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| On-Line Marketing
On A Budget by Sara Edlington Marketing over the Internet isn't one of the cheapest options for generating more business. Mass direct e-mailing is frowned on, and Web sites aren't cheap to set up or maintain. But you can market over the Net on a budget, and generate a good response. What you lack in money, you make up for in time. By far the biggest expense is a Web site. You can take the DIY route, but sadly the results aren't always professional, and that puts visitors off. But you can get a great site made up cheaply. Contact a new Web Design agency, who will be keen for work, and therefore easier to negotiate with. Or work with a freelance Web designer. You can provide the content yourself. Follow a few simple rules, keep it simple, make it informative, and use gentle persuasion. This subject has been covered in previous issues of the newsletter. The next step is to get your site known. Search engines are your first port of call, and also links with other sites. Neither of these cost anything, but they can provide plenty of visitors to your site. To help generate more visitors, you can browse and post into newsgroups, forums and so on. This is highly effective, but it takes time, as you need to spend time reading threads and sending and answering mail. Instead of a sig line, have a subtle PS line instead. Offer the reader something in it, like a free report, newsletter, or some exclusive information. This is a little used tactic on the Net, but an effective one. But don't just post onto Usenet. Usenet is OK, but there are plenty of other places on-line where you can generate sales leads and visitors to your site. Try mailing lists dedicated to your industry, or get a CompuServe account. On CompuServe you'll find plenty of forums dealing with all sorts of subjects. They also have file libraries, which are another excellent marketing resource. Get involved, start threads, post in and help others. It will generate a positive image about you and your company. Take advantage of the various offers that services like CompuServe offer, and try them out. They're an area few others bother to market in. Make the most of your e-mail. Collect a list of journalists in your field, and keep in touch with them. Many of them aren't as fussed by direct e-mailings as consumers are, and they're always looking for an interesting angle on a company. They can easily be your ticket to nation-wide publicity. If you have any media contacts, exploit them to the full. Make the most of popular sites dealing with your industry, many have forums that you can post into. Others would welcome an article or column from you, which helps their visitors to do something better, or learn something new. Build an image of your company as one that is helpful, polite, and easy to deal with. You can market successfully on a limited budget, what you don't have in money, you can make up for by spending time on-line, helping others and raising your profile. This article is from the report 'Internet Marketing Solutions.' To get your free copy, send an e-mail with the subject line 'Free Report' to sara@aras.demon.co.uk Return to previous page
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