id it seem like as the opponent's move. Instead, a Judo
Fourth of July fireworks player uses the momentum
went up, your traffic went generated by his opponent's
down? Or perhaps you are dreading attack to bring him down.
your visitors taking a vacation
and leaving your site home alone Are you beginning to see the
this summer? If this is you, then connection? If your visitor
I advise taking some time out to numbers or conversions nosedive
learn a bit of Judo. at certain times of the year,
don't fight it - use it to your
Judo and the art of website advantage. This is how you can
management manage your online business
Judo-style.
Judo? What on earth is the
connection between seasonal But how does this work in
traffic problems and Judo? Well practice? Well, when fewer
let me explain a little about visitors and customers mean you
Judo and it might start to make have more time available, you
more sense. can...
Judo is an interesting form of 1. Overhaul your site
combat, because Judo techniques
don't rely on outright strength Have you been too busy dealing
or size. Instead, the with orders and enquiries to give
participants use suppleness and your site that much-needed
flexibility of response (ju means makeover? Take advantage of the
"flexible" in Japanese) to turn extra time to implement all those
their opponent's apparent great content, navigation and
advantages against them. In Judo, conversion-improving ideas you
you don't actively resist an are too busy to even think about
during the rest of the year. browsing, so take advantage of
this slow traffic days to get out
2. Add to your product line-up and look around a bit yourself.
Are there any potential partners
This is a great opportunity to out there who you could work with
add both new tangible products, to your mutual benefit? A new
and extra downloadable ones as joint venture can potentially be
well. If you have nothing else to worth hundreds of additional
do, a few relatively undisturbed customers, so this time of
days will give you more than browsing and exploring new
enough time to put together a new possibilities has a huge
ebook on your area of expertise. potential payback.
3. Build links and credibility 5. Save your advertising bucks
Articles (like this one) are a You're keeping track of your
great way to generate both links conversions as well as your
and credibility. Any extra time a visitor stats, right? Well, if
traffic lull gives you can be you notice a drop-off around
used very effectively in writing weekends, holidays or other
and posting informative articles. vacation times then, whatever you
As they are picked up and start do, don't use paid advertising to
appearing across the Internet, make up the shortfall. If your
your both your inbound links and search engine-generated free
credibility shoot up. visitors aren't in the mood to
buy, visitors coming through paid
4. Create new partnerships advertising probably won't
either. Instead, save your money
Your busy schedule may not allow and use it at those times your
you much time to do your own historical data tell you give the
best bang for your buck. now and ensure this year will see
bumper sales.
6. Have a summer sale and get rid
of old stock 8. Take a break yourself!
Kill two birds with one stone: Come on, even following half of
Clear out old inventory while my suggestions is going to keep
simultaneously encouraging those you very busy - even if you do
visitors you do have to spend have fewer visitors than usual.
money with you. Make sure you So, the final thing to remember
email all your previous customers is that you are your site's
about the summer deals too, and biggest asset and, since you need
you may find you get a stampede a break sometime too, why not
of repeat visitors cleaning out take it now?
your store.
If your visitors are packing up
7. Christmas is coming and going to the beach this
summer, don't panic: Learn a bit
You may not be able to hear those of Judo, and let "The Way of
sleigh-bells just quite yet, but Flexibility" (the literal meaning
in retail terms, Christmas is of "Judo") help you turn your
just round the corner. Have you summer blues into a bonanza of
thought about how you will get new opportunities.
the most out of this year's
holiday season? Set your strategy
About the Author:
Stephen Munday lives in Japan. He works for Provide Cars (http://www.providecars.com/), who buy cars at japanese car auctions and sell them to japanese car importers around the world. This article is (c) Stephen Munday 2005. Permission is given to reproduce this article in whole with the URLs correctly hyperlinked.
Read more articles by:
Stephen Munday
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
