Put Your Website to Work

In the real world, you would never sit around twiddling your thumbs, hoping customers somehow stumble upon your business by accident. So, why would you ever consider doing that online with your website?

Websites are great marketing tools, but it's not enough to just build a cool site and hope for the best. Your website is your online office or storefront. You need to promote it just like you need to promote your offline business.

In order to be successful, your website needs to pull in eye traffic, just like you have traditionally pulled foot traffic into your shop.

Sending traffic to your website is something you can do very easily on your own just by remembering your site address.

Include your website address on your business cards, letterhead, company vehicles and signs. It sounds so simple but many people forget to include a website in their information. It doesn't cost anything extra to include your website address next to your physical address and phone number. And by doing so your customers are being given a direct link toward the complete online office or store.

Publish Yellow Page or magazine ads in less space by just listing your website address. Your content and sales pitch will actually grow, while you cut display inches and save advertising dollars. As long as you keep your website content current, print ads will never grow old and obsolete.

Include a website link on your email signature. This makes it easy for customers to get to your site.

Direct mail is one way to target potential customers. Distributing newsletters, flyers and postcards can lead customers into your website to hear your full message. If you're not in the habit or you just can't afford to do traditional paper mailings, electronic mailings don't cost anything but your time. Remember to keep your audience specific. Don't inundate people with unnecessary information they won't be able to use. Sending retirement savings information to a teenage audience is probably a waste of everyone's time.

Use the press to promote your business and your website. Write a press release announcing the opening of your new website and send it to local newspapers, business associations, industry specific magazines, or community newsletters. Whenever your business launches something new, wins an award, hires a new staff member or does anything newsworthy, send out press releases. Remember to include your website address on every press release you submit. A single mention of your business or website in a local newspaper can drive a lot of potential new customers to your website.

Write and submit articles for electronic or paper publications. List your website address in your credit paragraph at the end. Articles increase your credibility in the industry. Write what you know. Share your expertise. If you're in the business of selling automobiles, you might write articles about car care or the Do's and Don'ts' of leasing. Put yourself out there as the expert in your field. Readers who learn something new and trust your information will visit your website and possibly become customers.

Print your website address on promotional give-away items like pens, ball caps, stickers, t-shirts, coffee mugs and post-it pads. Wherever these items go, so does all the current information about your business.

Place a sign-up book in your shop or reception area, and a sign-up button on your website for customers interested in future promotions or news. Collect names, mailing addresses, phone numbers and email addresses for your mailing list. Send them newsletters, promotions, or noteworthy accomplishments. Remember to include your website address in all your correspondence with your customers.

Banner ads are the online equivalent to print display ads, except they allow a direct hot link to your web site. Place banner ads in strategic locations where your target audience might roam.

Exchange links with other sites. If you're a florist, exchange links with tuxedo and gown rental shops, limousine services, funeral homes, dress designers and other businesses with customers who might need your product as well as theirs.

Submit your website address to the major search engines. This is the first and one of the most important steps to draw traffic to your web site. Major search engines include Google, Excite, LookSmart, Alexa, AltaVista, Lycos, Northern Light, and AlltheWeb.

To get a lot of traffic from search engine listings, you need to appear in the first 1-3 pages of the results for popular search phrases. Your webmaster can build things right into your website that will help you get the best search ranking possible.

Check in the Yellow Pages under Internet Services for a list of local businesses that can help you with technical aspects like registering your domain name, building your website and helping to market it by making sure you're listed in Internet Directories like Yahoo! and the Open Directory Project.