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SAMP Spotlight
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IN THE SAMP SPOTLIGHT...Artist Finds Success with SAMarketPlace Store
Last fall, local artist Louis Amici created a "virtual art gallery," Gallery
Amici Unlimited, inside the Alamo City's largest on-line, internet
mall, SAMarketPlace.com.
Amici writes...
"Setting up shop in the SAMarketPlace is the best decision I've ever
made for my company I am an artist and originally had my own site that
really didn't get too much traffic. Within a few weeks, after setting
up in SAMarketPlace, I sold 80 prints for a total sale of over $2,000,
and just recently I received an order for 15 framed pieces for a sale
of over $10,000! It almost seems like magic that people all over the globe
can shop my gallery 24 hours a day! My gallery has no employees to pay,
no rent, no bills, and nearly no overhead! In addition, my gallery now
accepts all major credit cards via SAMarketPlace. The SAMarketPlace has
really expanded my business beyond my wildest dreams!!! Thanks SAMarketPlace."
Louis also did the beautiful SAMarketPlace logo on the new front page.
Thanks, Louis!
eCommerce is Starting to Work in River City...
According to Titima Schwaerzel, one of the creators of SAMarketPlace,
"It is very exciting to see e-commerce starting to work for San Antonio.
Many of our retailers are reporting growing on-line sales and referrals
from their SAMarketPlace site."
Travel Services
Another part of SAMarketPlace enjoying brisk sales is the Travel Center
"TexasTourism.com." The Alonso
House Bed and Breakfast, located on South St. Mary's was just ready to
open for business when they heard about the travel section in SAMarketPlace,
and listed their room rates and a "Two Night Romance Package" within the
SAMarketPlace Travel Center. Within
a few weeks, the manager reported she had booked over $2,500 in business.
TexasTourism offers on-line visitors many services including hotels, transportation,
discount tickets to theme parks, valuable coupons to local attractions,
customized tours and complete group services.
New Marketing Tools for SAMarketPlace
To get everyone in the act, we're giving all our merchants a full-color
SAMarketPlace sticker
to display on your window, door or other prominent place. It has the new
SAMarketPlace logo and web address. The sticker is designed to let your
customers know your store, hotel, restaurant or services are part of San
Antonio's largest on-line mall and available anytime night or day from
anywhere in the world. We've also designed and produced counter
cards your customers can take with them to remind them how to find
you on-line when they get back home. We've priced them at our cost and
they will be printed with your store's name, physical address, phone and
fax numbers, email address and, of course, your store's on-line address
so they can find you when they get back home and want to visit you again.
You can use the form provided to order your cards or order them on-line.
New Look for SAMarketPlace
If you've checked in lately, you've noticed we've updated the look of the front of SAMarketPlace to make it easier for shoppers to find your store. We are working on new store templates to give you even greater freedom to make your store and catalog stand out. Stay tuned for details...
Increase Your On-Line Sales
It's obvious customers can't buy your products if they don't know where you're located. This is just as important for your on-line store as it is for your real store. So, be sure to market your store by handing out the counter cards and putting your on-line address on your stationery, business cards, shopping bags and in any print or TV advertising that you do. If you're doing television ads, a simple line of text at the bottom of the screen doesn't cost anything extra and will do wonders for bringing customers to your on-line store. We are now promoting SAMarketPlace in local, statewide and national publications and we are increasing our on-line advertising with banner ads on sites like AOL's popular Digital Cities. We are working on several traditional-media marketing packages you will be able to participate in at a very low cost. If you think you would like to participate in our co-op advertising program, give us a call at (210) 212-5600 and we'll be happy to share the details as they develop.
Add More Products To Your Store
We now have a photographer to come to your business and take photos of your products. We will also add the photos and product descriptions to your catalog. The fee for this service is $5 an item with a twenty item minimum. Hey, we gotta pay the photographer...they don't grow on trees.
Training Seminars
On Wednesday, March 31 at 5:30 PM, SAMarketPlace will have a free seminar for merchants who want to learn how to better manage their on-line store, including: how to add products, photos, put items on sale and use all the new features SAMarketPlace offers. We're adding features all the time, so there are probably things you haven't yet heard about or had time to try. This is a must if you are serious about making the most of your on-line store. Call or email Titima to sign up for this free seminar. It will be held in our offices and additional dates will be setup if needed. We want everyone to have time to get their questions answered and explore all the new features of SAMarketPlace.
Experts Wanted
Fertile Garden, formerly Gardenville, has gone on-line with "Garden
Talk" on SAMarketPlace. Through a special forum we've integrated into
SAMarketPlace, they answer all types of gardening questions. If you would
like to offer your expertise on-line, we will set up a forum just for
you. We will be adding an "Evening with the Experts" chat area very soon
and everyone who would like to participate is welcome. These two new areas
are terrific ways to get your name out there and become "the expert."
Just call us. These services will also be discussed at the seminar.
Is There A Doctor On-Line??
On Feb. 23, 1999, a landmark event took place on the internet....Open Heart Surgery at the Methodist Hospital. We created the new site for the Methodist Hospital System and worked with Parker & Wood Association to promote the open-heart surgery on the internet. Over 530,000 people watched on-line. It was really pretty neat, not near as messy as you might expect. If you missed it the first time, it's still available from the Methodist site: http://www.SAHealth.com. By the way, their little banner on the front of Heart of San Antonio brings them more traffic than either of their banners on the KMOL or Express-News sites! Shouldn't your banner be there? We're cheaper and more effective.
Give a Big WELCOME to our New Stores...
We are working on adding several new areas and many new stores. If you know someone who should have their store in SAMarketPlace, tell them to give us a call...we pay referral fees for new clients. |
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