When I get a new client, and he is ready to launch his new site, I send a variation of this out to help them get started. I'll post it here in the hopes that it will help some of you with your marketing and promotion. Not everything will apply to everyone. But, it might spark a new and novel idea, or maybe a variation that can be applied to your business.
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SIMPLE, EFFECTIVE, AND AFFORDABLE WAYS
TO GET VISITORS TO YOUR NEW WEB SITE
You've poured a bunch of money, time, and research developing your Web site. Whether you had a professional build your site, or you made it yourself, you need to get prospects to look at your site, browse your offerings, and read about your qualifications.
Being involved in Web site hosting and development, I have seen numerous small businesses fail to leverage their traditional marketing strengths when it comes to the Web. They treat the Internet as a completely separate entity, when they should learning to integrate the Web into their overall marketing strategy.
For some, this is because they are not confident in what their Web site has to offer while others are just unsure how the integration should take place. Some still, even in this day of dot-coms all over the place, don't think of the Internet as a serious source of business.
Whatever the reasoning may be, businesses not utilizing the web as a marketing tool are missing out on golden opportunities.
Below I have outlined many simple ways small business owners can get visitors to their Web site. These suggestions cost little or nothing at all to implement. Most are just common sense ideas. All of them are easy, inexpensive, and effective.
WEB SITE PROMOTION TIPS
Here are some simple, easy methods you can start using today to promote your web site. Even after your site is indexed by the various search engines, you should still think about using some or all of these ideas. Remember that advertising is a way to get your name and your Web address out there and familiar with your customers. The more times a prospect sees your Web address, the easier it will be for them to remember.
Start Simple! Put your Web address on your stationery, business cards, brochures, space ads, card decks, yellow pages, flyers, envelops, and invoices. Print your Web site on any printed company or personal business materials no matter how benign it appears. Somebody might hang on to it and visit. Every piece of printed marketing material should clearly display your web address. While this seems like a no-brainer, trust me when I say it is often disregarded.
Add To Ads! Any time you place an ad in a newspaper, trade journal, or magazine, make sure your Web Site address is included prominently in it. Print it large enough so readers can find it easily. I see many small business ads where the Web address is difficult to find – like it was added on as an afterthought. Today, people just don’t have the time to play games. They want to find what they are looking for quickly. Camouflaging your Web address in your printed ads will only cause you to miss more opportunities.
If you're on the radio or TV commercials, tell them your Web site address. Your customers are everywhere and that's where you should be too! By not placing your web address where people will see or hear of it, you are simply not optimizing your advertising efforts.
A simple press release can give you a number of hits virtually overnight, for just being seen in the news! Have you launched a new site? Redesigned your site? Included a feature your competition doesn’t have? Blast the news off to all the local media editors. If you have good newsworthy information, the editor might just dispatch a reporter to write an article about your business. Having an article written about you adds considerable credibility to your professional image and makes you an expert in your field. This will translate to more traffic and more business! Press releases are 100% free publicity, and they work.
Local TV access channels are another often-overlooked resource for site visitors. These usually printed ads give you an opportunity to get your Web site address in front of eyeballs at a relatively low cost. Simply have your site address prominently included in the ad. While you can’t give a lot of information in these ads, including your Web address will show viewers where to get the good stuff.
Even simple placards on your desk with nothing but your Web address will get people to visit. I have one client who had inexpensive business cards printed with nothing but her name and her Web site address. She keeps the cards on her desk, in plain view of everyone who enters her office. She has to refill her supply several times each month, but you can bet that prospects use the card to visit her site. They may even give a card to a friend or relative in the market for your products or services.
Your corporate brochures are an excellent marketing tool but they can’t come close to providing the flexibility that your Web site has to offer. By listing your Web site on the brochure, you can direct prospects there to get more details about you and your business. It will only increase awareness of your Web site.
Give something away for free, and keep giving. This can be in the form of a report, information relating to your product or service, or special tips, tricks, and information. Use your imagination. While it is your business to know about these details, sharing it to potential buyers will help them make intelligent buying decisions. Your prospects will thank you and recommend your products/services to others when asked. Your information doesn't have to be expensive, it only has to have value to your prospects.
Your business address, phone and fax numbers are on your fax cover sheet, why isn’t your Web site and email address?
Do you have a recording when customers are on hold? Why don't you tell them about your Web site and its features while they're waiting? (Just don’t make them wait to long!) You can even tie this in with the giveaway ideas mentioned above. Let them know they can get something special if they’ll just visit your site.
Any type of advertising specialty, whether it's a pen, magnet, clock, cap, T-shirt, etc., needs your Web address on it. Any giveaway, whether used by an employee, agent, or by a customer, instantly becomes a walking billboard for your business Web site. A simple pen that was printed "Stolen from www.mycompanyname.com" was an incredible hit with one of our clients.
Email is quickly becoming the preferred way of communicating with many prospects. Any time you send email include your Web address. This is very simple to set up with most modern email clients. Look for a feature called a "Signature". The signature is a block of text that can be added automatically at the end of each and every email that goes out of your computer. Make sure it includes your site address.
And, why are you using your AOL and Earthlink email address for your business contact information? Use your domain name for all your business email. Your business will look more professional, and you'll have another opportunity to get your domain name in front of your customer's eyeballs. Nothing screems "amateur" more than using your personal email address in your business advertising.
Don't Let It Rot! I don't know about you but I just hate TV reruns. The same thing applies to Web sites. Visitors find that looking at the same thing over and over gets old real fast. They won't return after seeing that nothing has changed for months on end. Keep your Web site fresh with new content. Make some simple changes now and then like adding a new photo, change the wording, add a new page or two, post some news about your business, change the color or typeface, etc. People will return to your site and notice that you keep it updated. If they see that you're serious about your site, they'll return to see what is new.
CONCLUSION
There you have it – a list of simple, inexpensive ideas to get visitors to your site. Remember that after you get them there, your job is to keep them interested in your products and your services. Make your site interesting and tailor it to your potential clients.
Promote your Web site at every opportunity, online and offline. Obviously this includes search engines, business cards, letterheads, etc. But also subtly include mention of your site in your conversations with your hairdresser, mechanic, doctor, bank manager, etc. as the opportunity arises. And have cards prepared with the Web site URL on them to hand out. You'd be surprised how much business comes from word of mouth.
Although the Internet is global, people locally will be impressed to find out what you are doing, and if not connected, (who isn't these days?) they will be keen to check your site out next time they are online.
---------------------
SIMPLE, EFFECTIVE, AND AFFORDABLE WAYS
TO GET VISITORS TO YOUR NEW WEB SITE
You've poured a bunch of money, time, and research developing your Web site. Whether you had a professional build your site, or you made it yourself, you need to get prospects to look at your site, browse your offerings, and read about your qualifications.
Being involved in Web site hosting and development, I have seen numerous small businesses fail to leverage their traditional marketing strengths when it comes to the Web. They treat the Internet as a completely separate entity, when they should learning to integrate the Web into their overall marketing strategy.
For some, this is because they are not confident in what their Web site has to offer while others are just unsure how the integration should take place. Some still, even in this day of dot-coms all over the place, don't think of the Internet as a serious source of business.
Whatever the reasoning may be, businesses not utilizing the web as a marketing tool are missing out on golden opportunities.
Below I have outlined many simple ways small business owners can get visitors to their Web site. These suggestions cost little or nothing at all to implement. Most are just common sense ideas. All of them are easy, inexpensive, and effective.
WEB SITE PROMOTION TIPS
Here are some simple, easy methods you can start using today to promote your web site. Even after your site is indexed by the various search engines, you should still think about using some or all of these ideas. Remember that advertising is a way to get your name and your Web address out there and familiar with your customers. The more times a prospect sees your Web address, the easier it will be for them to remember.
Start Simple! Put your Web address on your stationery, business cards, brochures, space ads, card decks, yellow pages, flyers, envelops, and invoices. Print your Web site on any printed company or personal business materials no matter how benign it appears. Somebody might hang on to it and visit. Every piece of printed marketing material should clearly display your web address. While this seems like a no-brainer, trust me when I say it is often disregarded.
Add To Ads! Any time you place an ad in a newspaper, trade journal, or magazine, make sure your Web Site address is included prominently in it. Print it large enough so readers can find it easily. I see many small business ads where the Web address is difficult to find – like it was added on as an afterthought. Today, people just don’t have the time to play games. They want to find what they are looking for quickly. Camouflaging your Web address in your printed ads will only cause you to miss more opportunities.
If you're on the radio or TV commercials, tell them your Web site address. Your customers are everywhere and that's where you should be too! By not placing your web address where people will see or hear of it, you are simply not optimizing your advertising efforts.
A simple press release can give you a number of hits virtually overnight, for just being seen in the news! Have you launched a new site? Redesigned your site? Included a feature your competition doesn’t have? Blast the news off to all the local media editors. If you have good newsworthy information, the editor might just dispatch a reporter to write an article about your business. Having an article written about you adds considerable credibility to your professional image and makes you an expert in your field. This will translate to more traffic and more business! Press releases are 100% free publicity, and they work.
Local TV access channels are another often-overlooked resource for site visitors. These usually printed ads give you an opportunity to get your Web site address in front of eyeballs at a relatively low cost. Simply have your site address prominently included in the ad. While you can’t give a lot of information in these ads, including your Web address will show viewers where to get the good stuff.
Even simple placards on your desk with nothing but your Web address will get people to visit. I have one client who had inexpensive business cards printed with nothing but her name and her Web site address. She keeps the cards on her desk, in plain view of everyone who enters her office. She has to refill her supply several times each month, but you can bet that prospects use the card to visit her site. They may even give a card to a friend or relative in the market for your products or services.
Your corporate brochures are an excellent marketing tool but they can’t come close to providing the flexibility that your Web site has to offer. By listing your Web site on the brochure, you can direct prospects there to get more details about you and your business. It will only increase awareness of your Web site.
Give something away for free, and keep giving. This can be in the form of a report, information relating to your product or service, or special tips, tricks, and information. Use your imagination. While it is your business to know about these details, sharing it to potential buyers will help them make intelligent buying decisions. Your prospects will thank you and recommend your products/services to others when asked. Your information doesn't have to be expensive, it only has to have value to your prospects.
Your business address, phone and fax numbers are on your fax cover sheet, why isn’t your Web site and email address?
Do you have a recording when customers are on hold? Why don't you tell them about your Web site and its features while they're waiting? (Just don’t make them wait to long!) You can even tie this in with the giveaway ideas mentioned above. Let them know they can get something special if they’ll just visit your site.
Any type of advertising specialty, whether it's a pen, magnet, clock, cap, T-shirt, etc., needs your Web address on it. Any giveaway, whether used by an employee, agent, or by a customer, instantly becomes a walking billboard for your business Web site. A simple pen that was printed "Stolen from www.mycompanyname.com" was an incredible hit with one of our clients.
Email is quickly becoming the preferred way of communicating with many prospects. Any time you send email include your Web address. This is very simple to set up with most modern email clients. Look for a feature called a "Signature". The signature is a block of text that can be added automatically at the end of each and every email that goes out of your computer. Make sure it includes your site address.
And, why are you using your AOL and Earthlink email address for your business contact information? Use your domain name for all your business email. Your business will look more professional, and you'll have another opportunity to get your domain name in front of your customer's eyeballs. Nothing screems "amateur" more than using your personal email address in your business advertising.
Don't Let It Rot! I don't know about you but I just hate TV reruns. The same thing applies to Web sites. Visitors find that looking at the same thing over and over gets old real fast. They won't return after seeing that nothing has changed for months on end. Keep your Web site fresh with new content. Make some simple changes now and then like adding a new photo, change the wording, add a new page or two, post some news about your business, change the color or typeface, etc. People will return to your site and notice that you keep it updated. If they see that you're serious about your site, they'll return to see what is new.
CONCLUSION
There you have it – a list of simple, inexpensive ideas to get visitors to your site. Remember that after you get them there, your job is to keep them interested in your products and your services. Make your site interesting and tailor it to your potential clients.
Promote your Web site at every opportunity, online and offline. Obviously this includes search engines, business cards, letterheads, etc. But also subtly include mention of your site in your conversations with your hairdresser, mechanic, doctor, bank manager, etc. as the opportunity arises. And have cards prepared with the Web site URL on them to hand out. You'd be surprised how much business comes from word of mouth.
Although the Internet is global, people locally will be impressed to find out what you are doing, and if not connected, (who isn't these days?) they will be keen to check your site out next time they are online.
