Simple things to do to attract cusomers

Once your site is running, you need to let the world know about it, so potential customers will visit it and be pursuaded to buy from you.

Your web site is your unpaid salesman day and night, 365 days of the year!

Having your own web site address suggests you are a modern, forward moving business, and will help to give potential customers a comfortable feeling about you. It also gives them an immediately available source of further information about you. Publicising it where people will see is very likely to bring you business.

Simple things to do.......

The following are all simple extensions to things you are probably already doing:-

• Make your web site address stand out in advertisements - In newspapers, local radio, notice boards, hoardings, leaflets, brochures, wherever - always include your web site address prominently, not just in small print. It's amazing how many companies hide their Url in print so small it can barely be read. Many people go to the web site first, to find out more information, before contacting a company they plan to buy from.

• Next time you renew your listing in the Yellow Pages or any other printed directory such as Thomson directories et al., add your web site address prominently to the advertisement or listing. Especially if you can't afford a large entry in the Yellow Pages, including the web site address in the entry you have is the best alternative to provide customers with an instant source of information about you.

• Stationery - Next time you order a supply of your headed letter paper or business cards, or other customised stationery such as invoices, order forms, envelopes, add your web site address to the letterhead or logo. (But note, if your postal address is in small print at the foot of the page, your web address should be made more prominent because it is your advertisement.)

• Display it in your shop window or on your office nameplate. Someone may turn up to find you closed, but they can at least go back home to look up your site and see if you have what they want. The lettering should also be large enough to see from passing vehicles.

• If you have your company details painted on the sides of vehicles or other equipment, add the web address to it. Put stickers in the rear windows of company cars.

• Your email program will almost certainly allow you to have a customised "signature" - your name followed by a brief line of text. Amend the text (it's quite easy) to include your web site address. For instance, say "Visit us at www..........".

• If you give out or sell marketing gifts with your address on, next time you reorder have the web site address added to them.

• Display it on customised parcel packing paper, franking machine stamps, etc.

• If you put an address sticker or metal plate on your goods, include the web address.

• In situations where there is only a tiny space available for print, some companies put their web address rather than the company name in order to give customers a point of enquiry.

• Other examples of advertising which should show the web address include estate agents signs outside houses, car dealer stickers in car windows, beer mats in pubs.

• If you have, in the past, taken out entries in Internet directories, take a look at them. They will usually allow you to add your web site address, which means customers seeing your entry can click on the url and come straight to your web site - much more effective than just seeing your postal address. More about this below.

• If you belong to any trade organisations, ensure your entry in their register is updated to show your web address. There may also be Internet directories, usually free, specifically for your trade.

• Check all your suppliers' web sites to see if they have pages showing links to their agents and outlets. If they do, ask them to add a link to your new site. It is especially good to be listed by them, as you benefit from their popularity. Someone looking for their product in your area can jump straight to your site.

• Anywhere else where you have any form of presence, locally or nationally, add the web site address. Make an inventory of your points of presence - you might be surprised where you can put it! E.g. bus stops (for bus companies), street equipment (for builders and repairers), milk bottles and crates, labels on garments, plastic shopping bags.

Many companies show only their telephone number in some situations, without a postal address, because it is the most universally available means of contact. But technically minded people are often more likely to remember your web address (especially if you have a simple, memorable domain name) than the postal address or phone number, as they know they can get everything else from the web site anyway. So, show your web address along with the phone number.