THE MAGIC OF THE WEB - a marketing follow up

Earlier I talked about the magic of the web and the need to market your site if you're expecting visitors in volume. (Don't forget, when you meet someone in person, hand them your business card and brochure with your website prominently featured and tell them to visit your website. That's a solid marketing strategy, though not necessarily intended for high volume).

When it comes to online marketing, there are many ways you can go about it. And it all depends on your business goals and marketing strategies as to which way you go. For small business owners and smaller nonprofits, here are three basic ways to consider getting started.

1. Send out an enewsletter (I use constant contact)
2. Write a blog (I'm using blogger.com)
3. Advertise online (I don't do this, but I hear good things about google adwords)

One of the best ways ways to begin is by writing an enewsletter. You can send something as simple as a weekly or monthly tip, a case study, or something as complex as a complete old fashioned newsletter, with articles, interviews, and special offerings. They're a pretty simple, inexpensive, and effective tool. It allows you to stay in touch with contacts you already have and remind them of your products and services on a regular basis. Constant Contact is reasonably priced to meet any size organization's needs and has lots of reporting features, so you can see whose opening your emails and what they're interested in. You can use it to help drive traffic to your site on a regular basis or when you're running a special offer.

Another tool is a blog. You'll still have to drive traffic to the blog - but its way to position yourself as an expert in your field and give your prospects something for free. This gives them a chance to get to know you better and trust you more. One thing to consider, is that it takes time to write a blog. Make sure you're willing and able to spend the time doing it.

And the last marketing tip is to pay for online advertising. This can be very effective in terms of reach, and it can be expensive if you're expecting volume. You can run a banner ad campaigns and buy up targeted ad space. This will mean hiring a designer to design the ad, and then paying monthly to run the campaign. Alternatively you can pay a set amount each month to something like google ad words and slowly increase your traffic over time. Again, it depends on your expectations, needs and your available resources.

These are only a few examples of some of the least expensive and effective ways to start marketing on the web. So remember, first get clear on;

1. your business goals
2. the purpose of your website
   
3. and your ovearall marketing strategy
   

Then choose the online (and print) marketing tools that fit your needs and your available resources.