobabble, explaining everything in easy-to-understand, plain terminology. Startershop have even put a demonstration store on the web so that anyone can try out the store and see how simple it is for themselves: http://www.startershop.com/en/demo

Startershops are also completely Search Engine friendly and, with the right content, attention and care, will perform well in a web search. In fact Startershop have provided information on their website detailing how to get the most out of a Startershop business, including tips for performing better through search engines: http://www.startershop.com/en/what-you-need-to-know/how-people-find-you

At a time when people are switching their allegiance from the high street to the web, Startershop has opened up the lucrative online market to small businesses such as crafts businesses, independent designers, home based businesses and other people who have previously found getting online either too expensive, too confusing or both. Increasing numbers of companies are choosing to get online with a Startershop. A selection of Startershop stores can be seen at: http://www.startershop.com/en/what-you-need-to-know/real-startershops

And Startershop is now winning support and plaudits from influential people within the business community.
“Startershop should be considered very seriously by small businesses and particularly start-ups. Startershop is a most impressive tool. It breaks new ground for small businesses, giving them added value through an affordable and user-friendly tool to compete online, which is now the world’s major consumer market place. Startershop has opened up selling on the web to individuals, start-ups and small businesses; it looks set to become an essential tool for many small companies, retailers, cottage industries and budding entrepreneurs.”
Bob Michaelson, former Chairman of the Institute of Directors in the West Midlands and a Chartered IT Professional (CITP)

Startershop are hoping that by making it cheaper and easier for companies to start trading online, it will help all the independent and interesting products and companies to survive and thrive. The statistics, support this view(http://news.startershop.com/press-releases/ecommerce-statistics/7 ) showing that most companies will struggle unless they have an online store. Additionally trading online with a Startershop is not only cheaper but easier.

For further information, please visit http://www.startershop.com or contact Startershop on 087 1234 3434

–Ends–

Tags: autumn, fair, NEC, startershop, crafts, online, store, ecommerce

Eastcape chose Startershop because of its ease of use, and high level of support for merchants:

“The service/support provided has been brilliant … Startershop have guided me through the process and helped me feel confident of using their package.”

- Quentin Beningfield, Eastcape UK

Tags: ecommerce, support, beginner, novice, startershop, fair-trade, craft, africa