It is surprising to see how many Websites are simply informational in nature or seem to exist solely for company status. Some companies still view their Website as nothing more than an online brochure. If your company is one of these, you are foregoing an extraordinary marketing opportunity.
Big corporations especially are prone to positioning themselves on the Internet with Websites that are more about “flag waving” than being dedicated to generating new business. Unfortunately, many small and medium-sized companies have mimicked this approach as well.
Your Website is your company’s window to a worldwide market. It is more than just a vehicle to distribute information or automate administrative tasks. Correctly exploited, a company Website can become its primary marketing tool, generating new business around the clock.
Here is a simple checklist of activities you should be conducting on your company Website:
Marketing your products or services online, offering incentives and e-commerce for transacting sales.
Building an opt-in email list by offering a free newsletter subscription, free trials, whitepapers, ebook or other meaningful incentives. Email marketing costs only fraction of traditional marketing methods and opens a direct marketing channel to qualified buyers.
Adding downloadable marketing materials that prospects can print out.
Posting press releases, testimonials, awards, management team overviews and other materials that enhance company credibility in the eyes of your target markets.
Recruiting dealers and affiliates to broaden your marketing channels.
Establishing strategic partnerships with complementary (but not competitive) vendors that drive more qualified traffic to your site.
Optimizing your site for search engines so that it bubbles up on the first page or so when someone enters germane keywords. This is much cheaper than pay-per-click advertising and has more credibility within the online community.
Investing in online press releases that include a link back to your site. These marketing vehicles receive widespread distribution and live forever.
Creating a business blog with links back to your site. Be sure to submit it to the growing number of blog directories.
Writing articles (like this one) that gain widespread distribution through free online submission sites. Of course, include a link back to your site. You can even set up your own RSS feed that is submitted to hundreds of directories, driving interested readers to your site.
When all is said and done, your Website is a marketing machine. Visitors must be able to quickly find what they are seeking and should be guided to the results or actions you wish them to take. If you embrace this perspective and diligently apply the marketing techniques outlined above, your company will be blessed with increasing sales and steady growth.
