13 Things You Can Do To Promote Your Business

Posted on 26. Dec, 2008 by Nic in Business Articles

In the spirit of Christmas, I am going to share with you 13 super tips you can use to promote yourself online.

I got the idea of writing this post because I know many people have websites and businesses but they have no clue at all how to promote it. And without promotion, the website is as good as dead because no one is going to find it and no one will visit.

Without promotion, you will not get anyone to buy anything from your website. That’s a sad fact of the online world but that’s the truth.

So here goes, 13 tips you can use to start promoting yourself and your website. Add on more if you have some great tips!

1. Put your website URL on every outgoing email you write. Make it snappy and short. Remember to hyperlink it so your friends/customers/prospects can click it and be taken to your website instead of having to copy and paste the URL.

2. Sign up for a Facebook account and start a page on yourself or better still, start a fan page for your business. Get friends and family to link to you and help you spread the word about your new website. Facebook is not just for teenagers these days.

3. Get a blog started.
I know this is tough for many folks. Writing is not everyone’s favourite activity but a blog is still a viable method to get the buzz going. Don’t know how to start a blog? Read up with this and this we wrote to help you get it right. (But a big note of warning: It is not for everyone though if you get it right, it can help big time. If you need blogging help and advice, we can plan out a 3-month blogging programme to help you get started. Contact us if this is what you need)

4. Get a Squidoo page up and running and get the traffic to your website. Started by Seth Godin, this is a neat way to be an expert and at the same time, be charitable. Don’t know what’s a Squidoo page? Check this out and have fun! And then sign up.

5. Advertise your website.
It costs money but you get traffic and you may even get a chance to test if your products are as hot as you think they are. Of course you know the big ones like Google Ads. But pay attention to the up and coming ones like Facebook ads. Like all online ads these days, you decide how you want it to run, what words you want to shout out and who you want to target. Here’s more info on how you can get started on Facebook ads.

6. Get into an online community.
I mean, really GET into a community online. You are not there to lurk or hide but you are there to help, advise, comment and share. Any online community or forum will do. If you’re selling baby products, go hang out with the mommies and daddies online at the popular forums. Go by your business and you will find plenty to occupy your time with!
Tip – Start with 3 forums first and work your way around this. You want to really give your support to the online community, not just hang about and annoy them with your blatant ads.

7. Don’t be blatant
While I am on this subject of hanging about forums, also be careful that you don’t overdo it. It’s easy to say “Come visit my new website and buy my products” but it’s not pleasant to be bombarded by these messages. If you have nothing to contribute to a forum, don’t piss people off by asking them to visit your website. If your website is interesting, people will visit.

8. Offer to do something, for free
I know. This sounds so counterproductive to your business. But if you have a skill that’s much sought after, offering to do something for free will get you lots of goodwill. Of course if you say you will do it, then please stick to your word. For example if you are a graphic designer, could you not offer to design a logo for free? This gives people an idea of your services and your expert skills too.

9. Offer something for free
OK, so maybe you are not in services. That’s OK. If you are selling products, can you sponsor your products? Offer it as a prize in an online contest or lucky draw. Offer something fantastic – not something that’s old and dusty. Again, you will get tonnes of goodwill! And people will love you for your big heart.

10. Collaborate with someone else
Can you partner with someone who complements your business? If I am a chocolatier, I will team up with a florist to sell my products. If I am a real estate agent, I will team up with a renovation contractor. The pairings are endless. You don’t need to pair with 1 person either. You can pair with so many other businesses which don’t rival yours.

11. Get a Twitter account.
It’s not just a place for silly updates of what you’re doing this hour or this minute. It’s useful for getting resources, getting updated on what your idols or fans are doing and getting bite-size nuggets of important information. Before you run out to sign up for one, familiarize yourself with this new thingy with this how-to article.

12. Get into business networking sites.
I mean, I know. Facebook will take up your time but before Facebook came along, there was and still are a bunch of business networking sites to promote yourself and your business and your website in. In 2004, Ryze.com used to be so hot.Now it’s withering. With business networking, it’s a lot more specific. You know why you’re there. You can be a free member (to see if you really like it) and then you can upgrade yourself to a paid membership. You can find Redbox Studio in a few business networking sites and yes, you do need to pay a premium but this is an investment in your business. Check out Xing.com, Ecademy.com, LinkedIn.com. And there’s also one called Affluence.org which calls itself the exclusive organisation of the world’s wealthiest people. I am sure you would want to join this too!

13. Create your own social network for your fans
If you want to be a leader, then create your own social network. Do this by going to Ning.com . You can interact with your fans. You can connect with your customers. You can inspire, educate, raise awareness. By the way, you can also create a fan page in Facebook too.

Actually I have another 11 more tips to share but this post is already long enough (it’s 1130 words long – phew).

Come back next week for the next batch of super hot tips.

Merry Christmas!

Share your own tips with us here? It is Christmas after all!

Tags: Business Tips, how to attract traffic, how to promote my web site, online marketing tips, pr tips for websites, promoting business tips, tips to attract customers, website tips