|
Author: Jan Peterson Article source: http://www.internetbusinessentrepreneur.com/. Used with author's permission.
We all need traffic. It's the life-blood of an online business. But what are the best ways to drive targeted traffic directly to your website? Here are 7 great tips to help you decide.
1. Offline advertising = Online profits
Whatever you're trying to sell online will most likely link to a relevant or appropriate media section offline. For example, if you're selling bicycles from your website, there will undoubtedly be a suitable offline magazine, in which you can place an ad. The purpose of the ad is not to sell your products, but to get prospects to visit your website. So your ad need only consist of a few lines, which should work out to be quite inexpensive.
Your bicycle ad could read like this: Looking for a new bicycle? We stock a huge range at discount prices and can deliver within 48 hours. To learn more visit our website. www. bicycles4u.com - Your ad could be placed in cycle mags, sports magazines or even national and local newspapers. Wherever you think your most likely prospects will look for your products or services offline is a means to getting them to go online.
2. Press releases for the inquiring minds
Some people just have to know what's new, what's in and what's out. To stay ahead in this information age, online and offline press releases can offer newsworthy titbits that could even be picked up by the national press. If you're just starting out in your online business, launching a new product or creating a new service, people will want to know about it.
If this is something you haven't done before, take a look at some existing press releases by going to Google and typing 'press releases' into the search field. Once you get the idea, write out your press release, including your contact details and website URL, then go back to Google and type in 'press agencies'. Most will charge you for this service but your press release could get maximum coverage on and off the internet.
3. Opt-in mailing lists
Opt-in mailing lists can provide one of the most effective means of generating repeat business from your existing customer base. If your customers have bought from you once and that buying experience was satisfactory, there's a very good chance they will buy from you again because they trust you. Capture emails by encouraging your customers to sign up for your newsletter or other promotional information.
Alternatively, you could rent an opt-in email list. A carefully worded e-mail message to people who have expressed an interest in receiving further information about your products or services could lead to extra sales, but be prepared to pay a princely sum.
4. Getting your message delivered direct to your customers
For as long as anyone can remember, direct mail has been one of the most effective and profitable forms of marketing ever. Many people have made millions from direct mail and it's still as successful today as it was 50 years ago. It's also relatively easy and inexpensive. First, create a single page introductory sales letter or brochure, detailing you products or services and all the benefits. For maximum effect, offer your new customers a discount or something for free, when they first purchase from your website.
Don't forget, you want them to visit your website, so give them more than a good reason to do so. Next, rent a targeted mailing list from a reputable list broker. There are lists available, which cover every conceivable geographic and demographic statistic, so whatever business you're in, there will be one that's suitable for you. Send out your 'invitations' and wait for your hit counter to melt.
5. Referral marketing
This is a simple strategy of referring your own customers to a related but non-competitive website in return for them doing the same for you. Let's say you are selling printers. Find some quality sites that sell printer inks and contact the webmaster. Ask them if they would be willing to send their traffic to you in return for you doing the same for them. Most will agree. Between you, you will have to decide whether to display an ad on each other's site or go for a written recommendation.
Either way, it will increase the chances of you getting more traffic to your site because you have been recommended. You could seek out many related websites and have numerous streams of traffic coming directly to you.
6. Traffic merchants
Paying a company to send traffic to your website is an easy option, so long as the traffic is targeted. There are many companies who specialize in selling traffic. You could say they are traffic traffickers. They use all forms of online advertising to get people to visit your website and usually guarantee the numbers. At around $20 for 10,000 visitors, it certainly looks tempting.
Although there are many merchants to choose from, beware the scamsters operating in this market. Some will take your money and put your ad on a Free For All (FFA) website, leaving you to deal with hundreds or thousands of spam emails from everyone and their dog trying to sell you their products. A good place to start would be SafePartner.com. They offer a variety of packages and are very affordable. TrafficCircuit.com is another company offering this service but charge a little more. However, they offer tracking services, so you can see where the traffic comes from. If you're into stats, you may find this service very useful.
7. Affiliate programs
You just can't afford to ignore affiliate programs. Getting other people to sell your products for a commission is a tried and tested, successful and very rewarding exercise. It doesn't work very well if you're selling a service, but it's overwhelmingly awesome for shifting your product range. The best part is, once set up it works on automatic pilot. All you have to do then is monitor its success, because affiliates do all the work for you. They advertise your products and send the traffic to your website to buy them.
Another thing is you don't have to pay your affiliates until you've been paid. Plus you save on advertising costs, and the increased activity to your website helps your search engine ranking. There's an array of affiliate program tracking software available to track your sales and commission payouts or if you prefer, you can hire a company to look after all that side of the business for you.
pepperjamManagement.com is one of the most well-known companies around, offering a complete affiliate management solution. If affiliates can earn hundreds of thousands of dollars in commissions, it's got to be a very worthwhile consideration for your business.
There are many ways in which you can get others to sell your products, and there are many ways of finding willing affiliate partners. Affiliate marketing is fast becoming a science.
As you can see, targeted traffic isn't that hard to do but the rewards for your online business will show up in the bank. Jan Peterson founder of http://www.goldstarreview.com researches and reviews business opportunities including internet marketing, real estate investing, affiliate marketing, financial investing and more. Over 400 FREE reports available.
Ive Given Away Control of My Life To Doctors—and Now I Want It Back.
If you're fed up with the callous treatment, invasive procedures, and under-medication that some doctors provide, you're not alone. But be cautious before you t...
Folic Acid - An Overview of Its Importanace Before and During Pregnancy
Folic Acid Prevents Birth Defects.
Think, Pause & Talk
There are two kinds of peoples we generally face in every walk of life 1] who talks negative and excessive and 2] who talks whenever required or talks right a...
High Risk Home Mortgage Lenders Online
If you have factors in your mortgage loan situation that make you high risk, you may want to consider using a sub prime mortgage lender, who specializes in more...
Polishing Your Translation Style - Marketing Your Services
Although you may be the most accomplished professional in the business, it does not necessarily ensure that clients will contract your services. It is as simple...
Employment Under A Microscope
The oversight created to watch low income workers to handle large sums of money is reviewed along with a psychological analysis of what such monitoring cn mean ...
Baloney And The Fountain Of Youth
I'd like to ask those advertisers just a few questions: If your "magic-weight-loss-potion-miracle-in-a-bottle" is the real deal, then why hasn't the media picke...
The Power of Our Minds
Looking for the right mind state that generates success? This article provides some key secrets to develop the state of mind shared by the truly wealthy and suc...
Gourmet Sauces, Rubs and Marinades - Give Your BBQ a Gourmet Kick
Kick it up a notch at your next barbecue with this advice on some gourmet additions for your meat.
Penis Size Does Matter
Who says penis size does not matter? Maybe it doesn't matter to you, but there is someone who it does matter to. And it's not who you think.
Choosing a Residential Lot
Finding a lot Planning for your new home is a very involved process. You might want to get right down to selecting a set of house plans but don't get into a hur...
Using Mosquito MEMS to Collect DNA Samples
Soon scientists will have scaled down robotic insects. This is a good thing and most of this technology is being funded for Department of Defense uses as they w...
Be The One With Something Interesting To Say
If you could learn fast and effectively, you might become the person with something interesting to say on any topic. It also can help you in your carreer or bus...
How To Get A Low Cost Secured Loan?
Getting the low cost secured loan is the dream of every borrower. By choosing the right collateral, keeping a good credit history, promptly following the repaym...
Do You Have Enough Prospects To Make Your Numbers?
If you're relying on traditional prospecting like shoe leather (networking, clipping "prospects" from the paper, telemarketing), you're not going to break any r...
Falling Up the Stairs
There have been a lot of really good movies made over the last several years. There are a lot of bad ones too. And while I try to simply ignore the bad efforts,...
Hair Cloning As A Solution For Hair Loss
The treatment of hair loss has evolved relatively slowly over the years, so are there any exciting new developments currently in the pipeline?
Finding Cheap Hotel Rates
The days of showing up at a hotel and paying whatever price is posted are over simply because ...
Acne Program - Step 12 Change The Way You Think
It has been established that most diseases originate in your thoughts. Thoughts create those feelings that you sometimes don't understand. Read on to find some...
Freelancers Can Jump-Start Your Publicity Initiative
If you find that your progress is blocked by a lack of time or experience, consider hiring a freelancer to jumpstart your project.
Effortless Power Golf Swing
A power golf swing is the dream of every golfer. How many times have you hit one just perfect and tried desperately to remember what you did that caused this t...
Mall Protection
How secure are we?
“Foot Pain Relief At Last!”
When your feet hurt, you quickly realize how much you depend on them. If they really hurt, "you ain't goin' nowhere in a hurry!"
Which Came First, the Pedometer or the 10,000 Steps Program?
Walking 10,000 steps per day is the best way to get additional exercise every day. To measure your progress, you need a pedometer. This informative and entert...
|
Print this page