N2S Consulting Group's
Newsletter to Clients and Affiliates
September 2006 10 Not-So-Obvious Ways to Promote Your Website
It is interesting to think that out of the numerous ways in which business owners can advertise their products and services, many of them neglect to place their company's URL in the very advertising they are already paying for. Sometimes simply placing their website URL in their paid advertising is not that obvious. Here are 10 not-always-so-obvious ways to promote your Web site.
1. Include your URL on business cards, stationery, brochures and other literature. As silly as it may seem, this no-brainer is often overlooked. You'd be amazed how many business owners either forget to place their URL on their business cards or don't think doing so is all that important. Be sure when printing your company's promotional and marketing materials, to leave off the http:// part and include only the www.domain.com portion.
2. Don't neglect e-mail and e-mail newsletters as a way to bring visitors to your Web site. Utilize the signature file option (company name, address, phone number, URL, e-mail address) in your e-mail program. Many business owners sign their e-mails with just their first name, nothing more. Moreover, many business owners still send and receive business-related e-mails using a free e-mail account or their ISP's email, like Hotmail, Yahoo, or Ameritech, rather than using their corporate e-mail account - another free Web site promotion tool. While it's a big commitment in time, publishing a weekly, monthly, or quarterly newsletter is one of the very best ways to keep in touch with your prospects, generate trust, develop brand awareness, and build future business. Don't forget to place your URL in each newsletter you send out.
3. Take a moment to use your traditional means of advertising to add your URL. Be sure to include your URL in any display or classified ads you purchase in trade journals, newspapers, magazines and more. View your Web site as an information adjunct to the ad - to capture the readers' attention with the ad, and then refer them to a URL where they can obtain more information and perhaps place an order. Look carefully at small display or classified ads in the back of magazines or trade periodicals. Sometimes these ads are more targeted, more effective, and less expensive than online advertising. Consider other traditional media to drive people to your site, such as direct mail, classifieds, post cards, etc.
4. Become an online expert in your field. Use your expertise to become an expert in your field and promote your Web site for free. Sign up for Yahoo Answers ( http://answers.ya hoo.com/ ) or Google Answers ( http://an swers.google.com/answers/ ) and answer questions asked by online visitors. You will have the opportunity to write your company's URL in your profile. This is a great way to gain additional Internet exposure as well.
5. Issue press releases. When your business has a newsworthy event, send press releases to print and online periodicals. Use these opportunities to mention your company's URL near the bottom of each news release. There are many online PR Websites, including PRWeb.com , PRWire.com and others you may use to promote something exciting happening within your company.
6. Promote your site in mailing lists and news groups. The Internet offers hundreds of targeted e-mail based discussion lists, chat rooms and news groups made up of people with very specialized interests. Spend at least one hour each week searching for groups where a conversation is taking place. Do not use aggressive marketing and overly plug your company, even if you see some people doing so. Instead, add to the discussion in a helpful way and let the signature at the end of your e-mail or post message do the marketing for you. People will gradually get to know and trust you, visit your Web site, and do business with you.
7. Ask visitors to bookmark your site. It seems so simple, but make sure you ask visitors to bookmark your Web site. Use a text link or graphic on the homepage of your Web site.
8. Place URL in any yellow book advertising you already do. I once knew of a company who was spending $90,000 in yellow page advertising, across numerous books in the area, and included front yellow book cover ads as well as full-page, full-color ads throughout the yellow pages. Not once did they mention their Web site, which has been on the Net for many years. The company surprisingly saw no value to it.
Whether placing full-page ads in your local yellow pages, or only paying for a bold listing in the white and business yellow pages of your local directory, consider leaving open one line for your company's Web site address. Because you are already paying for the directory advertising, this is one particular place you definitely do not want to overlook.
9. Write articles for use in newsletters and other Web sites. You can dramatically increase your Internet visibility when you write expert articles about your field and distribute them as free content for other article directories, e-mail newsletters and other related Web sites. At the bottom of each article written, request a link back to your Web site and a one-line description of what you offer. This is an effective viral marketing approach.
10. Devise other viral marketing techniques. Viral marketing uses the communication networks of your site visitors and current customers to spread the word about your Web site exponentially. Some examples include word-of-mouth, public relations, referrals, blogs, creating "buzz", and other forms of network marketing.
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About the Author: Wendy Suto is a certified SEO and president of Search Circus, Inc., an ethical SEO firm based in Cleveland, Ohio. The company offers organic optimization, link building, corporate blogs, and article submission solutions. She also holds SEO training classes throughout Cleveland, Ohio. wendy@searchcirc us.com
Updated:2006-09-28 14:17:06 Working the Mom Shift By Lisa Druxman
Before you make the transition to mompreneur, you'd better figure out just how you're going to fit all that work in.
Are you considering becoming a mompreneur so you won't have to work a standard nine-to-five job? While it's true you won't be working traditional hours as a business owner, exactly what shift will you work as a business-owning mom? Kids' schedules are chaotic, sporadic and undependable. How are you going to find enough time to actually get the job done, and when will you make it happen?
Too many moms just wing it and try to fit work in whenever and wherever possible. If you ask me, this is a surefire road to burnout. While it doesn't have to be traditional, you do need to have a plan.
So what does a typical mompreneur schedule look like? There actually is no "typical" schedule that works for everyone, but here are a few ways to work it right.
The Sleep Shift. The most common way to get work done when you're a mom who works from home is to do it when your kids are sleeping. For some, that means waking up at 4:00 a.m. before your family's out of bed. For others, it means working late into the night after your kids (and hubby) have gone to bed. Others do a little of both, waking up before their kids do, working during nap times and then putting in a few hours after everyone else has gone to bed. Here's a schedule that takes this last example into account:
5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.: Work while family sleeps
7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: Family time
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.: Nap time for the kids; work time for you
2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.: Family time
7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.: Work while family sleeps (and/or dad gets final hours with the kids)
There! You've just gotten in an eight-hour workday while getting to spend the majority of time with your family. Yes, it's a long day, but for some people, it works.
But what if your kids don't take naps or your business requires you to leave the house to meet with customers or vendors? Those type of mompreneurs should consider the next type of shift.
The Split Shift. Virtually all mompreneurs start their own business because they want to spend more time with their families. But that doesn't mean you can't get help part of the time to help you out when it's necessary. Consider hiring a part-time nanny or housekeeper to give you a hand for part of the day. If you work a few hours in the morning before your family wakes up and then have someone in for four to five hours, you'll still get in a full day of work. Here's a sample schedule:
5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.: Work while family sleeps
7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.: Family time
9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.: Work (nanny is with the kids)
2:00 p.m. til bedtime: Family time
The Bits-and-Pieces Shift. There are some types of businesses that can exist with you doing bits and pieces of work throughout the day. Maybe you're hopping on the computer to answer e-mails here or making a phone call there. With web-based office systems, PDAs and other high tech items readily available, it's easy to take your business anywhere, any time.
But I also think the bits-and-pieces shift is the one most likely to drive a mompreneur crazy, however, because you're always juggling your business time and your family time. You're constantly trying to find time to work and be with your kids, and the two don't always mix.
One way to make this shift work, if you can afford it, is to hire a full-time housekeeper and/or nanny. This way, you have someone keeping the house picked up and available to watch your kids when you have to take a call or go into a meeting. I haven't yet tried this luxury, but it sure sounds great!
Here are a few other scheduling ideas that will help you make your new venture a success:
Kid Swap. Think about partnering with another mom--you take turns watching each others' kids so you have certain days or hours available for work.
Mommy's Helper. If you're working from home, you might be able to get a young neighbor to help out during certain hours with your kids. Because you're there, it's usually less expensive than hiring a babysitter who watches the kids while you're away.
Shared Parenting. If both mom and dad are putting time in to make the new business work, each of you might take certain shifts with the kids so that they're always with either mom or dad.
Partner. Find a partner for your business so you can both split the work and the time the business needs.
No matter which option you choose, remember that every business is different. Some need more hours than others. Some require offsite appointments, while other can be done completely from home. The point is to create some sort of schedule that will work the majority of the time. When kids get sick, nannies cancel or appointments get bumped, take a deep breath and realize that it's a small price to pay for being able to be with your family.
If, after reading this article, you're overwhelmed because it sounds like you'll always be working, you're right. But it's not as bad as it sounds. It's true that your day will run very long and you'll have a lot on your plate. But you'll also have the ability to call your own shots and be there for special moments with your kids, take as long as you want for lunch or take a day off to go to the beach with your family. You can spend your early mornings in the comfort of your jammies, sipping your coffee, while your evening work-time might consist of answering e-mails in front of the TV. Now how bad is that really?
Ask any mompreneur, and she'll agree on two things: She's never worked so hard in her life. And she wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!
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