Brand new water sports classified website, asking for feedback

I thought I would ask for a little feedback from the in depth outdoors community. I started a brand new website less than a week ago called MNWaterSports.com Its a classified website for Minnesota residents to go to buy or sell any new/used water related item. This would include boats, pontoons, jet ski’s, parts and accessories, fish houses and more. Basically anything you can use on the water this would be the place to go.

If you think of it Minnesota does not have a website out there solely dedicated to this at all, and I thought I would give this a try. There are many classified websites out there but many of them charge for posting items for sale, but not one is for water sports only. Yes I do live in Minnesota and I started this small project on the side hoping it would turn into something big some day, some year.

Let me know what you guy’s think of the idea, the site (its pretty bare right now), and maybe a little marketing tips if you have any.

http://www.mnwatersports.com

Thanks for any and all feedback I really appreciate it!!

[email protected]

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Just wondering why ” for Minnesota residents “? If I were selling a luxury item such as a boat and wanted top dollar, I would want the largest audience. Maybe I’m missing the benefit and just over looking it??? Why not a classified by state and have people browsing near by states to increase the coverage?

Thanks, you do have a good point. I’ll make sure to keep “for Minnesota residents” out of any marketing and any in person visits (dealerships) that I may have. Hopefully when the site picks up some traffic I’ll be sure to cross the borders to reach a larger audience.

Personally and this is just me talking, going to established websites and promoting your own is at best tacky. It’s a turn off.

There will be some that will take a look but most will skip over the link.

So the question is, how does a person get the word out about a site without thinly veiled advertising?

That’s just me and I haven’t looked at the site.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Personally and this is just me talking, going to established websites and promoting your own is at best tacky. It’s a turn off.

There will be some that will take a look but most will skip over the link.

So the question is, how does a person get the word out about a site without thinly veiled advertising?

That’s just me and I haven’t looked at the site.

Free advertising is Free. Makes some sense from a business perspective.

I wouldn’t be surprised if it is deleted though.

BK you need a hug?

Mr.Watersport dude your site is opened, checked out, then closed within maybe 3 seconds? No sponsors, just a bunch of empty spaces that are quite transparent in saying please Pay Me $$. Maybe leave those out until you got some.

The logo is pretty sweet to me, but it hits that up north cabin feel, very outdoorsie, I think you’d leave out a huge market of city dwellers with their wake boats and don’t want nothing to do with fire and bugs, rather suntans and bikinis.

Like BK said how do you get the word out other than going to already established sites and promoting? Heck its America so barge in all ya want and the worst they could do is kick you out right? But then again if that happens that kind of sours the company cred, and if you are the type of person who has no problem riding on the coattails of others.

To be honest your site looks very similar to another out there. IDK if its a similar format or look or what, but just a typical cookie cutter version. I’d suggest going back to the drawing board and coming up with something truly marketable and unique and completely user friendly bc you are right there is a big niche to fill as far as Im concerned with classifieds. I’d check it out for sure, but for now you get the doah man

The website seems generic. Similar to a craigslist look. Doesn’t mean it won’t be successful, but the “MN” makes it exclusive and will limit peoples interest.

Good luck.

Thanks a lot everyone for the feedback, keep it coming.

I have sent emails a few days ago to companies asking them to put their logo in the empty ad spaces for free. This is just to fill up the empty space. I should be able to get a few company logo’s up at the top soon here.

I did have a consultation with a web site designer and the price to make a classified website similar to carsoup, boat trader to name a few would have been too much money for now. My only option right now was to do something smaller and less expensive and this is what I got.

As far as marketing the website. As soon as I am able to get a few sponsor’s with a ad up at the top I’ll be mailing out letters to dealers just to introduce myself and let them know about the site.

I work a full time job and this is just a small project on the side for me. I’m in my late twenties and have plenty of time to work with this. I need to keep it small and simple for now. I’ll keep making improvements as time goes by.