There are many things in life where clear-cut answers are difficult to come by. Websites and marketing certainly fall into this category. Do you ever wish someone would just tell you the answers? We will.

Today, based on our own experience - even if you only consider us, Suzie and Mark, that is a combined 20 years here at Workstand working with bicycle retailers all over North America - and with as little bias as we can muster, we’ll just tell you the answers to some common yet confusing questions we often hear.

Direct and simple, ready?

The one we hear the most often - SEO - how can I do better in search?

I’m a local business, why should I sell online? I want people to come to my store and I don’t want to encourage them to shop online.

Why should I pay for ads? Why should I pay Workstand to run my ads?

Does my homepage look good? Is my homepage effective? We don’t hear these questions often enough. 🙂 Request your Complimentary Website Review by the Workstand Client Success Team

Can you help my website perform better without adding additional costs?

The admin navigation has moved since we published this video on how to streamline communications but the info is still valuable and relevant. Use the admin site search to find things that may have moved around.

What am I paying Workstand for in my subscription? I don’t use all the features in my subscription/what could I be taking advantage of more effectively?

Puppies or kittens? Well both, of course.

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

Ryan joins Suzie and Mark for our monthly industry update. This time around, it's also a quarterly update and we look at results and trends thus far in 2024. Ryan tells us about the Bicycle Leadership Conference (BLC) he recently attended and where his travels will take him in the coming months on behalf of all at Workstand.

BLC
300 bicycle industry leaders in attendance 
Pragmatic about inventory and optimistic outlook 
Inventory situation, talking heads too critical of bike suppliers
Strong consumer sales paired with dealer Just In Time (JIT) orders means wholesale velocity is picking up
Electric bike maturing, growth in transportation
Data presentation
Outstanding service award - Ryan accepts an award on behalf of Workstand! Yay us.

Q1
Ecommerce growth +10% across our platform, February strongest at approximately 22% YoY
Order volume off, with Average Order Volume up double digits
Bike discounts driving sales, especially from Specialized (big traffic increase)
Overall traffic is up every month in Q1
Top performers still driving, typical dealer -3% for the quarter

Google Search Index
General consumer interest in bikes steady with last year
Specifically “bike shop” is a bit softer YTD
That has been the general trend, but learn more as the season develops when “bike shop” volume increases
All search volume has been spiking dramatically on March weekend
It's important to win search, must have products online as consumers shift away from channel-specific search
Electric bike search volume outperforming general terms

More travel for Ryan and team
Our team at Sea Otter meeting with suppliers - look for Matt Lolli and Chris Gardner from our Supplier Team
Speaking at NBDA retailer summit in May
Collision Technology Summit in June

Questions this week:
Q: When will the Workstand POS be able to replace Lightspeed?
That’s not our goal but ...
For many retailers it can today, even if some of the features are lean we are enhancing them rapidly
Perfect fit for our initial target market, merchants with a more outdated POS

Q: Do I have to pay for Google Ads to show up in local search results?
No. Your product pages and location pages in particular are optimized for organic and if you maintain your website properly then the content you create should perform well.

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

We talk a lot about marketing and selling by way of great websites, Google Ads, email marketing, and more but this week is different. This week we want to point out that stores shouldn't hard sell all the time. One of the best things a store can do to build long-term value within their community is to meet consumers where they are and help them find value in bikes, riding, and being a part of a healthy and fun-oriented community. That means that in addition to catalog-enabled, commerce-focused websites, merchants should be offering content aimed at helping riders get the most out of their bikes and the bike riding community. Workstand offers so much to help with that! Library pages, brand-supported landing pages, Premium Content Packages, and easy tools to build whatever type of page content is needed. Winning search starts with providing content your customers (and prospective customers) find valuable. Sales follow.

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

The band is back together! Ryan is back and will join us each month to share key takeaways from current inventory data,  talk about big-picture topics in our industry, and answer your questions.

Higher total sales amounts (by the dollar) in 2023 but lower total unit sales

• The most recent report from PeopleForBikes provided some summary information about 2023. Last year’s market value was nearly $1 billion over pre-pandemic markets. A lot of people rightly point to the dollar growth coming from a higher average selling price, meaning dollar growth is outpacing units. 
• 4% decrease compared to 2022 but a 7% increase over 2019
•  Electric bikes now make up 20% of total bike sales.

What’s happening now?

• Look at more recent data, we're paying careful attention to the December through February data. Important key metrics have turned the corner across the network. 
• Total online sales are up about 11% and site traffic is up about 10%. 
• Most of 2023 was down relative to the prior 12 months but that trajectory is changing.

What are the areas of growth in our industry? What’s doing well?

• A lot of the growth we're seeing is coming from bikes - largely electric, 29" mountain, and sport/performance road. 
• Heavy discounts in those categories is achieving the intended result of increasing total dollar sales volume.
• Interestingly, discounts in sport/performance road are actually driving up the ASP for bikes in the category. 

But who’s doing well?

• While the largest dealers continue to drive most of our sales volume, in February we saw the first significant uptick for the small and medium sized retailers. 

Crystal ball time - how is 2024 looking? Can we make any predictions? 

• Sizing up the IBD channel right now suggests that 2024 is going to be a tough year. Google Search Data, ridership data, and the sales of consumables like chains and nutrition indicate that people are interested in and riding bikes. 
• Retailers on the whole are running their businesses pragmatically and relying on just in time ordering to stay flexible. 

Okay, you’ve taken us through a number of ups and downs…how can retailers take action to make a positive impact on their sales? 

• My one piece of advice to our customers is to stay very active with your marketing. 

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

In this engaging episode, we had a lively conversation with Julie Walsh, our marketing strategist at WorkStand, discussing the Spring Marketing Playbook. Julie shared insightful tips and tricks for preparing your business for the spring selling season. We delved into the importance of cleaning up your website, updating settings, and ensuring a fresh, spring-like feel to attract customers. Recommendations included activating the shopping cart feature and utilizing Google Local Shopping Ads to boost sales.

https://blog.workstand.com/spring-2024-marketing-playbook
https://workstand.com/help/google-shopping

We touched on the significance of automated post-purchase email campaigns and maintaining consistent communication with customers through newsletters and engaging social media content. Julie emphasized the value of simplifying content, making it visually appealing, and ensuring it aligns with the brand's personality.

Additionally, we explored the role of incorporating brand content, such as product launches or collaborations, to enhance your website's appeal and keep customers informed about new arrivals. The conversation highlighted the ease of implementing pre-designed content to give your website a fresh look without overwhelming yourself with intricate details.

As we wrapped up, we encouraged listeners to explore the available resources on our website, engage with our marketing agency for personalized guidance, and stay tuned for future episodes where we'll have our President, Ryan, back to share his industry insights. Julie's expertise and practical advice provided a comprehensive guide to revamping your marketing strategy for the upcoming season.

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

Workstand was invited to present this week at the NBDA P2 Group meeting. We were both there along with Lauren Webb, our Agency Director, and Matt Viara, our Paid Search Team Manager, and we talked about ways to improve ecommerce performance. There were some great questions and conversations so we thought we’d hit the highlights of that meeting today.

Custom Websites - it’s about more than just design

• Content Planning
  • Organic Search
  • Paid Search Destination
• Sales metric improvements
  • Average Order Value
  • Revenue Per Session
  • Conversion Rate
  • In-store traffic and sales

Data Management

• What if my Point of Sale data isn’t great?
• Would it make more sense to manage website inventory manually?
• Does all that supplier data clutter up the shopping experience?

Point of Sale

• Why did we build ours and who do we expect will use it?
• POS doesn’t have to be complicated.

Tech Tip: If you’re already a Workstand website client, our POS features are live in your admin now. Take a look, particularly at how simply an in-store sale can be yet how powerful with all of your suppliers on tap. Check out your Template Publisher and Theme Editor to personalize your look. Let’s talk about custom if you want to go from personalized to customized. Finally, how are you performing relative to those metrics we talked about? 

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

The beginning of the New Year is always a time of reflection, goal setting, and transformation. It’s a great time to look at your website the same you may be looking at your life, career, fitness, etc.

We can break this process down into 5 different phases:

• Step 1: Goal setting
• Step 2: Review
• Step 3: Plan
• Step 4: Train
• Step 5: Promote 

1. Goal setting
   1. Look over your sales, marketing, processes, and important areas of your business to set attainable goals for 2024/2025.
   2. Sales growth, category growth, marketing performance, marketing cadence, add-on sales.
      1. DELEGATE - get multiple opinions, don’t be afraid to get creative.
2. Review your website  - this can seem like a like but if we focus on your website as the place to ground your goals, everything else can work around it. You’ll have an accurate representation of your business, an effective link destination, and a place to attract new customers while you sleep/work in your store, etc.
   1. Look and feel
   2. Catalog 
   3. Merchandising
   4. Services
   5. Community, staff, mission, etc. - what’s important to you, the fun stuff, what sets you apart
   6. The shopping process
3. Plan - break up this work into smaller pieces 
   1. Reach out for help - your team, customers, friends, US!
   2. Tip: start with the homepage - this can help guide the rest of your decisions or areas of focus.
4. Train - make sure your whole team is on board and has the tools/knowledge to help you achieve your goals.
5. Promote - you did all this work, you set the goals, and you’re motivated to bring in new business - now take an active role in growing your business.
   1. Build an easy-to-follow marketing schedule 
   2. Utilize tools you're comfortable with but also take this opportunity to try new technology, services, and outlets
      1. Traditional email marketing, social media, automated email marketing, google ads/local listings 

Tech tip: Leverage pre-built content from the library

• Working on, revamping, or redesigning your website can be overwhelming when you’re learning but a great way to lighten your load is by using complementary content.
• Use the structure, the images, or the inspiration - swap out what doesn’t fit your business and your goa

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

Welcome to a new year! It’s the beginning of our 25th Anniversary as a company.

Fraud is a constant topic of concern for our merchants. Just because Christmas has passed doesn’t mean there isn’t still potential for chargebacks related to those sales. Coming out of a heavy holiday sales season, let’s look at how you can protect your business without losing too many sales going forward. How can you document your processes and support your team in a way that ensures the best chance of dealing with fraud effectively?

Here's our Limiting Fraud Help Center Article

• Common types of fraud
  • Stolen cards/card numbers
  • Returns of altered products
  • Friendly Fraud - it isn’t really
• Understanding the landscape and the risk - it’s not all bad, almost all transactions are legitimate
  • How your ecommerce setup can help or contribute to fraudulent transactions
  • Just because an order makes it through Stripe, PayPal, or any provider doesn’t mean it is guaranteed to be a legitimate transaction
  • What to look for in orders that should make you suspicious
  • What to do if suspect an order is fraudulent
    • Google the address
    • Call the phone number
  • Orders for pick up in-store can be fraud too
    • Process for verifying orders/identity
    • Document and display your procedures
    • Support your staff if you want them to support you
• Credit card processor/gateway fraud measures and notifications vs Workstand’s own efforts
• Merchants are ultimately responsible and left holding the bag
• Ask for help. There is nothing we or any provider can do to prevent 100% of the fraud or guarantee an order is legitimate but we will review orders with you, and share insight based on our experience.
• Tech Tip: Determine your procedures for dealing with fraud and document it. Train your team on those procedures and support them in dealing with customers. Remember, they may be dealing with brazen criminals and that isn’t easy. If they don’t feel like the owner and management have their back, there isn’t much incentive to uphold the procedures.
• What’s coming up next? What’s new for 2024? Our marketing packages have been enhanced to deliver more value, new Google local ads management package

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

Barbara Wiesner has been with Workstand for nearly 18 years. She knows more of our clients and more of our clients know her than anyone else who works at Workstand. Barbara has done a little bit of everything at the company, from the relatively early SmartEtailing days until today, she is a leader who is adept at helping both our teams and our clients succeed.

Remember all those meetings at Interbike? Barbara does. She met with clients for years and helped wrangle all that trade show madness to ensure we were able to visit, face to face, with as many SmartEtailing/Workstand merchants as possible.

What would Workstand today be like without Barbara? Well, let's all be glad we haven't had to find out.

See you around the Workstand!

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

Suzie got a new bike and other completely expected events. We're in the final days before the big holiday. Be sure your website is ready for last-minute shoppers.

• I bought a bike from my local bike shop! Happy holidays to me.
  • Just like Workstand, I don’t play favorites…
  • https://workstand.com/request-a-brand
  • Other brand updates in our monthly update blog + quarterly brands and supplier newsletter 
• Final holiday push ideas
  • Last minute gifts 
  • Gifts in store and ready to pick up today
  • Staff picks
  • Gifts under $50/$25
  • Gifts to show your love - small, safety-oriented stocking stuffers - lights, bells, mirrors, fun reflective items 
  • Kids’ bikes 
• Make sure you have your post-holiday plan in place
  • Lots of News Years and winter complimentary content is live in your page library
    • Resolutions, winter riding, snow sports 
• What’s next from Around the Workstand
  • Client Success Team leader, Barbara Wiesner will join us next week, December 19th.
  • Off the 26th and 2nd
  • We’ll see you again on January 9th!
• Tech Tip: Financing options - the option to budget a large purchase can often be the difference between checking out and abandoning the cart. Use Klarna and/or PayPal financing to raise your conversion rate and average order value.
• Catalog sections - be sure you’re getting the results you expect and don’t over do it with selection parameters.

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

Inventory visibility online - a quick primer - What is SEO and Organic Search and what is SEM and paid search?

• When we work with merchants to help grow sales, we think about two high-level ideas concerning website traffic - Organic/SEO and Paid Search/SEM
• Organic/SEO is working on the website’s content in order to be an attractive option for a search engine to choose when someone searches for a particular topic. It’s what the website does to draw in traffic.
  • Quality content
    • What represents your business, people, products, services, and community…
  • Active management of the website
    • Homepage merchandising - well-maintained websites perform well and are easy to navigate/shop
      • How often? Hero, monthly. The entire homepage, consider seasonally. 
    • Catalog maintenance - at least monthly?
  • Ancillary, off-site activity
    • Google My Business, Social platforms
• Paid Search/SEM is, as the name suggests, paid for so that a business has a better opportunity than Organic search to win a high-intent shopper
  • We primarily work in Google Ads
  • Product and/or Awareness focus
• I said two but those two together end up producing a third hybrid opportunity - free shopping ads on Google
  • Must have your data so setting up Google Merchant Center is required and providing Google with a compliant product data feed is also required - luckily, your Workstand website does this for you.
  • You have no control over the products that show or where they show up - Google algorithms handle all of that
• Tech Tip: Enable Google Shopping
  • Settings > Marketing > Google Shopping
  • Deal with the beast that is Google Merchant Center or let us help

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

How’s the holiday selling season going? This is a good time to assess your success so far and make changes if needed.

• Feeling great! Sales have been strong.
  • Perhaps no further sales or discounts are in order
  • Keep the website up to date, use a gift guide or homepage sections to call out what’s available, but hold pricing
  • Hold all proactive marketing as is - do not decrease that activity as it’s likely a large part of why things have gone well so far
  • Be sure all external marketing has clear calls to action and paths back to your website. Social, email, print, et al
  • Decide your hours heading into the final stretch and be sure they are updated on all platforms.
• Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Small Business Saturday were not so great. We need more!
  • Get a sale configured and installed on your website now!
    • POS pricing updated
    • Prominent homepage messaging leaning on sale pricing, free add-ons, free shipping, upgrades, and anything that can spur action
    • Focus heavily on what is available in the store now for purchase
    • Promote convenience. We have this now, ready for pickup. We will hold all purchases until December X, at 4 pm to help maintain the element of surprise
  • Increase your proactive marketing efforts
    • If you’re sending one promotional email each month, send two (or 4)
    • Increase the frequency of social media posting
    • Be sure all external marketing has clear calls to action and paths back to your website. Social, email, print, et al
    • Assign someone to monitor and respond to all inquiries - phone, email, FB messenger, Instagram, TikTok messages
    • Increase your paid ads budget and use that to reach more buyers with the intent to purchase
• Tech Tip: Get help. You know how you think of most home bike mechanic’s work, right? Well, that’s often how marketing looks when a busy business owner tries to learn a new thing in the busiest time of the year in hopes of somehow becoming a marketing expert overnight. The results often end up looking like that derailleur with the limit screws cranked down or missing, all jammed in the spokes with the chain hopelessly wedged between the chainrings and the frame. Let someone help you. Let us help you.

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

This week, we are discussing the upcoming holiday season and the importance of retailers preparing for it. We mention holidays such as Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Small Business Saturday. It's crucial for businesses to take action during this time, as there is a higher sales volume compared to other months. We highlight the high intent to buy during this season and the potential for increased conversion rates and revenue per session.

To effectively prepare for the holiday season, we break down the discussion into categories of who, what, when, where, and how. Starting with the importance of seasonally relevant homepage merchandising, we emphasize the need to communicate who you are and why customers should shop with you. It's essential to have holiday content on your website, such as a gift guide or information about sales. Updating other sections of your website to be more seasonally relevant, like discussing winter bike maintenance, can also attract customers.

Customers appreciate businesses that have consistent and clearly stated holiday hours and closures. Therefore, it's essential to update your website and other platforms like Google My Business and Facebook with accurate information. 

Providing a tech tip, we suggest using start and end dates to schedule content on the website, ensuring that the right content is displayed at the right time. For businesses needing assistance, we offer our help through our success team and agency subscriptions for website maintenance needs. We also note that we can help with one-time projects or temporary relief of duties, even if a business is not interested in a subscription. Businesses are encouraged to reach out to us for support, and we mention that all the information is available in our Help Center.

In conclusion, we extend our wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving and express our willingness to see everyone around the work stand.

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

Let’s get to the basics Around the Workstand - your website, what you’re presenting to the shopping public, why it matters (search, conversion, credibility)

• Your website is the cornerstone of your marketing, the first thing most new customers see about your business, and how it is presented determines to a large extent what you will sell (or not sell) online AND in your store. Get it right!
• If you aren’t displaying what matters to you, what value proposition your store offers, what services you offer, products consumers care about, you just can’t win search and you can’t matter to most consumers.
• The goal is to win searches - for every person who just decides to wander into a store and see what’s there, there are hundreds or even thousands who never saw or considered a store because they have poor or no search visibility. Google matters.
• When consumers do find your website, will they be impressed and convinced of your professionalism? A catalog full of products with prices and availability BUT no way to purchase them is a gigantic roadblock and likely a red flag to shoppers. They won’t just decide to drive down to your store to find out if they can buy what they want, they’ll simply move on to a result that offers what they want in the way they want it.
• What to do. 
  • Ensure your website is shoppable in a sensible way. Categories grouped, navigation is simple and intuitive, catalog is accurate, services are clear, and pricing and availability are clear for everything you offer. 
  • All content should look good on all devices.
  • Payment options and delivery options should be as plentiful as you can manage.
  • Ask for help. Our Client Success team will help with training and pointing you in the right direction. Our Marketing Agency team will simply do the work for you.
    • Complimentary site review - https://workstand.com/website-review
• Tech Tip: I think today’s tip is to do all that stuff we just talked about. Do it now. It will make you money.

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

• If you haven’t checked out our last 2 episodes with our guests Lauren and Alex, please do. They are fun and informative.
• Who would you like to hear from next? Which part of Workstand are you curious about? We’ll do our best to get a guest to match.
• Content is coming out of our ears!
  • All complimentary content is live in your Page Library
    • Here's the How To video that explains where to find and how to install Library Content.
  • Partner created content 
    • Trek Project One https://libpreview2.smartetailing.net/page.cfm?pageid=5148&contentType=1&preview=1
    • Santa Cruz V10 - launches today 
    • Specialized Holiday Promotion - https://workstand.com/specialized-holiday-2023
    • More on the way from Giant, Cannondale - keep an eye on your inbox!
• Tuesday marketing tip: Let’s talk more about holidays
  • Start talking about it now
  • Make sure your products are easy to find - homepage sections (hero, product carousel, etc) google local listings, email marketing 
  • Not sure what to promote in marketing? If I came into your store looking for a gift, what would you recommend? 
• Tech Tip(s): Using the complimentary library content - start and end dates, use them when and where to save time/mistakes - Google Local Listings!

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

This week we’re joined by our Product Team Manager, Alex Slocum. Alex tells us about how he got into the world of bicycles and technology and how he ended up here at Workstand with us. We learn what a Product Team does and what the roles are in our Product Team along with how the team interacts with other parts of the company such as Development, Client Success, Marketing, and of course, our Leadership Team.

Alex is a key figure in the development of our new Point of Sale features and in the ongoing development of our ecommerce platform and tools. The episode is another example of Alex’s commitment to transparency and his openness to feedback and what becomes of it once his team receives it. We get into the genesis of these new features and how the progress we’ve made as we ready the official release compares to the goals set two years ago when it all began to take shape.

Alex’s creativity isn’t confined to his days here at Workstand. He’s a builder at heart and we get to hear about his love of fixing up cars, woodworking, creating scary Halloween costumes, and even sewing!

Come meet Alex Slocum Around the Workstand!

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

We have a guest this week with us Around the Workstand. Lauren Webb, our Marketing Agency Director, is here to talk about her history working with bike shops, her team of 16 folks and the work they do with more than 400 Workstand merchants, and how local businesses can get ready for the holiday shopping season and thrive amongst all the choices choppers have at their disposal.

Lauren advises listeners to start planning their direct mailers and creating a gift guide on their websites. We offer affordable options and have a creative team that can design custom content. We stress the importance of planning ahead to avoid last-minute stress. We introduce our homepage takeover package that promotes holiday content and can be used for as long as you want. We explain how it works well with our free or premium options and has a history of success.

Holiday Homepage Takeover
Premium Gift Guide
Holiday Sale

Lauren explained how we encourage retailers to consider Cyber Week promotions and in-store promotions for last-minute gifts rather than focusing on a single Cyber Day. We also encourage driving traffic to websites through social media, video content, emails, and Google ads. We mention the importance of properly setting up Google My Business and assure listeners that our team is here to help with these tasks.

Lauren and the entire Marketing Agency team here at Workstand are ready to help in the holiday season and beyond. You can reach out to Lauren with questions at lauren.w@workstand.com to learn more about our marketing work with local bicycle retailers and you can learn more about our agency subscriptions and other services offered by her team.

We'll see you Around the Workstand!

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

There is a lot going on Around the Workstand this week. Holiday marketing planning, Supplier Fulfillment, aka Drop Shipping, reminders, our partnership with Ride with GPS, and more!

• Fulfillment is included in all Professional subscriptions
• Holiday marketing - just a little preview for our conversation with Lauren, director of our Agency team https://marketing.smartetailing.net/articles/2023-premium-holiday-marketing-packages-pg256.htm
  • Complementary content in the library now - Holidays
  • October - gift guide
  • November - mid-month promotions kick off
  • December - holiday sale and/or last minute gifts
• Ride with GPS partnership @ridewithgpsdotcom #ridewithgps
  • https://workstand.com/ride-with-gps
  • to offer free personalized content directly on your website
  • Multiple page layouts to choose from that are great for custom engagement and SEO 
• Blog published this morning to compliment the Ride with GPS content - https://blog.workstand.com/ride-with-gps
  • Leverage your website to create riding experiences for your customers
  • Great link destination for email and social - direct new bike buyers to etc 
• Tech Tip: Whatever you call it - Supplier Fulfillment, Drop Shipping, Direct Ship, letting suppliers pick, pack, and ship orders for you is one of those ‘why didn’t I do this before’ pro tips. If you aren’t using it or aren’t using it with all of your available suppliers, step one is gaining approval from each supplier. Step one is the hardest because, after that, our Client Success Team will help you get things dialed. So, approval with suppliers, payment methods, shipping methods, and understanding the process with each supplier. Advanced move: PPC/Paid ads targeting products your supplier can fulfill for you.

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

Winter is coming!

• Need marketing content to promote your snow sports categories? Let us know!
  • New xc content up (came from a client request) - https://libpreview2.smartetailing.net/page.cfm?pageid=5134&contentType=1&preview=1
  • Content available right now - Website > Page editor > Page Library > Snow Sport Content
• Speaking of Snow, remember that we offer a snow sports catalog
  • Demo website with snow products
• NBDA webinar with Ryan and Alex tomorrow - https://nbda.com/#!event/register/2023/10/11/workstand-commerce-software-explained
  • Join Ryan and Alex for an informal presentation discussing details of Workstand's expanding capabilities and a live demo of new features. No boring PowerPoint slides, but lots of time for questions.
• Tech Tip: Temporary Homepage - the way our system works, it’s possible to build a new page to be used as your homepage for things such as a holiday season homepage takeover - full disclosure, this is such a good idea that we sell projects to do this every holiday season - or to have summer and winter homepages for stores that sell bikes and ski gear, or for any other number of reasons that having a different homepage for a period of time can be beneficial.
  • First, create a new page 🙂
  • Second, go to Settings > Website > Entry/Home page, select the new homepage, and save the change at the bottom.
  • You’ll see two options in Entry/Home page - as the name of that section suggests, you can define an entry page (that is the page a visitor will see when first landing on your primary URL) and a home page (what the visitor will see after landing on your page and then navigating back to the home page by clicking on the logo or other links to the home page). 
  • Our primary recommendation is to use the same page for both.

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

It’s still us! Same company, same team members - just a new name to match our growing capabilities. We've gotten some questions that suggest we weren't as clear as we could be about what changed and what didn't. 

• Our Point of Sale offering is aimed at stores with no POS solution or with an outdated system. It’ll certainly expand quickly over time but for the many stores with no or a poor POS system, get in touch with us now! 
• Ryan has been out and about talking about our evolution as a company and our new POS features. You can see more of that in the NBDA podcast and the two-part PeopleForBikes, Inside the Outdoors podcast (Part 1 and Part 2) that Ryan was recently a guest on.
• Upcoming guest reminders
  • Alex Slocum - ever wonder what it takes to build a software application like Workstand? Alex knows exactly what it takes and will tell us all about it and the path he’s been on as we develop our Point of Sale offering.
  • Lauren Webb - you know about the websites and POS products but did you know Workstand is also a full-service marketing agency? Lauren is our agency director and she’ll give us some strategies and tactics to win at holiday marketing this year. We do this type of work for more than 400 Workstand merchants.
• Tech Tip: Discounts - we’ve talked a lot about the sales that brands have been having and we’ve started talking about holiday sales already too. If you’re planning to offer promotions, now is a good time to take a look at our discounts tool as it has changed since last year. The help center walks through using both automatic discounts and discount codes and both are very useful tools for promotions. Side note: be sure to adjust your Google Merchant Center settings if any of your promos will affect your paid ads and if any of your holiday promos include changes to your shipping methods and rules.
• Snack question of the week - to pumpkin spice or to n

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

It's getting to be fall here Around the Workstand and we've got lots to talk about today related to fall marketing, new POS features, and upcoming guests from around Workstand, the company not the podcast. :) So, let's get to it!

• All POS features will be available to everyone in January 2024, until then, we’re inviting a few merchants to be early entrants and beta testers
  • You can still schedule your demo even if you just have some general questions, with no commitments
  • For existing Workstand ecommerce clients, many of the POS features are already live in your Workstand Admin - take a look at Purchase Orders, Work Orders, In-Store Sales
• Upcoming episodes/guests
  • October guests include Alex Slocum and Lauren Webb
• Fall riding marketing topics in the library
  • Cruise with your crew
  • Enjoy Fall by bike
  • Fall bike clearance
• Electric Bike Safety
• Fresh premium content - fall clearance sale, get your ebike locally 

Tech Tip: Purchase Orders - if I were going to suggest one of our new POS features for a merchant to try out, it would be Purchase Orders because they play well with any existing POS system. POs could be the most eye-opening in that being able to ‘see’ many different suppliers in one spot is very helpful when building POs. It’s certainly still a work in progress but it’s already quite powerful.

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

The response to our new company name has been wonderfully positive since we made the big announcement last week. We've scheduled dozens of demos of our new point of sale features with existing Workstand ecommerce merchants and brand new folks who don't work with us in any capacity ...yet!

We've had some press in BR&IN.

Blog post with our announcement video.

Our Help Center has been updated.

Remember, if you're curious about what we're doing, we would love to meet and show you our new POS features, our ecommerce capabilities, and our marketing offerings. Use the links below to request a demo meeting.

The Tech Tip this week is to get in there and take a look at all the new in-store POS features that are already in your Workstand admin. We'd love your feedback!

If you're an existing Workstand client, you can request a demo here.

If you are not yet working with us at Workstand, you can request your demo here.

Of course, this podcast got a new name too. We're moving away from Up Next and 10-Minute Tuesday and the podcast will now be known as Around the Workstand. We'll continue posting episodes weekly and we hope to bring in other Workstand teams to share what they are working on to ensure you know all the good stuff that's coming down the pipe.

See you next week Around the Workstand!

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

We have exciting news to share. SmartEtailing has undergone a significant transformation and is now known as Workstand. Along with this name change, we have launched a new point-of-sale system that is aimed at the many bike shops with no point-of-sale or an outdated POS.

Our new point-of-sale system is available on its own for in-store use and is also included in our existing e-commerce packages. This development addresses a gap in the market, where many shops either lack a point-of-sale system or are using outdated ones. Our goal is to provide a solution to these underserved businesses and contribute to their sustainability.

The transition from SmartEtailing to Workstand signifies our commitment to modernization and becoming the heart of the bike business. With over 25 years in operation, we have built a trusted reputation within the industry, and we are excited to bring this cutting-edge software to the market.

The development of our new features was a complex process, but we are confident that this system will enable bike shops to compete with larger retailers. By leveraging data and organizing information effectively, we have created a sleek and compelling system, offering tools for local merchants that rival industry giants like REI.

We are implementing a freemium business model, where our point of sale system is available with no monthly subscription fee, making it affordable for bike shops to upgrade and streamline their operations. Our purpose is to assist and support the industry's health and the success of independent bike shops.

We are dedicated to providing support to our customers through various channels, including a help center, live chat, email, and phone. We want to ensure that we earn your business and provide the help you need. 

We will be sharing more information about the changes via email, social media, blog posts, and our weekly podcasts. We are in an exciting time at Workstand, finally able to deliver on what our customers have been asking for. We encourage everyone to request a demo and see what Workstand is about. Stay tuned for more updates, and we look forward to seeing you Around the Workstand.

Existing Workstand ecommerce merchants who'd like to learn more about our new point-of-sale features can schedule a demo here.

Not yet a Workstand client? Sch

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

There's no denying here in Colorado, that the seasons are changing and fall is on its way.
End-of-season sales are happening and other, not-so-pleasant things may be on the way as well.

Be mindful of fraud. Criminals know that merchants can't pay as close attention to processes during the holiday season when it's hectic and many are employing seasonal workers. Double down on your processes and training to protect your business from this increased risk of fraud.

Agency team check-in! Our Marketing Agency is quite busy as we head toward fall. Google Local Inventory and paid Google ads are helping them sell more bikes and gear. We're also helping many get their homepages back up to best practices for maximum user efficiency which always leads to better organic search performance a.k.a. SEO.

Tech Tip: Order Workflow - If you haven't revisited your online order workflow lately, now is a great time to do that. These features can help optimize your staff's time and energy when dealing with orders from your website.

• Order Confirmation Page Message
• Order Notification Email
  • Choose the ‘from’ email appropriately
  • Use both top and bottom messages
  • Enable Supplier Fulfillment notification 
• Record Store Fulfillment
• Order Status and Comments
  • Note Comment to Customer vs. Internal Comment

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...

This week, we have a few topics we don't talk about very often but they are none the less quite helpful.

• Buy Local Now 
  • Yes, this is free to any bike shop - no SmartEtailing subscription required
  • Why do we offer this for free - is there a catch? 
  • Why should a retailer use the service? 
  • Compatible POS Systems
• Did you know we will do a free website review for you?
  • Just fill out this form and our Client Success team will take it from there.
  • Audit the site and provide a list of suggested improvements and links to resources to help you complete those changes
  • Content, best practices, accessibility 
  • As always, there’s also help available if you want to delegate the work
• Tech Tip:  Using URL Directories in Advanced Page Settings to more accurately describe your page content
  • Responsive pages, Form pages, Locations
  • Choices include - articles, buyers-guides, coupons, faq, jobs, events, and more
  • Makes pages just a little more dialed for search engines
  • https://mark.smartetailing.net/about/about-the-bike-shop-pg145.htm

Be sure to email your questions to podcast@workstand.com. We read all emails sent and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email support@workstand.com or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email info@workstand.com.

Find Us on LinkedIn
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email mark.s@works...