Re: Marketing

Jack Runyon writes:

I'm curious to know if anyone is having success marketing their
metalwork on the Web. I am thinking about putting up a Web site for
something that I make. I would like to look at other people's Web
pages and know how they are doing.

I have some relevant successes. For example, see my page on custom
adapters for mounting digital cameras on older microscopes and medical
instruments:

http://www.truetex.com/micad.htm

I have written a lot of Web pages about a lot of technical projects, but
only a few have ever drawn the kind of interest where people send you
checks in the mail for stuff you haven't even finished yet. This was
one of them. Another:

http://www.truetex.com/icemachine.htm

I could sell parts for these things all day long if I wanted. As it is,
I snip a little resistance wire off bulk spools and mail it to people
who are grateful for the instructions and parts to fix a surprisingly
common broken-wire problem. Actually, I just print the paperwork and
have my teenagers do the fulfillment. Nice little job for them.

Several people have told me they make a living just from my links to
their parts sales businesses from my Web page on fixing garage door
springs:

http://www.truetex.com/garage.htm

Thousands of people, many of whom are ready to buy parts, read that
every week. It seems if you provide sound analysis of technical
problems, that you attract people who want to buy stuff. Imagine that.
Unfortunately, the liability aspect has inhibited me from exploiting
that little potential biz personally. Maybe I need a good insurance
agent.

Half of the job in metalworking is credible sales, and that means
drawings, models, and photos that look like you know what you're doing.
Fie on bloated, meretricious Web pages. Give me information in a
tombstone format. The more, the better.

Google cred helps. Google consistently rewards you for heaps of genuine
content published over years of time, and defies gaming the ranking
system.
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