10 Marketing Strategies for your Website

When you create a website one of the greatest challenges can be getting the word out about your site and getting people to visit. There are many different marketing strategies that can be employed to increase visitors. One way of the most popular these days is SEO, many designers and business owners focus only on online techniques such as SEO and SEM when offline marketing strategies can be just as effective. Don’t get me wrong, SEO is well worth pursuing but it is a subject in itself and there are many website, articles, books and videos dedicated to the topic and it will take awhile before you research it and get it right.Therefore its always worth keeping in mind some simple offline techniques that can help you build traffic.

Below is a list of 10 simple offline marketing strategies that are useful to anyone who wants to promote their website.

1) Business cards: Sign up to vistaprint and take advantage of their free business card offer. Then put the cards wherever you think people may be interested. If you are in a hostel and have a travel website put the card on the back of the toilet doors or leave it at the reception desk. You can also post it on community notice boards.

2) Classified newspaper ads: Most newspapers have a free classified ads section. You can write and email within three minutes and send it off to the numerous newspapers that will be only too happy to publish your ad and URL for you.This will be seen by the many people who browse the classified ads section of their local newspaper on a daily basis.

3) Apply for entrepreneurial or business awards in your area: There many awards given to business people and entrepreneurs on a monthly basis. These prizes are more than just a pat on the back these can also be a great way to publicise yourself. If you get a radio, TV or newspaper interview make sure to keep dropping your website name.

4) Put your URL on all outgoing mail: This may seem like common sense but a lot of people overlook this. All letters or envelopes should have your branding. You can easily buy a customised stamping machine to stamp your envelopes and you can order headed notepaper from vistaprint.

5) Freebies: If you buy pens in bulk with your brand stamped on them they turn out to be relatively inexpensive. You can give these away to customers to people in restaurants or leave them in your library. These are objects that stay with people and therefore will help your website name spread. If you have a bigger budget you can expand.Contact your local merchandising company or once again you can do this through vistaprint.

6) Submit articles to newspapers: If you have an area of expertise a great way to drum up some business is to write an article for your local newspaper about your knowledge. This not only positions you in the mind of the customer as an expert but will also surely get you lots of calls.

7) Car/Bumper stickers : If you have a catchy website name get it printed on a sticker and give it to your friends to stick on their cars. When people are caught on traffic the only thing they can see is the back of the car in front of them. What can be better marketing than that!!This article has more tips on how to create your perfect marketing bumper sticker.

8)Screen savers : I know it’s on your computer but it’s not necessarily online!!! Make a screen saver with your brands logo and some photos showing what you do and get it set up in as many places as you can. If you can do something a little creative that people will want on their computer you’re going to do even better. Screen savers are easy to make you can make them using power point and some other programmes. Have a look at this article if you want to make your own screen saver.

9) Set your business as the default homepage where ever you can: This may be a little black hat but it’s an effective tactic. Go around to any public computers i.e. libraries, internet cafes, etc etc and set your business as the home page. If you can’t sleep at night you can always go back and change back to MSN, Google or whoever else, even though they are making enough money already. Heres instructions how to carry out this devious task.

10)M&M’s : Im about to let you in on a big secret, you can print your logo or URL on M&Ms and have them shipped to your house.Whooooo!!! Although it is a bit on the expensive side this is a great idea for a trade show or as a gift to clients. You can even have them packaged how you want. If this idea tickles your fancy this link will lead you straight to where you can customise your M&Ms.