Name of your website?Gothicstone Travertine pavers and tile
Your name?
Karl Mangialardi
Your Location (city, etc)
Wayne, PA 19087
What inspired you to launch your own website?
Great opportunity for marketing the Gothicstone Collection. It is a relatively new product in the United States and needs exposure to penetrate the market. When people see it, they fall in love with it!
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
I think around 2001, and it was this one.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
I just played around with the most appropriate sounding options and then polled some friends.
Please give us a short summary of your website?
It describes our product line: natural travertine limestone pavers and tiles, with application photos, product shots, and technical information.
What makes it different from other, similar offerings?
We have the only full and complete line of these type of products in the industry.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
To grow the company for eventual sale; this is my job and my career.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
We have been very succesful in our internet marketing efforts.
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
Add more sales and marketing manpower with more emphasis on optimization.
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
Abolutely, unequivically, and without a doubt.
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
Employee theft on a major scale
What has been your biggest challenge?
Managing good employees and retaining them.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
Using a multifaceted approach involving many forms of media to drive people to the website. The least succesfull has beeen radio advertising.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
I am surprised (pleasantly) by the action we get from it.
How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?
About six years and we are doing great with it.
What has been the strongest vehicle, greatest bang for your buck, in your efforts to promote your business?
The internet, by far!
What is your website address?
Gothicstone Travertine pavers and tile
