Bag Of Tricks
by Bob Osgoodby
Have you ever noticed that in every shopping mall, there iswhat is referred to as an anchor store? This is normally alarge store that attracts a lot of customers, and the otherstores in the mall benefit from the "spill over" customersthat go there.
With all the talk about online marketing, can we benefitfrom this concept. Sure - try to find popular sites thatattract a large number of visitors. Try to work out a linkexchange with them. You will get potential customers to yoursite this way. Many people feel that this is just asimportant as search engine placement.
As far as your online marketing is concerned, I consider aWeb Page to be the anchor for your sales efforts. This isthe place where you want your potential customers to go forinformation about your Company. This is where you can makeor break your sale.
Many people make serious mistakes when designing their WebPage. Let's face it - if someone comes to your Web Page,they are looking for information. While beautiful picturesare nice to look at, they seldom have a reason to exist onyour Web Page. Why? Because they take too long to load, avisitor will quickly become frustrated, and they "clickaway" to something else - a lost opportunity.
If you want a presence on the Web, your design goals shouldbe simple. You should have a page that loads quickly anddoesn't require the visitor to page down to get your primarymessage. Face it - you have seconds to capture theirattention. The page should be attractive, and stimulate theperson to page down, or link to other pages. This is whereyou can then expand on what you are trying to present. Onceyou get them to page down, or click on a link to another ofyour pages, the odds are that they will read it.
Any advertising program should be geared toward one goal andthat is to make sales. Your ads in Online Newsletters or WebClassifieds also have one purpose, and that is to get themto request more information. Here is where Autorespondersand Web Pages shine. They are your silent salespeople whoare available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Used incombination they are the "dynamic duo".
So, if you want to design your own web pages or contractwith someone to do it, what should be your first steps?First - browse the web looking for web sites that you like.If the page loads quickly and is attractive, it is acandidate for your design consideration - bookmark it. Afteryou find several examples, and if you are HTML proficient,download your favorite and look at it with your web pagedesign software. Can you use the same techniques that theyused?
Do not use any of their graphics or text that are includedin the web page. These are normally copyrighted and couldcause you a "heap" of trouble. If you are not HTMLproficient and want to contract with a third party, informthem of the web site you like. This can save them a lot offalse starts in their design efforts for you.
Second - provide content that might encourage visitors tocome back to your site. This content should change on aperiodic basis, and does not have to be limited to your WebSite. A News Ticker for example can be something you canuse, as well as a link to the Weather Channel.
Finally, you have to market your web site. Your URL and E-mail address should not only be publicized online, butoffline as well. Put them on your letter head, your businesscard, your offline advertising - anyplace where people cansee them. We send out postcards with specials all the time -you can bet they are there. The Internet is not magic - itis just another tool in your marketing "bag of tricks".Did you know that subscribers to Bob Osgoodby's Free Ezine the "Tip of the Day" get a Free Ad for their Business at his Web Site? Great Business and Computer Tips - Monday thru Friday. Instructions on how to place your ad are in the Newsletter. Subscribe at: http://adv-marketing.com/business/subscribe2.htm
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