Ten Steps to Consider When Marketing Your Web Page

Kenneth R. Leebow, CPA
klvip@vivid.net
http://this.is/norman
President
Professional Solutions, Inc.

1) If You Build It They Will Not Come! With only 10% of the USA population on the Internet there are already in excess of 22 million web pages. Web pages are growing at an exponential rate. Nobody, will go to your web page unless you let people know about it.

Keep this in mind as you build your long term strategy to be successful on the Internet. If patience and hard work are not part of your plan, you may want to stop reading now.

2) There Is No Mystery To What Makes Internet Marketing Work - If you are successful marketing and selling off the Internet then most likely you will be successful on the Internet. It will just take some time to understand the minor differences of the Internet. Some examples are Usenet groups, hyperlinking, e-mail and how to make Internet relationships. Of course if money is being exchanged via the Internet you should make it as easy as possible for the buyer to buy.

3) Use The KISS Principle - You can create a web page "almost" as simply as using a word processor (I said almost). You do not have to be concerned with programming issues. Many web sites are enamored by the technology. They forget that there is a user (you and me) that is visiting. Speed is a major issue, so much consideration should be made so that your visitor is not waiting to view your page. I have found that Frames and other moving graphics technologies make it difficult for the visitor. (If you are a Frames supporter, please e-mail me a site that is easy to move around, does not chop off headings and is fast: I have not seen one yet).

4) The Internet Should Be Only One Aspect Of Your Strategy - You should let everyone you come in contact with know that you are on the Internet. This includes having your site and e-mail address on your business card, letterhead, printed newsletters and any other marketing materials. Use every avenue to get your site mentioned.

5) Some Specifics About Page Design - Give your page some character. I will use our page as an example. While we are 100% dedicated to the business person, we also wanted have fun (a definite Internet characteristic). We designed our page around "Norman ~ The Ultimate Business Surfer." A fictional character, Norman takes his job seriously but he has a sense of humour. Norman can be seen at http://this.is/norman This is also our third "cut" at our site. I can assure you it will change again.

Give your visitor value. At our site we have created many pages that do this: Great Publications, Great Sites to Visit, and our weekly e-mail Hot Tips and Sites. We also answer Internet questions free of charge at our Ask Norm section.

6) Customer Base - No matter how many customers you have use them as potential visitors to your site. The larger the customer base the better. What value-added services can you offer? How about pricing information, FAQs (answers to frequently asked questions), brochures, newsletters?

7) Market Share and Niche Marketing - Market share on the Internet is meaningless! We are dealing with tens of millions of people already. In the next few years it will be in the hundreds of millions. What percentage do you want or could you actually service? Probably only a small fraction. What market do you seek? Niche marketing is the way to go. Focus on an area, and you will thrive.

8) The Power Of E-mail - Most people take e-mail for granted, it is an extremely valuable tool. It means use the power of e-mail to your advantage. I have e-mailed and received responses from major publications and high level management personnel. I know via other communications I would not have gotten a response. These people are now a part of my community and many are now customers. You do have access to many experts via e-mail.

The e-mail issue is a chapter to itself. I am not going to go into it further here. However, do yourself a favor and THINK e-mail. I cannot stress this enough!

9) Have A Newsletter - Though I call it a newsletter it can be anything that allows the you to communicate with your web site visitor. This could be a real newsletter, some periodic information or other helpful tips that relate to your business or specialty. Get your visitor's e-mail address when they are at your web site. This must be voluntary on their part. Do not use web technology to "steal" it.

10) Same Story ~ But A New Medium - The Internet is all about communication. Use it to get closer to customers, prospects and other resources. If you take all the mystery away from the Internet and bring it to it's bare bones, the Internet is a communication's medium. That being the case you should use it to it's fullest potential. You will find that it works.

In closing, our Web site and newsletter have been successful. The newsletter has 8,500 Internet subscribers and exposure to 300,000 more through various print publications. This has taken place in less than three months. Our goal is to have 50,000+ e-mail subscribers and 1,000,000 people will have access to it via print media by the end of the year. This has helped us obtain additional business, speeches, consulting, web page design, and publicity. Our marketing plan has been expanded and will include many other exciting offerings in the near future.

Please take the time to get on the Internet so that you will have a good foundation when critical mass occurs. The momentum of the Internet is strong.

Please do not let it take you by surprise. If we can assist you in any manner, please do not hesitate to call or e-mail us at klvip@vivid.net.

For a five step plan in getting your website marketed please check out our site at http://home.navisoft.com/vip/marketing.htm If you need a website designed or require any of our other services please let us know.

Wishing You Net Speed:

Ken (Norman) Leebow, CPA