In any business, the first step is to find the customers.  Throwing open the doors won’t guarantee that anyone will come in.  And, if they do, it is no guarantee that they will buy from you.  The same goes for website businesses.  Use every opportunity to market your business on and offline.

Let’s talk about marketing and advertising.  Advertising is like those billboards you see from the highway or the commercials that air between segments of your favorite show.  Advertisers use images and words to get people to pay attention to them.

But, who is “people”?  That is where marketing comes into the picture.  Marketing determines the demographic of your target audience — who they are and where they are.  If your target audience is single working moms, you aren’t going to run an ad during the day or choose a 10 a.m. radio spot.  They probably won’t hear it.

When you market your website locally, you want to use the same marketing techniques that you used online to find your target market.  There are many offline places to market your business.

Go to the newspapers.  Newspaper ads are still good places to find new customers.  Depending on your business model, ads that introduce your business and give a website address for more information are seen by thousands of people a day.  Over morning coffee, the businessperson reads the newspaper.  Dads might read at their desk in the morning.  Moms might unwind with the paper after the kids leave for school (if she stays at home).

Press releases in the newspaper are larger than ads and garner greater visibility.  Place just enough information in the press release so that anyone reading it immediately wants to visit your website to find out more.  Use bold lettering for information that requires close attention.

Make use of business cards.  Keep a small stack of ten or twelve on hand at all times.  You never know who you might meet.  Don’t forget to include your website address on the business card.  Insert cards in any mailings that you send out.

What about letterhead?  If you’ve registered your business name or your website domain name, slap it on every piece of correspondence you send out.  When sending notes to family or friends, use note paper embossed with your letterhead.

Use promotional items.  Companies may gladly create samples for you in hope of future business.  Wear a t-shirt with your logo and website address to a family function.  Give out coffee mugs to friends and pens to everyone you see.  Functional items that people will use over and over again will have your website address front and center.

Just because you have an online business doesn’t mean all your marketing is done there.  There are people right in your sphere of influence that would be right for your products.

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