When many people begin marketing on the internet, they are unaware of all the possible ways of getting their website recognized. While many of the suggestions below may seem apparent after a little thought, many who are new to internet marketing tend to think primarily in terms of getting high rankings in search engines and overlook the possibilities of working offline to get people to their online site.
However, the internet is a huge sea, and it might be easier to begin creating your internet empire by becoming a fairly good-sized fish in your small, local pond first.
The following list is by no means all-inclusive, and someone else composing the same list might have several different items. As a matter of fact, I came up with 13 items and cut the list down to 11. Why 11 Well, everybody else offers 10 items. I just made MY LIST stand out just a teeny bit by being a little bit different.
1. Become recognized as an expert. Hopefully, you are attempting to market a product or service with which you already have some familiarity. It shouldnt take much research or study to become an expert. Remember, an expert, to most people at least, is someone who knows more than they do. Once people get to know you as an expert, they seek out your guidance or knowledge. It is easy to refer them to your website for additional information, or have them email you so that you can answer their questions more completely than giving an off-the-cuff answer in a social setting. Once you have convinced them of your willingness to help and your knowledge of the subject, they will be more willing to follow your recommendations as to products and services.
2. Use return address labels on all your correspondence. While outside mail is diminishing in this computer age, most of us do still send out correspondence. There are many simple computer programs which will allow you to create simple return address labels which contain your web site and a simple sales message. This technique has boosted my sales in one program in particular.
3. Volunteer in your community. Whether network marketing or internet marketing, it is contacts, contacts, contacts which will drive sales. The more people who get to know you as a valuable member of your community, as an expert in your field, and as someone who can be trusted to deliver honest information, the more people who will be willing to either use your services or recommend you to others. Additionally, community recognition may include a free plug for your business. Possibly the biggest benefit of all is simply that you feel good helping the community out and working with your other citizens.
4. Offer free information, reports, or newsletters. As an expert, it should be a simple matter to offer something of value for free. Most often, this will be in the form of an information item. Items of information are generally almost free, and can generate an interest in your service or product in particular. Since the person has already requested a free report, you are dealing with someone who is interested in your service or product, and, if your report or newsletter actually contains usable information, someone who will have begun to trust you.
5. Concentrate on a niche. Once again, its easier to start out as a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in the ocean. Simply put, it might be easier to sell lug nuts than to compete with Ford and General Motors and try to sell the whole car. Its also easier to be an expert on a niche, particularly at first, than to try to be an expert on the whole industry.
6. Hold a contest. People love contests, and can be easily encouraged to visit your site to enter your contes and provide you their email or snail mail addresses. Many marketers will tell you that having and responding to a large list of interested parties willing to receive your mail is one of the best ways to create sales.
7. Follow-up not only inquiries but sales as well. Most marketers with or without experience realize that you must respond to inquiries. However, many do not realize that corresponding with your customers is an excellent way to create additional sales. If you have a brick-and-mortar store or are a network marketer, getting your customer to visit and use your website often allows you, as the saying goes, make money while you sleep. It can also free up your time for making contacts with NEW customers or prospects. A satisfied customer is also more likely to order from you again. You can link this up with item #8 to create more customers and MORE LOYAL customers.
8. Offer service outside of sales. I used to be a federal purchasing agent in Austin, Texas. If I ever return to that area and need to buy anything in the office supply or equipment field, I am first going to check to see if Steve D is still around. Even when there was no potential profit for him, Steve helped me and other purchasing agents track down items, even if the item was eventually bought from a competitor. This resulted in a lot of personal respect for Steve and his company, but also broght him a lot of business from us just because we were grateful and knew we could count on him whether the item was sold by him or not. Include useful information on your website, even if it doesnt necessarily bring you direct profit.
9. Get a gimmick. Lets face it. Youre at a bird show, and one guy in a suit is handing out business cards, and another is dressed like a pirate and has a parrot perched on his shoulder. So whos going to get the most recognition during and after the show Oh yeah! You shoulda been there! There was this cool dude from the XYZ seed factory dressed like a pirate with a parrot... you get the picture! Can you design an eye-catching logo or have one designed Could you tie that in some way to your website A gimmick can bring in extra traffic whether you have an internet business or a brick-and-mortar business. Just ask the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas.
10. Give away items with your website on them. This might seem like a no-brainer, but it is one of the simplest techniques around. I order cards from VistaPrint.com, and on the back is a calendar. How simple is that People didnt always want to take my old business cards, but the ones with the calendar are always accepted. My websites on the front, and I have seen online sales from the distribution of these cards. The item can be a calendar, pen, refridgerator magnet...you name it!
11. Use advertising on your automobile. Be careful here. Everybody nowadays has an advertising panel on the side of their car. I speak from experience...it can be an effective advertising tool. I have been stopped in parking lots and even flagged down on the highway by people wanting information. I have seen people in the next car writing down my website. Make your advertising stand out, and dont try to make the entire sale through the sign. Tease with a few words, or even a catchy website URL that arouses curiosity. By the way, as I mentioned, everybody these days seems to have those magnetic signs on their cars. I have found a great company that does it just a bit differently. You can get more information on how their product can drive traffic to your web site at .
There you are. Eleven tips, just like I promised. Its possible that you even came up with a few more while reading this. Good for you. The more inventive and creative ideas you have (and implement) on marketing your business, the more likely you are to be successful in internet marketing.
The author is retired from the Army after 21 years of service, has worked as an accountant, optical lab manager, restaurant manager, and instructor. He has been a member of Mensa for several years, and has written and published poetry, essays, and articles on various subjects for the last 40 years. He has been an active internet marketer since 2000, and now makes his living online. To learn more about improving your marketing performance, please visit . To read more articles by the author, please visit his blog at .
Have you thought about applying for an About.com guide position This article will give you a few pointers from someone who has been there. I applied for the Stress Management site and lost but my experience may help you become familiar with the process.
At the bottom of their homepage, youll find a link to available websites. The guide prep is 17 days with four deadlines. Youll be in competition with up to five other guides that have applied. They start guide prep every week. I started late on a Friday afternoon with the deadline for the final eval occurring on a Monday.
It could be a few weeks until you hear whether youve been accepted. My acceptance letter was received approximately three weeks before starting the competition. Theyll give you a start date and tell you to expect another email.
You can use this time to brush up on web building skills and write a few articles, a complete glossary and frequently asked questions. About has their own language - using brackets [a href] instead of arrows for their code. Their blog which is hosted by Six Apart uses regular html. Research the best way to word link descriptions - its a big part of their site. SEO is also important. Every page has keywords and meta descriptions.
They prefer Top 10 or question and answers for their articles. Read web references for writing on the web: short paragraphs, paragraph headings, simple sentences and language. They prefer content that is offering specific advice, motivates a reader to take action or answers a specific question.
Guide Prep is a self directed step by step program for developing one of their mini sites. It includes an orientation forum with questions from previous guides. Youll notice some of the questions go unanswered with little recent posting. Questions are answered hours to days later.
Its helpful to read the questions and answers but some of the information is outdated. Keep in mind that its meant to be a self directed program.
Top 10 Tips to Win The Guide Prep Competition
1. Prepare - After youve written them regarding one of their open spots do some preparation. Write a couple of articles in the written for the web format. Research keywords appropriate for your subject. Research writing for the web. Compile a glossary and frequently asked questions. Keep note of links for your content. Each original article should link to 3-5 sources and your glossary.
2. Practice and become familiar with uploading images with a FTP client. I didnt include images in my practice site. That could have been one of the reasons I didnt win. It could also have had something to do with my writing skills. I found it difficult to write on a deadline.
3. When you receive the welcome email the competition begins. I received mine about three weeks after the acceptance email. Youre encouraged to take a few days to become familiar with their guide prep site. Take the time to look over their lounge and pay attention to their tools. They have preferences for the kind of content that goes in each. Their site building interface has some bugs in it. When you publish make sure that it posted.
4. Plan your site before you enter categories and content. You are required to have 10-15 categories with a piece of original content or a link to websites in each.
5. Glossary tool - Each definition is typed in separately on a form. What you type in first is at the bottom and each additional entry is above the first. If you type in your glossary starting at A - the content will publish with Z being at the top of the list. Anything added later will be out of alphabetical order because it will publish on top. There is no way to insert items.
Compile a complete glossary before you begin and start typing from the bottom of your glossary. It will then be in alphabetical order.
6. Read the information in the lounge, the Q & A in the orientation forums and the guide prep before you start. Pay attention the the description of the content that goes in each tool. There is a lot of information in the lounge if you look for it.
7. Dont expect much help nor ask for it. Youll just be frustrated waiting for an answer. Use your judgement based on what youve read and the site description they emailed you.
8. Make sure what you publish is ready for prime time before the site is live. When you hit publish make sure it is ready for viewing by the public. You cant delete content later. Only support can do that.
9. Plan your schedule to reduce commitments during the competition. Youll spend quite a few hours planning the site, writing articles and finding the best links. Learning to use their tools is one of the most important functions of guide prep.
10. Make sure the content is in the correct tool. Thoroughly read through each tool before entering content because the instructions can be confusing.
Write a bio of your qualifications, education and a message to the public. Look at a few About.com guide sites to get ideas. While youre at it, read as many sites as you can to become familiar with the content.
When I received the welcome e-mail, I did a search for information about guide prep and found nothing on the internet. It would have been helpful if I knew what to expect. I hope this helps you and good luck!
Copyright 2005 - Cathy Gariety, RN - USA
You may use this article if you keep the link active.
Cathy Gariety is a Registered Nurse and researcher specializing in Stress Management. She is in the process of developing programs for hospitals nationwide. Visit her website at