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Online Marketing
Question:
>I’m starting an on-line business and I need to know how to get people to >come and sign up. I’ve done all the search engines and what-not. What >really works?
The steps are pretty simple. #1) Become active on e-mail lists and in Newsgroups. Active means being helpful and sharing knowledge/experience. In short, what I’m doing right now. #2) Look for inexpensive ways to advertise your business. I give away my product in return for "cheap" publicity. It is _not_ free. It costs me to produce and ship the prizes, but done right I get $100 worth of publicity for $10. #3) Offer something useful to your customers. Especially, if they can’t get it anywhere else. #4) Make the _customer_ the most important part of your business. (that will be $100 please. 
) Seriously, although I didn’t _charge_ for that info, it’s worth more than it cost. >The Web Directory >Your index to the WWW >http://members.tripod.com/~esimon9999
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Response:
>I’m starting an on-line business and I need to know how to get people to >come and sign up. I’ve done all the search engines and what-not. What >really works?
Don’t forget: 1. Exchange reciprocal links with other websites which cater to the same audience, but don’t compete with your offer. 2. Search for specialty directories. Many websites try to be a catch-all search site for certain industries. 3. Use TITLE and META tags wisely. Include the words your customers will search for in your TITLE tags. 4. Write articles for webzines and e-zines, in exchange for a link or promotional mention. 5. Establish a budget for *paid* advertising; it isn’t necessary to do all your online promotions for free. Purchase banner ads, sponsor newsletters, send bulk email through subscriber-based companies. 6. Join the Link Exchange, or any banner-exchange group. — Bruce Gabrielle Internet Marketing Specialist
Response:
I tend to agree with John’s comments, and would like to add a few of my own. 1) Remember that a web page by itself will not produce overnight success. 2) Take some time to carefully search the web for some of your competition and try to see what they are doing (even e-mail a request for more information on their service and evaluate the response time). 3) Fully integrate all of your marketing efforts both on-line and off-line to promote your site. 4) Understand your target market, and try to find where they frequent (newsgroups, etc.) and share some knowledge with them. Use your signature to let them know who you are and what you do. 5) Make sure your page answers all pertinent questions they might have, including the benefits of purchasing product from you. 6) Make it easy for them to find you, address and e-mail address, telephone, fax, etc. These are not in any particular order, but I hope they help anyway. says… :>I’m starting an on-line business and I need to know how to get people to :>come and sign up. I’ve done all the search engines and what-not. What :>really works? :Step 1. Get off of AOL. :Step 2. You can’t ‘do’ the search engines, and leave it at that. You :need to learn how to use them properly, and then re-visit them on a :regular basis. :Step 3. Get off of AOL. :– :John Beattie :Online Marketing :Tel/Fax 01207 529531 :http://www.l-beat.demon.co.uk/ — Tom Smigielski Marketing Consultant Enhanced Images, Inc. http://www.icubed.com/webrealm/ei/ (508) 641-4918
Response:
I’m starting an on-line business and I need to know how to get people to come and sign up. I’ve done all the search engines and what-not. What really works? The Web Directory Your index to the WWW http://members.tripod.com/~esimon9999
Response:
>I’m starting an on-line business and I need to know how to get people to >come and sign up. I’ve done all the search engines and what-not. What >really works?
Step 1. Get off of AOL. Step 2. You can’t ‘do’ the search engines, and leave it at that. You need to learn how to use them properly, and then re-visit them on a regular basis. Step 3. Get off of AOL. — John Beattie Online Marketing Tel/Fax 01207 529531 http://www.l-beat.demon.co.uk/
Response:
>Search Engines: You can "register" your url with the search engines and >give ‘key words’ and ‘categories’ that you would like to be searched by. >Each engine searches different. It is a little time consuming to do it by >yourself or you can pay someone to register it with you. It just speeds up >the process and does help the search engines find you better. There is one
You might also enjoy the presentation at http://www.searchenginewatch.com/ – a truly comprehensive overview of the registration process and of search engines in general. Web marketing, however, is a broad-based endeavor not resolved simply by listing your site with search engines (though that step is vital). Marketing online is most effective when you begin to forge relationships with link sources that have a high volume of your target traffic. You create win/win arrangements with affinity web sites by reciprocal link arrangements, mutual content sharing, cross-promotions, joint marketing efforts, et cetera … and the cumulative traffic increases for everyone. That’s the beauty of the web. It’s not unlike marketing in the non-cyber world … just faster. Cheers, C Saunders Aries Internet Consulting www.ariesnet.com
Response:
Search Engines: You can "register" your url with the search engines and give ‘key words’ and ‘categories’ that you would like to be searched by. Each engine searches different. It is a little time consuming to do it by yourself or you can pay someone to register it with you. It just speeds up the process and does help the search engines find you better. There is one web site that explains how the ‘big’ search engines work – which will be helpful in designing your web page. It is www.net-promote.com. It has 25 search engines that you can submit to free. I used this one and another one and my hits did increase after doing so. Good luck! Lara Spears – The Eagle Group, Atlanta, GA