Okay, so you've mastered the search engines, tweaked your html, have a gazillion incoming links, have a massive opt-in email list that you email daily, have automated all your processes, have killer ad copy, have some great joint ventures, and have a healthy thriving internet business. So what else can you do to expand? How can you take your business to the next level? What kind of offline tactics can you use to get more exposure, more customers, and increase your bottom line? Below I have listed some of the best offline methods I have used to help gain exposure for my websites:
· Include your URL on all your business cards and stationary. Having a company or business URL not only looks professional, but people want to be able to quickly look up information about you without resorting to guessing your URL or searching in Google.
· Include your URL on all your company vehicles or you r personal vehicle if you are a sole trader. You will be surprised how many people remember a web address from a car, especially if it is short and memorable.
· Include your URL on any signage that are on external buildings or premises of your business. If you are on a busy road, there are potentially thousands of motorists driving past every day. Don't miss this opportunity to advertise your website.
· Have t-shirts and caps printed with all your URL that your staff can wear. Not only will this make your staff immediately identifiable as representatives of your company, but once again people will see and remember your web address. This is an especially useful tactic at trade-shows or when handing out leaflets for your company in busy pedestrian sites.
· Have pens, mouse mats and coffee mugs printed with your URL and hand these out to customers and potential customers. These items will be given prominent display on a desk, and will remain in the memory of the receiver.
· If you website topic is something that may be of interest to the local community, send a press release announcing your site to the local newspapers. If they are unwilling to publish your press release, request an interview, explaining the benefits of your product or service and how members of the local community would be interested in the information on your website.
· Have your URL printed on a giant inflatable. Giant inflatables have a unique fun factor to them. If for instance your business is for sporting goods, you could have a giant basketball with your web address printed across it. These inflatables can be seen for miles, and if erected for longer periods can even become local landmarks.
· If your site offers a very unique one-of-a-kind product or service you may be able to gain exposure through other media outlets such as TV and radio. Call around to your local studios and see if they'd be interested in running a spot on your new site.
· Have some employees or friends or relatives dress up (for instance with big afro wigs) and attend tv-televised sporting events wearing t-shorts with your URL printed on them. Get them to stand in prominent positions like behind the goalposts and cheer loudly when your team scores! The cameras often zoom-in on dressed up people for the novelty factor, especially if there are more than one of them.
· Create, or have created a funny flash cartoon featuring your URL. The novelty entertainment value of flash cartoons often means they are forwarded on and a viral effect is created. They'll be forwarded around to a large number of people in a short amount of time. Upload the flash cartoons to free download sites, and forward them to all your friends and colleagues.
· A guerilla tactic employed by Vodafone in Australia was to have their logo painted across the back of a guy. At an appointed time during an international cricket match, the man with the logo on his back lost his shirt and ran onto the pitch. Eventually police caught him, and he was escorted away. However this was all caught on camera and aired live around the world. Vodafone paid the streaker's fine, but got worldwide tv coverage of their logo for the princely sum of $250! Although I don't recommend you break the law, this is an example of how being creative can return big results for a small or no outlay of money.
· If your product or service is localised, distribute business cards with your URL on them to your local area. Make sure you include some kind of discount or special offer for potential customers if they log on before a certain date. This will encourage them to take action.
· Take advantage of holidays periods (for example Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, National Days) to offer special discounts to your customers. Remember these are the days people have off work and school and are likely to be at home surfing the net! Try to include a specialised holiday version of your logo (the way google does on holidays) so your potential customers know they will be getting a good deal because of the holiday. For example if it is Halloween, and your company name is "Noogle", make the 2 o's into pumpkins for your logo.
About the author: Leigh Burke has over 7 years of solid website marketing experience and is the author of the best selling 'Guerilla Website Marketing'. He's been in the trenches, and knows what works! To find out more about Leigh's guerilla website marketing techniques, or to sign up for his free newsletter visit: http://www.WebsiteMarketingGuerilla.com
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