Web Address
Your website is the electronic storefront or reception area of your small business and your web address or URL is the electronic address of that website. As such, you want to put the web address in as many places as possible, to help increase the traffic and ultimately the number of visitors to your website.
Here are the top sixteen spots for your web address:
1. Business Cards
Place the URL in a noticeable location on your business cards. Good spots are under your logo or below your physical address.
2. Email
The web address should be a hot link and should be in the signature panel of your emails
3. Company Stationery
Again place the URL in a prominent spot so that it can be easily found.
4. Product Packaging
If done correctly you can place the web address in multiple spots on the product packaging.
5. Marketing Brochures & Business Article
Logo should be on the front and back covers. Can also be on the title page inside.
6. Social Media Sites
Join some of the online communities like Facebook (www.facebook.com), LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com), and Twitter (www.twitter.com) and promote your site.
7. Signage (Windows, Vehicles, Sidewalk, Sandwich Boards)
The URL should hold a prominent spot on all of these signs.
8. E-Mail Newsletter
You might consider creating an e-mail publication, perhaps monthly with a list of tips, industry updates, or new product information. This is a superb way to stay in touch with your customers and prospects.
9. News Releases and Media Kits
Send news releases to print and Web periodicals both in your industry and in general.
10. Advertising (Yellow pages & other)
Although these are going out of fashion, you still want to be listed in them.
11. Client Surveys
Customer surveys are a good way to keep up-to-date with customer requirements. Your web address should be in a prominent place on these surveys.
12. Giveaways & Premiums
These are good promotion tools and should always have your web address in a noticeable spot.
13. Address Stamps
Don’t forget to include the web address in the old fashioned address stamp.
14. Key Directories
A link from a directory helps you increase traffic. You should submit your URL to Yahoo! Directory (dir.yahoo.com) – you’ll have to pay for this service, the Open Directory Project (www.dmoz.com), which is free and About.com and Business.com that are also paid directories.
15. Trade Organizations and Specialized Directories
Specialized industry directories and trade associations that you may belong to are ideal places to list your web address even if it costs you a fee.
16. Direct Mail Pieces
Lastly, although this is snail mail, all pieces going to customers as well as to prospects should have the URL in a place where it is readily noticeable. There should be some call to action to get the reader to link to the web address.
These sixteen spots are some of the most effective places to market your web address and consequently your business. Now is the perfect time to review your business plan and bring your web strategy up to date.