Name of your website?Reforest Costa Rica
Your name?
Christina Ramirez
Your Location (city, etc)
San Carlos, Alajuela
When did you start your website and why?
Four years ago, my husband Hector (a Costa Rican) and a couple from New Jersey founded a reforestation company that sold trees to investors all over the world. In early 2007, Hector and I sold our share of the company and began ReForestCostaRica, a reforestation and property management company. We combine the search for excellent opportunities in real estate with the will to conserve and reforest this part of Costa Rica, "la zona norte", known for it's incredible tropical rainforests and acres of destruction from deforestation in the past 50 years.
Please give us a short summary of your website, business model, etc
We provide listings for properties that we consider "tico prices" and good candidates for reforestation efforts. We describe some of the purchase process and link to our blog, Re Forest Costa Rica Blog that details day to day living in rural Costa Rica
What has been the most difficult part of creating and running your website?
I hate to be cliche, but I think the hardest part was to "Just do it!" After we got over the intial bump of jumping into dreamweaver I just keep learning by doing. I never took a class etc. but after fooling around a bit I got the hang of it. I know I can improve it but between the "help" section and comments on blogs and such we've gotten over the toughest bit, to publish the website.
What has been the easist part of operating your website?
Writing all that info - it had been in my head for such a long time it kinda just flowed out onto the screen.
What was your biggest mistake?
I hired someone to build a website for me because I thought I couldn't do it myself. I ended up trashing their website and starting from scratch!
Who maintains your website and why?
Christina maintains our website and communicated with potential clients. Hector oversees the gathering of property information and provides the vision and design for the reforestation projects themselves.
Tell us how your business has benefitted from your website?
Almost 90% of our clients have contacted us via our website. We hope to continue to improve and create better search techniques and more informational pages in the future.
What are your views on ecommerce and the future of the internet?
I'm scared for my money floating around out their in cyberspace, but I can't imagine life without paying bills at a click of a button anymore! I live about one hour and a half down a dirt road out in the sticks and we have ADSL internet and I can sell or buy anything with the click of a button. We can empower all these rural dwellers and their children by teaching them to use the internet to their advantage, even if this means selling produce direct from these farmers by e-bay! This is the future! Down goes those awfull middlemen who take the biggest cut of the money just because they were at the right place at the right time!! My two cents - I'll get off of my soapbox now.
What are your views on Search Engines? Have they helped or hindered your website?
We have definitely concentrated on providing quality information on our website and have noticed the difference in traffic as we continue to publish more informational pages.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
Our blog and reciprocal links! This is why I am completing this long questionnare! I hope this will be worth it! ;)
What method has been least successful for promoting your website?
You tube. I tried it but I'm not convinced it's a true marketing tool yet.
What would you like to see change with respect to the internet?
More cross references in different languages. This language thing is a road block to more information that is already available on the net.
How can I create and fund a private bilingual school in my area ?
Who will donate computers, teachers, buildings?
What is your website address?
Reforest Costa Rica
