Internet Marketing Information

Creative Offline Website Marketing Techniques


Although the vast majority of website traffic is the direct result of search engines, there are many offline marketing techniques that can be used to draw customers to your website. The examples listed below are but a few ways in which you can market your online presence to an offline audience in an inexpensive manner. Some of the examples listed below even can be implemented at no extra cost!

Some of these ideas are fairly common, but some are rather unique and I personally have only ever seen them employed once, twice, or at most 3 times.

But why would I want to do this? I already deal with these people offline.

Most businesses are not open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year. Most websites, however, are available on a 24/7/365 basis.

Many people, especially those with busy lifestyles, tend to use the Internet during non-business hours. To give a few examples: business owners will often check their emails and visit suppliers' websites later in the evening; and consumers looking to make a high-value purchase, such as a car or house, will often research their purchases online in advance well into the wee hours of the night.

Some of these techniques will also generate new clients as well; the possibility exists that you will attract a client whom you have had no prior dealings with.

If you employ some of the offline marketing techniques listed below, it could very well be your site and company that they deal with first!

Include your website and email address on your business cards and other print marketing material. While this may seem rather obvious, most businesses do not elect to do so, and it usually ends up costing them potential revenue and profits as a result. Let people know you have a method where you can be reached and information on your company's products and services can be found at any time.

Use your company vehicle as a "billboard". Automotive decals are a relatively inexpensive way to advertise your company's services. Depending on what you want, decals can cost anywhere from approx. $20-$200 CDN, and will last until you choose to remove them from your car or truck. The best part is that every time you want to reach a new target market for your advertisement, all you have to do is drive!

Note: there are more expensive decals available, but these are usually combinations of text and artwork. The text portions of the decals tend to be minimal in cost, as they are the simpler elements.

Ask potential offline advertising suppliers for an "ad study". Some advertising suppliers have a method whereby they will offer the advertiser a sample advertisement or placement as a form of an "effectiveness" study. In exchange, the advertiser agrees to reveal the full results of his/her marketing campaign to the supplier. This isn't something that very many companies do, but the few that do are generally suppliers worth dealing with.

Incorporate your website into face-to-face conversations and telephone calls. Your customer may be looking for a specific product or service which may be outlined on your website. Guide your customer to that page and let them read the information over, being prepared to answer and ask any questions that may arise from said information.

More Ideas

Press releases. If you have a new product or service, create a "media" section for your website that outlines its details and promote the hyperlink via press release to various mass media.

PR Web is an great resource for mass-broadcasting a press release to thousands of newspaper, magazine, radio, TV, and similar media managers---and it's free!

Promotional clothing. If your business has "uniforms" or "staff shirts", then including your website hyperlink on these items is a great way to promote your business at no extra charge.

Microsoft takes this concept one step further; every time a user successfully completes their OEM System Builder exam, they ship the user a free Microsoft t-shirt via UPS with nothing except for the Microsoft OEM website URL on the back.

Another creative use of this concept is provided by ADAM Web Design client Regional Shows, who used their online logo on the jersey of a kids' baseball team as a form of sponsorship.

Other promotional items. Pens, mouse pads, coffee mugs, baseball caps, and other such promotional items are great places to include a company website hyperlink.

Outdoor signage/signboards. Catch the attention of people who are driving by your place of business with your website URL along with your company name, phone, fax, and common email (if any). They may be driving by and not have time to stop in and visit your business, but they may visit your website when they have the time to do so to gather more information.

Note: be sure to check with your local municipality to ensure that outdoor signage is in compliance with its by-laws. Some cities and towns do not allow exterior property signage.

A Tattoo. A tattoo? As strange as this may seem, this is something that can be very effective. Body modifications have the unique property of being able to attract the human eye to them, and a website URL tends to stick in one's mind as being a rather unique idea for a tattoo. A friend of mine, when she ran a small personal site, used to promote it in exactly this manner.

These ideas should give you a starting point for future offline advertising creativity, as well as give you some ways to see a return on your website investment with very little time, effort or money. Good luck!

About The Author

Adam Senour is the owner of ADAM Web Design, a leading web design and development company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.


MORE RESOURCES:

HubSpot Raises $12 Million for SaaS Internet Marketing Software
Trading Markets (press release), CA - 5 hours ago
Similarly, HubSpot has doubled its number of employees to keep pace with the growing demand for HubSpot's Internet marketing system. http://www.hubspot.com/ ...


Matt Bacak Shares List Building and Internet Marketing Techniques
Emailwire - 9 hours ago
Matt Bacak, is a very well known internet marketing and promotions expert. Matt continues to educate his readers by explaining the importance of excellent ...


Michigan based Website Development and Internet Marketing company ...
Emediawire (press release), WA - 10 hours ago
Grand Rapids, MI (PRWEB) May 16, 2008 -- Mindscape has been selected by Goldline Research as one of The Most Dependable™ Web Designers of The Central US for ...


Competency in Internet Marketing Services
PR-USA.net (press release), Bulgaria - 12 hours ago
A-1 Internet Design offers you the best services in internet marketing, pay per click mangement,content management,search engine optimization. ...


Internet Marketing Conference, IMC
Newsdesk (pressmeddelande), Sweden - 22 hours ago
OB) and IMC (Internet Marketing Conference) will offer three seminar-style training events for professionals involved in the planning, execution and ...


New Internet Marketing Newsletter
WebWire (press release), GA - 23 hours ago
A new free e-mail newsletter is promising help to would-be online entrepreneurs who have trouble making money online. As the number of internet users grows, ...


The 12 Hottest Trends in Internet Marketing
Marketing Pilgrim, NC - May 15, 2008
In internet marketing circles, there are a handful of names that pretty much everyone should recognize; Danny Sullivan, Dr. Ralph Wilson, and Larry Chase ...


Multilingual Internet Marketing - The Final Frontier
PR Web (press release), WA - May 15, 2008
Haifa, Israel (PRWEB) May 15, 2008 -- AIMS Internet Marketing in Israel is pushing the envelope on multilingual internet marketing. ...


Philadelphia Search Marketing Training - Gain Some Essential ...
PR.com (press release), NY - May 15, 2008
Philadelphia Internet Marketing Expert to speak about best methods to optimize your business’ website to increase revenue. Philadelphia, PA, May 15, ...


Internet Marketing Technique Increase Website Traffic on Google
WebWire (press release), GA - May 13, 2008
Fort Lauderdale, Florida– May 13, 2008 – “Everyone knows that internet marketing success relies on guaranteed web traffic.” A new website has evolved to ...
Digital Surgeons’ Manhattan Marketing Successes Lead to Opening of ... WebWire (press release)
all 2 news articles

Internet-Marketing - Google News

home | site map
© 2006