Free Marketing?

Tips and Hints

Here are a few things just about any organization can do to increase the visibility of their web site with little or no additional expense! Be sure to use as many of these as you can stand to do and do them as often as you can fit into your schedule.

• Everyone remembers to put a phone number on their business card, how about an email address? A web address?
  
  
• Include your URL on business cards, letterhead, press releases, brochures, commercials, printed flyers, newsletters, newspaper and yellow pages ads, product packaging, and any other promotional items that you give out.
  
  
• Write an article about your products and services, how to use your product or the history of it's invention and development. Get the article published, send it as a press release and post it on your website too. If published, remember to include an email address and a web address with your byline.
  
  
• Make the web site part of your organization's overall business strategy. Train staff to know what the web site has and how it is organized so they may direct inquiries to the web site for the latest and greatest.
  
  
• Make sure all email inquiries or complaints are answered quickly and regularly.
  
  
• Market your organization in on-line forums, newsgroups, chat rooms, mail lists, etc. Especially look for venues that are focussed on your industry. Always use your website's URL as part of your signature.
  
  
• Writing and posting press releases at free Public Relations sites can generate some traffic, but only if you have something new or news worthy. If you don't, make some news by developing an online survey & posting results, holding a contest, celebrating your company anniversary with a giveaway or special event, or announcing a public speaking engagement.
  
  Local groups often look for luncheon speakers, convention speakers, etc. Do it for a low cost (or even free), with the stipulation that your slide show will have your URL on it, or have someone read your short bio before you speak, with some emphasis if your URL.
  
  
• Give customers a good reason to come to your website by offering them something for free if the recipient will register!
• • Free on-line Courses.
    Write a couple of articles and turn them into a mini course. Give step by step information on a subject.
    
    
  • Give away an eBook.
    Write a book about a narrow topic in your field. Place it into a protected area and offer it for free, when they register.
    
    
  • Offer a t-Shirt or other Free promotional item.
    Make sure it's something genuinely desirable and branded in some way with your company logo and web address. Of course you'll have to get their mailing address. ;)
    
    
• Seek out the web sites of other organizations that may be willing to link to you. Think of suppliers, trade associations, your own customers and other professional allies. Even competitors occasionally trade links.
  
  
• Create a well thought out banner. Produce it in many different sizes and styles. Offer to exchange appearances of 'my banner' on your website for the appearance of 'your banner' on my web site.

Please note that some of these methods put your email address and / or your web address out there for plenty of customers and SPAMMers alike. We strongly recommend the following:

• Install and use some kind of spam killing software before you start to use any of these methods.
  
  
• With regard to your web site, consider the use of a spam killing form at your website.