dalmoworks.com - marketing - website promotion

So you are starting to get traffic to your website - How do you keep them coming back?

Free Shipping
People love to see the word FREE! Offer the client free shipping of an order of a specific dollar amount or more. Create a sense of urgency – have a limited time offer.

Free Returns
Some people are hesitant to buy something if it might be a hassle to return that item. Let customers know you stand behind your product by making returns easy. It is simple customer service.

Free Merchandise
Offer some small premium for a purchase - an item that cannot be purchased but can be obtained only through an order is extra special.

Newsletters
Ask users to leave email addresses so that you can keep them updated on new products, upgrades, or even recalls. This can be sent out via email.

User Feedback
Ask users to let you know how they like your product or web site. Post the responses on the site. Ask a yes or no question each week and post the results.

"If you build it, they will NOT come" - Just as you would not advertise a physical location in the yellow pages and wait for clients to appear, you can’t pin all of your hopes on search engines. We make sure that your site is listed with the best and the brightest of the search engines, so you have other advertising duties.

Printed Materials - Your name goes on all of your printed material and now so does your site address. Your web address is now a vital part of your corporate identity. Any ad, promotional material, even receipts that you develop from this point on have your web address included. If you already have materials printed, get a rubber stamp with your web address and get to work. The corporate identity you establish needs to stay the same for all materials. Help people recognize you through a logo that is constant in your online and offline businesses.

Feeder Websites - Reciprocal links are key. Spend a little time searching the internet for companies that appeal to the same market as yours. Contact your vendors, suppliers, or providers of related products or information and find out if they have sites. When you find a non-competing related site, contact the webmaster and ask if you can add a link from their website - to your website. Most people will offer to add a link to your site to theirs. Check out the sites of your competitors and see what websites they are linked to. This will give you ideas of who you would like to link to. This is important because search engines rank sites according to how many sites are linked to them.

Web Site Directories - Check with your local Chamber of Commerce, tourism bureau, or other directories on the web and ask how you can get your site added to their lists. Sometimes, they will ask for you to add a link to their site, but remember this can be good for you.

Signature Files - Add a signature to your email. Your business name, address (web and/or physical), phone number, even a current promotion should be added to the bottom of each email you send. Your email program can help you do this. Check the help section.

Support Local Schools and Groups - One merchant recounted that the best $200.00 in advertising money he had ever spent was to purchase a banner at his son’s little league field. School booster groups emphasize and encourage loyalty to donators. Put an ad in the school newspaper. This age group is web savvy and have parents with money.

Support Sports Teams - Maybe advertising with a professional team is out of your league, but don’t forget about the minor league and college teams.

Have a Contest - Have people answer a trivia question each week and offer some small prize. Have children submit drawings at your physical location and post the winners on your site. Further incentives might be drawings for small prizes.