The things you learn when you’re the client

What we learnt about design and development by starting our own business selling Japanese kitchen knives.

Transcript

1. The things you learn when you’re the client From websites to Japanese kitchen knives and back again Thursday, 19 September
2. James Young Creative Director @Offroadcode Knife selling guy @CutEdgeKnives @welcomebrand Thursday, 19 September
3. By day, I design and build websites @welcomebrand Thursday, 19 September
4. By day, I also sell fancy kitchen knives @welcomebrand Thursday, 19 September
5. @welcomebrand cuttingedgeknives.co.uk Thursday, 19 September
6. What’s this about? @welcomebrand Thursday, 19 September
7. What’s this about? • Share some lessons learnt from starting a business from scratch • How selling a physical product is different to making a website • Testing ideas in a real world environment • Understanding clients better by becoming one @welcomebrand Thursday, 19 September
8. ‘‘You! designer - Add this thing I saw on someone else’s site’’ @welcomebrand Thursday, 19 September
9. Building a small business @welcomebrand Thursday, 19 September
10. Building a small business • Find and research a product we could sell • Invested £7,000 in stock • 3 weeks to design, build and populate an ecommerce site in Umbraco @welcomebrand Thursday, 19 September
11. What have we actually tried? A lot of stuff we just assumed would just work and bring visitors and orders. @welcomebrand Icons: adamwhitcroft.com/batch Thursday, 19 September
12. What have we actually tried? A lot of stuff we just assumed would just work and bring visitors and orders. High Cost, Low Reward @welcomebrand Icons: adamwhitcroft.com/batch Thursday, 19 September
13. What have we actually tried? A lot of stuff we just assumed would just work and bring visitors and orders. Google Adwords Full page magazine ads Food show leaflets Facebook ads High Cost, Low Reward @welcomebrand Icons: adamwhitcroft.com/batch Thursday, 19 September
14. What have we actually tried? A lot of stuff we just assumed would just work and bring visitors and orders. Google Adwords Full page magazine ads Food show leaflets Facebook ads High Cost, Low Reward Low Cost, High Reward @welcomebrand Icons: adamwhitcroft.com/batch Thursday, 19 September
15. What have we actually tried? A lot of stuff we just assumed would just work and bring visitors and orders. Google Adwords Full page magazine ads Food show leaflets Facebook ads High Cost, Low Reward Low Cost, High Reward Creating original content Giving stuff away to influencers Newsletters & social engagement Landing page and basket optimisation @welcomebrand Icons: adamwhitcroft.com/batch Thursday, 19 September
16. Selling & Optimisation @welcomebrand We use a mix of front end messages, reporting tools, and little tips we've picked up over time. 1 http://www.welcomebrand.co.uk/thoughts/a-guide-to-ecommerce-postage/ Thursday, 19 September
17. Selling & Optimisation • Stock and sales reporting tools • Super long basket timeouts • Genuine Free postage 1 • A useful money back guarantee • Remove reasons for basket abandonment @welcomebrand We use a mix of front end messages, reporting tools, and little tips we've picked up over time. 1 http://www.welcomebrand.co.uk/thoughts/a-guide-to-ecommerce-postage/ Thursday, 19 September
18. @welcomebrand cuttingedgeknives.co.uk A simple design addition led to 20% more orders Thursday, 19 September
19. Other problems we’ve faced @welcomebrand It’s not just design and code that cause you problems when you’re selling a product. Thursday, 19 September
20. Other problems we’ve faced • It can take months to restock • Lots of out of stock items • Users take time and several visits to make a purchase • Clearing UK Customs quickly @welcomebrand It’s not just design and code that cause you problems when you’re selling a product. Thursday, 19 September
21. @welcomebrand Pic: Raiders of the Lost Ark UK Customs. Possibly Thursday, 19 September
22. What can you take home from this? @welcomebrand Thursday, 19 September
23. What can you take home from this? • Back-office improvements can reap massive rewards • Build tools and reports and use them • Out of stock notifications have 50-60% conversion rate • Automate where possible - stock checks, label printing, it all saves time • Build “battle tested” tools you can use on other projects • Backing yourself gives you demonstrable power @welcomebrand Thursday, 19 September
24. What else? @welcomebrand 2 https://medium.com/makeshift-thoughts/1d03b0d4da2b Thursday, 19 September
25. What else? • Fun factor • Our MP bosses around UK customs for us • We’re going to Japan to visit suppliers • I’m in Macclesfield on a Wednesday night.... • Make money • Enables us to have some “20% time” • Or pay a salary • You can help “Accelerate serendipity” in your life 2 @welcomebrand 2 https://medium.com/makeshift-thoughts/1d03b0d4da2b Thursday, 19 September
26. Thanks for listening @welcomebrand We sell lovely kitchen knives - cuttingedgeknives.co.uk We also make websites - offroadcode.com Thursday, 19 September