13 Ways to Promote Your Website Offline
While many businesses have spent time and money promoting their websites online through search engines and email marketing, there are still plenty of opportunities to reach your target market through the following offline methods:
Corporate Literature
All of your company's business cards, letterhead, envelopes, faxes and invoices should display your website address, as well as appropriate email addresses.
Marketing Materials
Your website if often the first place potential customers look for more information about your company, so make sure to include all of your contact information on any brochures, newsletters, flyers or any other marketing materials.
Promotional Items - Giveaways
People love to receive gifts. Promotional material offers an inexpensive way to promote your company's website while reinforcing your brand through various items such as pens, coffee mugs and calendars. An added benefit is that you are in front of your customers each time they use one of your promotional products.
Company Apparel
Similar to the promotional items listed above, t-shirts, polos and hats can all work to promote your company's web address while serving as a nice bonus gift for your employees and clients. Just make sure the clothing remains tasteful and clean, so that people will be thrilled to display your wares.
Community Events
Attend community festivals, business events, seminars, workshops and conferences within your area, niche and related business. Bring business cards and brochures to further enhance networking opportunities.
Business Groups
Get listed in your community chambers of commerce and/or business associations, including networking groups. These businesses are in the business of promoting small local business and they would gladly tell other small business about your services. Also, spread the word about your website in your church or spiritual circles.
Advertising
Advertising can be as simple as a yellow pages ad in your local phone book or as extensive as radio and television. Each of these venues provides an excellent opportunity to broadcast your website to your target market.
Signage
If you provide a service with on site signage opportunities, such as an architect, make sure to place your website address in large letters on your signage. This is an excellent way to have potential customers see the type of work that you do, become interested, and then visit your website to learn more.
Company Vehicles
How many vans, trucks, service vehicles, and cars do you see everyday with phone numbers and company names plastered all over them. Your website address can be added to any part of your vehicle with a sticker, this exposes your URL to thousands of people everyday who are driving to work, going to the shops or even walking the dog. Make sure that you have this done professionally though. If it looks badly designed, it will probably reflect badly on your company.
Word of Mouth
Probably one the most underestimated types of promotion for your business is through word of mouth. Make sure to talk about your business and website with friends, family and customers as much as possible.
Articles
Authoring articles provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your expertise in your field to potential customers while giving you a free plug for your business. Include your website address in the "About the author" text found at the end of the article.
Press Releases
Does your business send out press releases? If so, your website address should be included in the "About Your Company" paragraph that accompanies each article for potential customers as well as a resource for the media.
Your Products
This type of promotion works well for product based companies that sell tangible goods. What better way to promote your business then to include your web address on your product?
Successfully promoting your business website should include a mix of online and offline promotions to ensure you are reaching the full potential of your target market.
