10 no-cost and low-cost ways to market your business website... every single day.

1) Include your URL (www.yourwebsite.com) on all stationary, including envelopes, business cards, appointment cards, menus, newsletters, return address labels, invoices, collection notices, holiday greeting cards - ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING.

Ever heard of SoapShoes.com? SoapShoes.com makes sneakers that have a plastic arch underneath them so kids can "ride" curbs and picnic tables and handrails with their shoes, much like they might do with skateboards. If you look down at the feet of 9-14 years olds walking around your neighborhood, there's a good chance you'll see them. What makes them significant is that they embroidered www.SoapShoes.com on their sneakers, big and bold. You don't see SoapShoes, Inc. or SoapShoes Corp. - you see their URL. They have branded their URL. So If they can put their URL on their sneakers, you can put it on your office window, your mailbox, and your business checks.

2) Include a major benefit AND your URL in all your advertising, promotions, and signage - right under your business name. "Get Your FREE Evaluation - www.yourwebsite.com", " Lose 30 lbs in 30 days - www.yourwebsite.com". Catchy, emotion-driven benefits are a wonderfully successful way of getting visitors to your site.

3) When you send out newsworthy press releases about your business, include your URL in it as a reference point. Keep in mind though that it's important to make it relevant to the news somehow.

4) Make sure you mention your website on your answering machine message(s) or incoming call announcements. It's a great way to get people to your site who want to know your hours or your address. At the same time it saves you and/or your staff time in returning phone calls.

5) Put your URL in your autosignature at the bottom of your e-mail correspondence. Don't have an autosignature? Make one. If you use Outlook, simply click on Tools, Options, then Mail Format. It's also a good idea to make an offer at the bottom of your e-mail with a link to your website. For example; "Visit our website to enter our FREE drawing: www.yourwebsite.com".

6) Speak up! Remember to use your URL as a referral source, like a business card. Anytime you would normally hand out a business card or give someone your phone number, make a habit of saying "Visit our web site at www.yourwebsite.com." Remember, habits are hard break... and this is a good one to keep.

7) Run promotions that require people to go to your site. Once there, have them complete a survey or enter a contest so you can get their name, address and e-mail address. You can then invite them to receive your newsletter!

8) Cross promote with colleagues or people in your business network, including suppliers. If you refer them, they'll refer you. Just make sure they know your URL and ask them to refer directly to your web site. Potential customers are far more likely to peruse a website, where it is "safe", to learn something about you before calling.

9) Word of mouth. You should get in the mindset of promoting your website every chance you can. Ask friends, family and existing customers to do the same. People are more likely to visit your website to find out what you're about then they are to pick up the phone or just stop by, so mention it strategically and mention it often.

10) Send reminders. Remind your customers, business associates, employees, vendors, or anyone you can, by mail or fax about your website and the benefits it offers. Target specific areas of your site at different times. Feedback forms, surveys, contests, online applications, freebies, free advice and information are all good areas to target and encourage your visitor base to see.

10 no-cost and low-cost ways to market your business website... on the web.

1) Look in the mirror. The easiest way to get people to come to your website is by giving them a good reason. Is your site appealing? Is it useful? Does it offer some reason to return? Different types of websites serve different needs. For instance an e-tailer wants and needs steady repeat customers to purchase products, while brochure or service business sites may simply provide information. But they have one common function - they have to have a purpose. Know the purpose of your site and make sure you are meeting it.

2) Look for and use free links. There are many places on the web that provide free links. You can easily draw people to your site with these links, especially if you list a benefit. When you add a link, you can sometimes add a few words to describe it. So be creative. The catchier the benefit, the more click-throughs you'll get!

3) Take advantage of other site's traffic. High traffic sites are a good place to have a link, even if it costs a few bucks because you can leverage their marketing efforts.

4) Link with associate businesses. If you sell insurance, get links on car dealership sites, in addition to repair shop sites, realtor sites, or home inspection sites.

5) Get listed in free directories. Directories in your industry often list members for free, as do Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations. Make sure your URL is listed right under your name. If they have a website, check to make sure you are listed there as well. Many organizations require that you request to be listed so they have accurate and up-to-date information about you.

6) Use reciprocal links. Simply put, a reciprocal link means I link to your site if you link to mine. Reciprocal links are important, but use them carefully. The last thing you want is your professional web site smothered in advertising that makes your site look cluttered or links that pull people away from your site more often than not.

You also want to try to get the links you add to your site to open in a new browser window, so you don't lose visitors off your site completely. This will keep your page open "underneath" when the link is clicked. And then when the window is closed, the visitor will be back at your site automatically. Make sure your reciprocal links are relevant to your business and that they offer some benefit to YOUR customers. Joe Attorney is not going to benefit by having a link on his site to Pete's Porta-Potties.

7) Use free classifieds. There are many, many places to get free classified listings for your services. Start with the search engines, such as Lycos, AltaVista, Yahoo, HotBot, or any of the others. Go to their Free Classifieds section to find the right place for the products or services you are offering and list them. Now this is not for everyone and it does take a little time, but it is free.

8) Use an auto-response with your e-mail. Like an autosignature, an auto-response is used with your e-mail, but it sends a message to everyone that SENDS YOU a message, automatically. This can be overwhelming, so use it judiciously if you use it at all.

If you have an info@yourwebsite.com mailbox that is just for information inquiries (or something similar), then this feature can be useful in letting visitors know you appreciate them contacing you and that the information they requested will be sent to them soon. You can also use it to thank them and remind them of other services you offer, upcoming events, or promotions.

If you are in regular communication with an existing customer, you probably don't want to use this feature, as it can be annoyingly unnecessary.

9) Make the most of junk e-mail. Send your URL, auto-response, or e-newsletter to EVERY unsolicited e-mail sender that sends you e-mail. It's a friendly way to "fight back", and who knows, it may lead to a new customer.

10) Start a monthly e-mail newsletter. A daily newsletter is a full-time job, a weekly newsletter is still too much work for the average small business, but a monthly e-newsletter can be made interesting, informative and refreshing and can include links to different areas of your website.

Use "permission marketing", by only sending it to people who want it. How do you do this? It's easy. Simply add a link on your homepage that says CLICK HERE to receive our informative, money-saving newsletter, OR, CLICK HERE for free advice (on your type of service). You can also include the link in your auto-response.

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