Faking it
Sheepstealers.ie being a very small start up, there is absolutely zero marketing budget (or any other budget). It being a side business to Spoiltchild and its many other projects there is no time either. So I need to think of cheap ways around problems and achieving the same results.
The logo and name was decided and developed over a lunch break.
The site design was developed in an evening and coded for me by someone I have a working relationship with as a favour.
The designs have taken the longest time so far but as I have been thinking about them for the last year not as long as they should have. New designs go up a couple at a time each week.
As of posting this I have 15 counties covered. Half of the needed 32.
They have all been done in snatched time in the evening, over lunch or more likely over the weekend when I get up an hour or two before my wife.
So far the only money spent has been on securing the domain names.
With a good range of counties and designs now represented it is time to start getting the word out.
First was posting about it online. This is a tricky and lengthy process though. Much longer then expected.
I can’t just barge into a forum, post a link and comment about how great the T-shirts are and disappear. Me and my post would swiftly be labelled SPAM and banned. Instead I need to actively get involved and contribute. Promoting sheepstealers.ie or appearing to should be almost incidental.
Second was to update all my online signatures/profiles etc on every part of the web I visit or interact with. That includes email, blog comments, forum profiles etc. One great thing on boards.ie is that when I update my signature, it is then updated on every single post I have made over the years. That is a lot of linkage.
My range of knowledge of all things GAA is limited which creates a big handicap to the much recommended option of creating a blog.
There is not a chance of me convincing anyone that I am an expert or leader in the field of GAA. (Field, GAA geddit?).
But Ed made a post a while back about paying someone to blog for you and that is exactly what I am going to do. I have been in discussion with someone, seen some great samples and very shortly I hope to have him writing for sheepstealers at its own blog.
The fourth planned step is a press release. On first look it is a great solution to get some free press coverage. However on closer inspection it doesn’t work out that way.
The t-shirts need to be seen which means photos. A t-shirt needs to be ordered for every county currently available in the shop. Actually 2, one men’s and one ladies. That’s a cost of €750.
Then a photo shoot needs to be organised. A photographer and two models. I could save money by having models from every county and trying on every shirt. If I target the regional papers then no one would see the same models in a different counties colours.
That’s still easily a cost of €1000.
So what if I get some mates to model them for a pint and free T-shirt instead and take the photos myself. That’s a big saving but still a bill of €750.
So why not fake it all!! and save the budget I don’t have.
A quick search of the cheap Stock Photo sites and a bit of Photoshop work and I have saved a total of €1750.
Keep an eye in your local papers over the next couple of weeks. Hopefully you will spot one of these. If you do please let me know.
Ah… very nice and very effective. The blue in the second shot is spot-on. I would probably warp the Louth crest slightly differently – it’s not as convincing as the others. But maybe I’m looking too carefully.
Good luck! Looking forward to seeing these in the press (hopefully!).
— Eoghan McCabe Apr 30, 06:49 PM #
Enjoyed your thoughts on the sheepstealers marketing approach Alan. And guess I will have to keep an eye on the sports pages in the locals here over the next month or two :-)
keith
— keith bohanna Apr 30, 08:36 PM #
Thanks Eoghan and Keith.
Eoghan, I agree with you. I am still getting to grips with the shape tool but I think it will still work.
I have what I believe is a great viral video campaign planned but I will give more detail of that when it is ready to roll.
— Alan Apr 30, 10:32 PM #
Sounds interesting. Had another look at the Louth image this morning and it’s fine. It’s good. I was nitpicking.
But I’m wondering, will you (would you) assume different identities on the various GAA related forums to promote the site? Is this unethical/dishonest? I know people who do this and to some degree of success too.
— Eoghan McCabe May 1, 09:54 AM #
Nah, i would be myself. What ever about the dishonesty of it i would never be able to remember who i am supposed to be :)
— Alan May 1, 10:35 AM #
Excellent stuff. You’d never guess they were photoshopped.
— walter May 1, 04:47 PM #
Looks great, for GAA the main site is www.hoganstand.com
Out of interest what tool in photoshop did you use to change the colour of the t-shirts?
— Brian O'Neill May 2, 04:52 PM #
Extract > Paint Brush > Multiply.
Cheers.
— Alan May 2, 05:04 PM #