I would like to suggest a feature upgrade that would allow the site owner to pre-populate the directory with free business listing data and add a function where the business owner could view and "claim" their listing. This will be especially helpful once the theme is updated to allow for listing detail customization so that free and paid listings do not display the same data. Data fields need to have the ability to be enabled/disabled as needed by the site owner. Providing a free listing with minimal listing data and no lead capture will allow site owners to up-sell premium listings to these businesses based on the available premium listing details (website link, lead capture, etc.) Just my 2 cents.
The admin would need to regulate something like that or some unscrupulous people might try and take over all sorts of listings! One simplistic way might be in a reply here: http://www.inkthemes.com/community/...siting-already-created-in-a-new-direcory.980/ Roger B
Roger, That is an option, however, how is the business owner going to manage this? Are they going to have to take the initiative to contact you so that you can set this up for them? (as the admin). Also, how will they even know that claiming the listing is an option? There are some directories that make it next to impossible to claim the directory listing so it can be updated. The feature that I am suggesting would be a "Claim this Listing" button similar to what Google Places, Yelp and other top directory sites use. All of the business data is scraped and pre-populated so that a basic listing can be displayed. Once the business owner is made aware of the listing they could view it and "Claim" it. You are correct that this would require some amount of policing, but we really need a visual "trigger" to let these bs=usiness owners know that claiming the listing and updating it is an option and available to them. And once they take the initiative, we can be fairly confient that this could be a targeted lead for the premium upgrade. The GeoCraft theme really has an opportunity to be a standout product with some tweaking and functionality upgrades. The dev team has done a good job and by implimenting some of the changes requested and suggested in this forum, I feel that they could have an industry leading theme. Just my 2 cents.
Yes I agree with all your points frontpage and the more we all make our views known with such constructive feedback the better this theme will be. I did say simplistic in the other thread! I intend (untill such a option is provided in the theme) to make decent help page(s) where I can explain all of this as best possible and explain all the options! Perhaps some extra marketing to the free users would help? Some of this information could be in the information panel when they create the free listing but will anyone remember it? Oh and it seems that the free listing does provide the email contact but not capture the lead in the free account users dashboard - not sure about that. Roger
Ref offering an already completed listing, I was referring to a situation where a new directory was being created, in my case I was creating a total shopping center directory with over 70 completed free listings and then directly contacting all the businesses to take up the already created business listing, good if they do and then go on to offer the featured option, or the listing expires. I was looking a method to offer them a means to be able to claim the listing where I would be able to offer them a new login to the directory special to them but not the normal admin login. Using this method enables a quick way to get a larger directory started and populated, create a few listings in each category of the directory and offer them to the businesses directly via calling with them in person, mail a flyer or email. Any other business in the area of directory can use the normal method of creating a free listing. It would be easier to get new businesses to take a listing if they already see local businesses listed there, not just a sample listing or empty directory. I have yet to get any response from support.
