6. Display Your Local Business URL Everywhere
Web Marketing Today Premium, Issue 86, Winter 2005
It may seem pretty obvious, but you'd be surprised how many businesses that have a website don't advertise that fact. They're missing out on business. Here's why.
People generally don't go to a business unless they believe that the business will meet their need. If you're wealthy enough to pay for large display ads in the newspaper, Yellow Pages, or direct mail, then you can explain your company's strengths and services in print.
Guerrilla marketers with local businesses have discovered that their websites can serve as a classy color brochure for their businesses that can be accessed by anyone with a computer and an Internet connection. The more they know about you, the more likely they are to do business with you.
As we discussed in chapter 1, you'll be wise to select a domain name that is (1) memorable, (2) related to your business or business name, (3) short, and (4) easy to spell if someone were to hear it spoken over the phone. When you get a good domain name, then flaunt it -- everywhere. Here's a preliminary checklist:
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Business cards - Yellow Pages ad
- Newspaper display ads
- Sign over the door to your business
- Bumper stickers
- Magnetic sign on the door of your car or a license plate holder
- Business stationery
- Chamber of Commerce directory
- Fliers placed on car windows
- Cards posted on bulletin boards at the grocery store
- Billboards, bus stop benches, bus and mass transit advertising
You get the idea! Every piece of literature and advertising about your business should carry your URL or web address. When they see your URL the know instantly that they can easily learn more by looking you up on the Internet.
Here are several important tips:
First, display your URL as www.DomainName.com. The www clearly identifies it as a web address. Capital letters within the domain name won't hurt people looking it up and will make it more "readable" at a glance. If they can read it, it helps them remember it.
Second, distribute an e-mail address from your domain, not your Internet service provider. Here's why. Example: jim@BozemanTools.com tells people how to look up your website. jimbitterman575@aol.com doesn't tell people anything. I'm amazed at how many people with websites give out a yahoo.com or aol.com e-mail address. Nearly all web hosting services allow two ways to handle e-mail: (1) You to set up forwarding instructions so that jim@BozemanTools.com will automatically forward all e-mail to your AOL account or whatever your preferred e-mail program is. Or (2) you can set up a POP e-mail box with your hosting services for the username "jim" and download e-mail regularly to your e-mail program. The second option is best, since the return address of e-mails you reply to will match the e-mail address you are advertising.
Third, set up your e-mail program with what's called a "signature" -- full contact information, a company tagline, your e-mail address, and your web address. Here's an example:
Special sale: Save 20% on DeWalt Tools thru January 31st. ---------------------------------------------------------- Bozeman Tools http://www.BozemanTools.com "The Contractor's Friend -- the Right Tool for the Job" 1234 Main St., Bozeman, MT 59715 (486) 555-1212 Jim Bitterman, Owner jim@BozemanTools.com ----------------------------------------------------------There are lots of ways to configure a signature. This one is preceded by announcement of a special sale. You can change this monthly, but it will alert everyone you e-mail of a reason to come back into your store.
Notice that I included the http:// in front of the domain name. This is because a few e-mail programs won't show a URL as a clickable link unless the http:// precedes the domain name. This is the only time you'd include the http:// when giving out your domain name.
Each e-mail program sets up a signature slightly differently.
- MS Office Outlook: look at the top program menu under Tools | Options and select the Mail Format tab.
- MS Outlook Express: Look under Tools | Options and select the Signature tab.
- HotMail and MSN: Select Options | Mail | Personal Signature.
- Eudora: Select Tools | Signatures.
- AOL: In the "Write Mail" form in the bottom near the right, select Signatures | Set up Signatures.
- Yahoo! Mail: Mail Options | Personalization | Signature.
- EarthLink Web Mail: Preferences | Other Preferences | Signatures
- Gmail: Settings | General | Signature
That's it. Be creative and get your web address out there. The more people who see it, the more people will look you up on the Internet and be more likely to become customers.
