I just received an email from Shopsmith telling about their new re-designed home page. I checked it out and was quite impressed. The videos showing the different main tools and how to use them are really great. They give a bunch of information and spec's for the shopsmith. If I were new to Shopsmith and didn't know all this information, it sure would intrigue me. Great re-design and very impressive. My hats off to the team that put this together.
http://www.shopsmith.com
Check Out Shopsmith's Re-designed Home Page
Moderator: admin
Check Out Shopsmith's Re-designed Home Page
Ron from Lewisburg, TN
Great New Website
Ron,
You are correct that is a great new website. I emailed the webmaster a compliment and questioned if they intend to add a login link for owner features. Jim:)
You are correct that is a great new website. I emailed the webmaster a compliment and questioned if they intend to add a login link for owner features. Jim:)
F. Jim Parks
Lakewood, Colorado:)
When the love of power is replaced by the power of love the world will have a chance for survival.
Lakewood, Colorado:)
When the love of power is replaced by the power of love the world will have a chance for survival.
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dusty
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 21530
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:52 am
- Location: Tucson (Wildcat Country), Arizona
Checkout Shopsmith's Re-designed Hone Page
This is neat home Page. The entire redesign of the site is neat. There's only one thing wrong. Now I need to learn my way around the entire site all over again.
Good work. Congratulations to the Webmaster and all others who had a hand in this.
Now where are those Maintenance Manuals? I know there's a pdf the on Belt Sander here somewhere.
Good work. Congratulations to the Webmaster and all others who had a hand in this.
Now where are those Maintenance Manuals? I know there's a pdf the on Belt Sander here somewhere."Making Sawdust Safely"
Dusty
Sent from my Dell XPS using Firefox.
Dusty
Sent from my Dell XPS using Firefox.
Actually, when I first saw the home page I thought, "Oh no! they've dumped Nick Engler and his new education program!"
Fortunately this is not the case, after some searching I was able to find Nick and the academy.
I emailed the administrator, but have not had a reply. I feel that Nick's new on-line educational program needs to be up front on the web page and easy for a first time visitor to get to.
Fortunately this is not the case, after some searching I was able to find Nick and the academy.
I emailed the administrator, but have not had a reply. I feel that Nick's new on-line educational program needs to be up front on the web page and easy for a first time visitor to get to.
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dusty
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 21530
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:52 am
- Location: Tucson (Wildcat Country), Arizona
Re-designed Home Page
The portal to the Academy is on the Home Page (education) but you need to know what you are after. The casual browser won't end up there.
It sure doesn't jump out and pull you in.
After clicking on the Sawblade (Mark V Accessory Offers and Education), the viewer needs to know to look for "National Woodworking Academy". Now we are where WE want to be.
Maybe WE don't know what Shopsmith's primary objective is for this web page.
It sure doesn't jump out and pull you in.
After clicking on the Sawblade (Mark V Accessory Offers and Education), the viewer needs to know to look for "National Woodworking Academy". Now we are where WE want to be.
Maybe WE don't know what Shopsmith's primary objective is for this web page.
"Making Sawdust Safely"
Dusty
Sent from my Dell XPS using Firefox.
Dusty
Sent from my Dell XPS using Firefox.
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paul heller
- Gold Member
- Posts: 288
- Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:41 pm
- Location: Arvada, CO
objective
The only real objective that we had with the home page and parts of the MARK V section of the site was to create less confusion for first-time visitors and potential MARK V buyers. We have 3 categories of customers, each having different needs and our first contact with them many times is the home page of our website. We have potential MARK V buyers who are unfamiliar with our product that need a crash course on what it can do. We have our group of active owners who visit our site regularly and we have new owners that have received a MARK V in the after-market or inherited one.
These three segments of users on our site are each looking for different information and what we have found is that more than three quarters of the visitors that enter our site from our home page are completely new to Shopsmith, either a potential new MARK V buyer looking for more info on the MARK V or an after-market customer looking for parts/accessories.
The Owners section of our website, which is what you guys will be most interested in can be accessed through the saw blade link, from there you can find education, parts/accessories, order status, customer service info, manuals etc.
These three segments of users on our site are each looking for different information and what we have found is that more than three quarters of the visitors that enter our site from our home page are completely new to Shopsmith, either a potential new MARK V buyer looking for more info on the MARK V or an after-market customer looking for parts/accessories.
The Owners section of our website, which is what you guys will be most interested in can be accessed through the saw blade link, from there you can find education, parts/accessories, order status, customer service info, manuals etc.
Shopsmith I.T.
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paul heller
- Gold Member
- Posts: 288
- Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:41 pm
- Location: Arvada, CO
Wow. Go get 'em. That should be your first priority. (Anyone remember the "how can we help shopsmith" thread?). The rest of us will find our way.admin wrote:t more than three quarters of the visitors that enter our site from our home page are completely new to Shopsmith, either a potential new MARK V buyer looking for more info on the MARK V or an after-market customer looking for parts/accessories.
Paul
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Ed in Tampa
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 5834
- Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:45 am
- Location: North Tampa Bay area Florida
May I make a suggestion, I would put a link to the Sawdust sessions on that home page. You want to get new people interested, well there is no better way then show them your willing to teach them how to do it.
On the Wood Magazine forum there was discussion on staining Maple (a subject near and dear to me
). I copied a link to the saw dust session where Nick tells about using Nitric Acid to stain wood. So far the responses have been positive.
Also I know of manufactures that have company personal being regular contributors to their forums and they seem to be really effective.
Check out
http://www.festoolownersgroup.com/
This is the festool site, not really company sponsored but many of their representatives are frequent contributors.
Also see
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/forumdisplay.php?f=26
This is a Eurekazone manufacture of the Ez guide it's owner Dino is building quit a business teaching people how to use his products. He is producing his own how to videos on You Tube. If you look at the forum you will see many links to them.
Shopsmith has a diamond in these Sawdust sessions and they need to shout to the world that they are available.
New people coming into this hobby/craft are starving for information but few want to read, this new generation is geared to info now videos.
If I was Shopsmith I would make a ton of this sawdust videos and I would post links to them all over the internet. In each video I would try to highlight a unique aspect of the SS system and I would continue to offer Sawdust sales specials.
When people learn your not only going to sell them the machine but also teach them how to use it they will come running.
Ed
On the Wood Magazine forum there was discussion on staining Maple (a subject near and dear to me
). I copied a link to the saw dust session where Nick tells about using Nitric Acid to stain wood. So far the responses have been positive. Also I know of manufactures that have company personal being regular contributors to their forums and they seem to be really effective.
Check out
http://www.festoolownersgroup.com/
This is the festool site, not really company sponsored but many of their representatives are frequent contributors.
Also see
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/forumdisplay.php?f=26
This is a Eurekazone manufacture of the Ez guide it's owner Dino is building quit a business teaching people how to use his products. He is producing his own how to videos on You Tube. If you look at the forum you will see many links to them.
Shopsmith has a diamond in these Sawdust sessions and they need to shout to the world that they are available.
New people coming into this hobby/craft are starving for information but few want to read, this new generation is geared to info now videos.
If I was Shopsmith I would make a ton of this sawdust videos and I would post links to them all over the internet. In each video I would try to highlight a unique aspect of the SS system and I would continue to offer Sawdust sales specials.
When people learn your not only going to sell them the machine but also teach them how to use it they will come running.
Ed