7 Ways to Leverage Your Business Via the Internet

Increase Your Search Engine Rankings Organically ~

The landscape of internet marketing is changing. It takes more than a brochure website (a site that merely tells what you do) to capture new customers.

People expect more and they deserve more.

It’s up to you to clearly educate potential customers and hand them the “what’s in it for me?” in a well packaged website with compelling copy.

The fact still remains that utilizing the internet to your advantage can increase your profits.

That’s why it’s important to clearly define the purpose of your website and familiarize yourself with the different web marketing techniques available.

Here are 7 ways you can make your website more profitable.

1. Know the purpose of your website and understand the importance of your copy. Your website should be all about your customers and what you offer them. Of course, you will share your expertise, products and services too. At the same time the main message needs to be customer centered. It’s also important to have a separate marketing plan for your web presence.

For example: Vera Randall, founder of Seattle Design Group has a website that features website designs by Seattle Design Group but also explains the importance of a strong web presence and what that can do for your business. Furthermore, SDG has a solid marketing plan to entice both new customers and group members. By reading the copy you get a clear picture of what SDG can do for you. Viki Viertel, also known as The Business Buddha, has a website that showcases ways to help her end user by offering a special report. Both sites have solid plans in place but employ different marketing and ecommerce approaches.

Take action: Review your current website copy if you already have a site in place. If you are in the planning stages, build a clear navigational outline so you’ll start out on the right track. Take it a step further and determine what you want your website to do. Create measurable goals that work with your online marketing plan.

2. Create a symbiotic relationship between your website and all of your marketing materials. It is vital to include your URL (uniform resource locater otherwise known as web address) on all marketing, advertising and promotional materials. It’s even better to take it a step further and give potential customers a reason to visit your site.

For example: The promotional materials for Write On ~ Creative Writing Services all point potential customers to the website. Pens, brochures and even proposals contain my business URL so people will visit the site to learn more about my products and services.

Take action: Review your current marketing and promotional items. Is your website address included? If not, make a note to include it when you reorder. The easier it is for customers to connect with you, the more business will come your way.

2. Offer something of value for no charge. Once you’ve invited customers to your site, make it worth their time. You can take advantage of permission based email marketing by requesting email addresses in exchange for a special report or article based on your expertise. (Note: there are affordable software programs to manage the opt in process and avoid SPAM.)

For example: James Roche’, also know as the Info Product Guy, has an opt in request in the top left hand corner of his website homepage. A clear offer to learn more about his product or services at no cost is a sure way to begin the online business relationship.

Take action: Review your website and ask yourself if you are offering valuable, complimentary information to potential customers. If you aren’t, create something today. If you are, does it need to be updated?

3. Continue the relationship. Keep in contact with your permission based email list by offering an electronic newsletter (often referred to as an ezine). A monthly presence, at a minimum, is recommended.

For example: Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero of Red Hot Copy, offers a free ezine to her subscribers. This is the beginning of her online sales funnel. Subscribers get to know her through her publication and the online business relationship begins.

Take action: Research various email delivery programs and discover what will work best for your business. Make a plan to keep in contact with your list, at a minimum, monthly.

4. Leverage your expertise via online article marketing. Article marketing is an effective way to share your knowledge and gain free exposure for your business. Simply write your article, create a signature block with a link to your URL and submit your article to online article marketing distribution sites.

For example: Visit your favorite article marketing site. Search for a topic of interest and read one article. Follow the website link in the signature block to learn more about the author.

Take action: Write an article on your area of expertise, create your signature block and submit the article today.

5. Share your news. Create press releases for noteworthy business accomplishments with tie-ins to other national news or happenings. Submit the releases to online press release distribution sites. You can gain national exposure and increase traffic to your website. Remember news is previously unknown information.

For example: I submitted a press release about being the featured member of the week for both the National Association of Women Writers and the Association of Web Entrepreneurs . Distribution of the release resulted in the local Chamber of Commerce requesting I speak at a luncheon event.

Take action: Consider your business and make a list of recent accomplishments. Think of ways to tie your achievements in with national news. Craft a press release to submit today. If you don’t have recent news, keep this in mind for future accomplishments.

6. Create tiered offerings to sell online. Create lower-end and higher-end offers for your sales funnel. This is recommended for both product and service oriented businesses. A customer who makes a small investment to begin with is more likely to return and make a larger purchase.

For Example: Offer an eBook for a reasonable price of $19.97 as an entry offer. Be sure to include additional offers that include audio and sell for more.

Take Action: Make a list of products or services you can package and sell online. Start creating today!

Finally, always deliver more than is expected.

With that being said, here is a bonus online marketing tip.

Invest in an online shopping cart and merchant account. This is particularly important. Once you begin driving potential customers to your site you want to make purchasing as easy as possible for them. Remember, your website is really about your customers and the “what’s in it for me?” Not ready to take this step? At the very least, consider a Paypal account to process online orders.