So you finally have a quality website, a reliable host, an email address and all your content written to effectively sell your business in cyberspace. So now what? Well, most people simply think they can just sit back and "wait and see" how the website does.

This is a major mistake.

Your website is essentially the world's smallest needle in the largest haystack you can imagine. Without proper promotion, a marketing plan, search engine optimization, and many other services my company offers your brand new website will effectively be collecting dust in the garage. So, beyond the services that we offer and buying pay performance campaigns on popular search engines, what can you do as the business owner? Actually, there is a lot, and it won't cost you a penny.

First off, you need to promote your website and domain name. The first thing you need to do is order new business cards and stationary, finish off the rest of your brochures you have in stock, and even consider putting a new sign in your window or updating your current business sign with your new domain name. By doing this you are taking every opportunity to sell potential customers on your service without them stepping inside your door.

Say you own a window company and you are located on a busy road. People in your area may not take the time to stop in your store, but when they are in the market for windows they will drive by your store, take note of your domain name, and visit the site at work. That way you have them trapped into the perfect sales pitch and have a good chance of getting them to stop in for a quote. Otherwise, top-of-mind advertising in the newspaper from Home Depot might win them over.

Your website is the perfect sales person, so don't miss a chance to put it on everything associated with your business. If you run newspaper ads, consider cutting down the size of the ad, and drive people to your website where you have unlimited space to do your selling. If you run radio ads, run shorter, more to the point commercials that offer a good reason for people to visit your site — coupons, discounts, educational information, free beer, whatever might get them there to read your perfected sales pitch.

Even bumper-stickers, jackets, and hats with your domain name and postcards are very affordable ways to get the word out. Consider giving this merchandise away for free whenever you can and it will almost guarantee an immediate ROI.

Effectively getting your domain name everywhere is a necessary first step and one that most people overlook. Spend the extra time and money, and it will surely get the ball rolling and get people to walk through your new virtual door.

More to come...

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