Building a website is not a marketing plan. It is only one resource that should be woven into the entire fabric of the business. Marketing starts after a site is completed and can be extremely time-consuming and costly.
Your clients should be made aware at the start that simply creating their site will not generate lots of traffic and will not cause them to be immediately listed in all of the search engines. To avoid client problems you should set their expectations realistically and if marketing services are to be rendered it should be separate from the cost of the site creation.
Listed are a number of marketing tactics you can suggest and/or offer to your clients.
This document is intended for internal use as a checklist of marketing tips and tactics. It should not be included as-is in a proposal. If you are to be offering any of these as a service they should be individually included in the cost of the site and listed in the proposal.
| Marketing Tactic | Description |
|---|---|
| Create marketing plan | Tie together online and real-world material |
| Study additional Internet marketing courses | See the appendix of resources for recommendations |
| Include company URL on all materials | Business cards, letterhead, envelopes, invoices, packaging slips, coffee mugs, pens, brochures, flyers, posters, ads, vehicles, documents, clothing, portfolios, manuals, books, product packaging, coupons |
| Link building | Contact other sites for link trades, give incentives for others to link to your site |
| Newsgroups | Participate in related newsgroups and become a resident expert |
| On-line newsletter | Use Mailloop, AWeber, or VarPro to send personalized bulk mailings to your opt-in list |
| Press releases | Send automated press releases using a press release service |
| Permission-based email | Only send emails to people who give you permission, include easy unsubscribe and direct contact options |
| Search engines | Use search engines to find potential customers and affiliates, register with at least the top 10 search engines |
| Yahoo site evaluation | Consider paying the $199 fee for a site evaluation within 7 days |
| Business Directories | Register with gte.com, Dun & Bradstreet, uswestdex.com, alexa.com |
| Affiliate Program | Market through an affiliate program |
| Targeted e-zines and opt-in mailing lists | Advertise in targeted e-zines and opt-in mailing lists |
| Sponsorships or partnerships | Find related sites and offer sponsorships or partnerships |
| Keyword advertising | Consider purchasing keywords and phrases on search engines |
| Search engine reviews | Write letters to the editors of major search engines requesting a review and addition to their preferred listings |
| Affiliate recruitment | Find qualified affiliates personally rather than relying on random sign-ups |
| Limited time offers | Offer special “limited time offers” only to your opt-in lists |
| Testing | Test marketing copy, newsletters, and ads constantly, using what works and changing what does not work |
| Advertising budget | Consider spreading your advertising budget over multiple campaigns rather than one quick and expensive shot |
| Internet marketing courses | See the appendix of resources for recommendations on Internet marketing courses |
| Pay-per-click advertising | Consider pay-per-click advertising options |
| On-line auctions | Consider selling products through online auctions |
| Online classifieds | Consider selling products through online classifieds |
| On-line malls | Consider selling products through online malls |
| Online trade shows | Consider participating in online trade shows |
| Online directories | Consider listing your site in online directories |
| Online yellow pages | Consider listing your site in online yellow pages |
| Online yellow pages | Consider listing your site in online yellow pages |
| Print materials | Consider including your URL on print materials such as newspaper ads, magazine ads, and billboards |
| PRWeb | Consider using PRWeb for press release distribution |
| Public speaking | Consider giving public speeches or presentations on your area of expertise |
| Radio | Consider advertising on the radio |
| Referral program | Consider implementing a referral program for your customers |
| Sample products | Consider offering sample products to potential customers |
| TV | Consider advertising on TV |
| Trade shows | Consider participating in trade shows |
| Video | Consider creating a video to showcase your products or services |