The ABC’s of Cyber-Shop Set Up & Marketing: Affordable, Big League, Cheap!

You have permission to publish this article electronicallyor in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines areincluded. A courtesy copy of your publication would beappreciated - send to: diana@ohiohelp.net The ABC’s of Cyber-Shop Set Up & Marketing:Affordable, Big League, Cheap!How do you set up shop online? How about one that’s top-notch, sothat you can compete with the big guys, yet quick to set up, easyto maintain - - and cheap? And how can you affordably market yourshop once it’s ready to go?Questions like these are often brought to the attention ofOhioHelp.net, an Ohio-based company specializing in helpingbusinesses worldwide with their marketing, public relations andfreelance writing services. Here are some top tips they offerbased on their own client projects.TOP TIPS FROM OHIOHELP.NETA. To set up shop and focus on these qualities; professional,affordable, easy to maintain (i.e. you can make your own basicedits with HTML code using Notepad or Frontpage, if you alreadyhave the software), check out templates. Many web hostingcompanies now offer their own for use when you sign up, likeYahoo! Stores. Or check out cheap packs often available like this 365 pack http://www.presssuccess.com/bookstore/templates .B. For everything in "A" above, all in one place with even more goodies,check out membership programs like one from Bryan Winters athttp://presssuccess.com/PushButton - - Bryan is super and offerssite hosting, templates, products with resale rights for backendsales, profit centers, etc. – all with continued support and lotsmore. No hype.C. Easily market your site with inexpensive business cards. Makea business card to match your site - -in color, theme, withcompany / title, etc. and complete contact info. Keep it simple,too. No need for graphics, flashy marketing mottos that couldbecome outdated by the time you pass your cards out, etc.One affordable, top-quality company is Vista: http://movingaheadcommunications.com/partners.html (3rd row from top, blue box on right)MARKETING TIPS:1. Select the Free Vista offer & don’t worry about their imprinton the back. Tell your customers, prospects, friends and everyoneelse that they can also get free business cards at this place,save expenses and pass along the savings to their clients like wedo. (Clients do like to know that you watch your budget!)You can play around with different promotions and order a coupledifferent types of these Vista cards, too. For example, here aretwo kinds used with OhioHelp.net:- One color coordinates with the website and simply states theservices; Marketing, Public Relations, Freelance WritingServices. Along one edge of the business card, recipients areinvited to a section on the website with Freebies. You can dothis, too, by setting up a page that offers visitors a freereport or newsletter…something from which your clients might reapbenefits.- The other card is actually a fill-in-the-blank mini-marketingplan. It’s colorful and great for wallets, desks, etc. to remindbusiness people to regularly refer to their plans. Youcould create your own special card, too. Add copywriting ormarketing tips, maybe some spelling/grammar tips for email, forinstance. Or add special tips that focus on the industries youwork with.2. With at least one style of your business cards, use the “Keepit simple” theme. Period. Don’t use fancy sayings or mottos thatcould be outdated by the time you distribute the cards. And nohe-man gimmicks or slang so you have an equal chance withnonprofits, woman owners, male marketers, etc.3. Play around with re-directing people to your site viadifferent URLS or domain names, inexpensive now through placeslike GoDaddy.com. And set up special pages (cyber-doorways) forthem. For example, note these pages all go to one main site & canbe tracked, reporting site statistics for later use with futuremarketing / budgeting plans: http://movingaheadcommunications.com http://ohiohelp.nethttp://cyber-help.comHave fun & enjoy! Be creative and experiment to see what worksbest for you.