Allow me to ask for some recommendations

[kf4qhk]

Greetings, all.

First, thank you for your presence here, and your desire to help those who are less experienced in these areas.

I am Jeremy, and if you haven't by now, I invite you to read my mini-biography under the "Introductions" thread.

Anyway, I wanted to pose a situation, and to get input.

I have a dessert that I am wanting to start to market and sell. It is basically an old, time honored recipe, made by many families, but, with no one marketing and selling it. I have taken it, and have been making it for various church and social events for a few years now. Recently, I added a new item to the dessert, which made it even better. Anyway, based upon the reactions of friends, family, and perfect strangers, I believe that I could sell it, and produce profitable results.

I am working on a local marketing plan, that while slow, I think, over the course of a few years, or maybe just several months, should provide a slow, but steady residual income.

I am really interested in finding the best way to sell and market this dessert online. After having done some research, I have found a method of shipping this dessert, and for it to stay frozen, for 2-3 days. I have also found online dessert retailers that ship their products, but only give the option for an expensive overnight shipping service.

I have a few reasons for wanting to sell it online. While not wanting to list them all here, I can say that one motivation is the profit factor. From my observations, online desserts sell for much more money, and even with the inflated overnight shipping charges that some charge, I would have to assume that they're making sales, due to the fact that some seem to have been in business a while.

So, by selling online, I think I am sell/work less, and make as much/more as simply being local. Granted, this may take years, but, I am hopefully looking at a multi-year marketing plan, and as I said earlier, build a slow, but steady residual income for years to sell. And, at some point, if it really takes off, and someone company happens to make an offer I can't refuse, I may have to take it up on that offer.

Anyway, being that I am starting out with no sales, and little money, I have either the option of waiting to build up profits from local sales, and then launch online, or, I can co-launch them together.

My website building skills are as non-existent as my profits are now, and so, I am seeking assistance. One person suggested that I use Site Build It, and after doing some research, I am thinking that I may do that. I have yet to find a negative review of that company.

However, I wanted to get your inputs on my situation. I had hoped to establish some affiliate partnerships with other websites, which would provide a commission on sales, but so far, have not been successful in starting those.

Someone suggested that I simply start a blog, but, would have no clue about how to write it, and how to market it, so that John Doe in Fargo, ND would find it, and buy one of my pies.

By the way, my dessert is a White Chocolate Oreo Pie. It is best served frozen.

Again, thanks for assistance.

Jeremy

[OnionJack]

Originally Posted by kf4qhk

Greetings, all.

First, thank you for your presence here, and your desire to help those who are less experienced in these areas.

I am Jeremy, and if you haven't by now, I invite you to read my mini-biography under the "Introductions" thread.

I'm not exactly experienced in this area. But I love to talk too, so would like to give some feedback.

Your introduction was quite a feat I must say. Not often I meet someone as erhmm...well-spoken....or long winded as I am LOL!!

I'll start this off by saying I'm a pessimist/realist. Part of my job is to try to punch holes wherever I can. So please take what I say with a grain of salt.

Originally Posted by kf4qhk

Anyway, I wanted to pose a situation, and to get input.

I have a dessert that I am wanting to start to market and sell. It is basically an old, time honored recipe, made by many families, but, with no one marketing and selling it. I have taken it, and have been making it for various church and social events for a few years now. Recently, I added a new item to the dessert, which made it even better. Anyway, based upon the reactions of friends, family, and perfect strangers, I believe that I could sell it, and produce profitable results.

You believe you can sell it? Or can you sell it?

Originally Posted by kf4qhk

I am working on a local marketing plan, that while slow, I think, over the course of a few years, or maybe just several months, should provide a slow, but steady residual income.

Can we decide on a time frame? Both can be done. It's just that the answer needs to be decided upon for the rest of the plan to take formation. 6 months vs 6 years for reliable residual income is a difference.

Originally Posted by kf4qhk

I am really interested in finding the best way to sell and market this dessert online. After having done some research, I have found a method of shipping this dessert, and for it to stay frozen, for 2-3 days. I have also found online dessert retailers that ship their products, but only give the option for an expensive overnight shipping service.

Online is our main focus then? This is important because considerations between time/effort/money need to be decided upon for each venue that the item is marketed/advertised on.

Originally Posted by kf4qhk

I have a few reasons for wanting to sell it online. While not wanting to list them all here, I can say that one motivation is the profit factor. From my observations, online desserts sell for much more money, and even with the inflated overnight shipping charges that some charge, I would have to assume that they're making sales, due to the fact that some seem to have been in business a while.

I understand you don't want to get into too much specifics. Unless there is a plan to ship volume, shipping can get expensive. And web pages cost almost nothing to put up/maintain so certain shops make not be making anything off of them. Is there some sites that you know are shipping product to look at?

Originally Posted by kf4qhk

So, by selling online, I think I am sell/work less, and make as much/more as simply being local. Granted, this may take years, but, I am hopefully looking at a multi-year marketing plan, and as I said earlier, build a slow, but steady residual income for years to sell. And, at some point, if it really takes off, and someone company happens to make an offer I can't refuse, I may have to take it up on that offer.

If you are considering at all sell/work less. Odds are it will fail, no matter how great the product. Everyone wants to attribute success to luck. But whenever you look into that success hard work/longer hours/more commitment seems to be what backs it up. And it sounds like you would like a buyout for a product that isn't even known yet?

Originally Posted by kf4qhk

Anyway, being that I am starting out with no sales, and little money, I have either the option of waiting to build up profits from local sales, and then launch online, or, I can co-launch them together.

Co-launch. Generate any and all the buzz you can. Word of mouth is your friend both online and offline.

Originally Posted by kf4qhk

My website building skills are as non-existent as my profits are now, and so, I am seeking assistance. One person suggested that I use Site Build It, and after doing some research, I am thinking that I may do that. I have yet to find a negative review of that company.

Find an actual web designer, spend some time researching and have them develop the site under your supervision.

Originally Posted by kf4qhk

However, I wanted to get your inputs on my situation. I had hoped to establish some affiliate partnerships with other websites, which would provide a commission on sales, but so far, have not been successful in starting those.

Someone suggested that I simply start a blog, but, would have no clue about how to write it, and how to market it, so that John Doe in Fargo, ND would find it, and buy one of my pies.

By the way, my dessert is a White Chocolate Oreo Pie. It is best served frozen.

Again, thanks for assistance.

Jeremy

I'm tired now so I'm quoting last few paragraphs. Don't worry about affiliates for some months yet. You might be able to pull off a blog but for a single specific product like this. Some static pages with aggressive buzz is what you want.

Best Wishes,
-OJ