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Section:: Miscellaneous Articles < Archives > |
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Low-Cost Traffic Generators Money a little tight? Here's the bad news: it's only going to get worse if you don't advertise. No visitors = no customers - and you've got to get the word out about your site before folks will visit. Want the good news? I'm going to share several ways to generate traffic that won't cost you anything. Better still, many of them can be implemented this afternoon! USE A SIG A "SIG", or signature file, is a short ad for your site. It can be appended to all outgoing messages if you're using Eudora or Outlook. You simply create the ad, set-up your email client to attach it automatically to the end of all outgoing mail, and you're set. Every email you send will be working to bring more traffic to your site. If you aren't sure how to create a SIG file, just access your program's "Help" menu and you should find step-by-step instructions. A few things to remember: hold it to 65 characters max per line, plain text only (no HTML), and format all links "http://". Another way you can use a SIG file is when posting to message boards. Many boards allow you to set a default signature that will be added to all your posts. Message board SIGS are similar to an email SIG in that it's a small "ad" for your site. However, you don't need to format these as 65 character lines with hard returns. Some boards will let you use HTML, so you can actually place the link to your site in your SIG. One caveat: be sure you read the rules of each board. Most don't allow blatant advertising, but many don't mind you putting in a little plug for your site in the form of a SIG, as long as you're contributing to the discussion taking place on the board. Target a few high traffic boards and you can easily generate a decent-sized amount of traffic. Some discussions/posts are indexed by search engines, so there's the potential to generate a significant amount of traffic. PUBLISH AN EMAIL NEWSLETTER It's highly likely the majority of your visitors AREN'T customers the first time they encounter your site. It usually takes several contacts to turn a browser into a buyer. The question is, how can you maintain contact with your visitors over time? Easy. Start your own email newsletter. Publishing your own newsletter allows you to stay in touch with visitors. That way, when they're ready to buy, you're right there. The catch here is that your newsletter can't come across as, "Hey, remember me? Wanna buy something from me now? Look at all the neat stuff I sell. Buy it please!" In order for this approach to successfully convert visitors to customers, you must offer them something of value, namely information. Your goal is to build a loyal subscriber base that will read your newsletter every week. One of those weeks they'll actually need your product or service and, lo and behold, there's a handy link to your site right there in your newsletter! SELL TO YOUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS They bought from you once, right? Well, if you did your job, chances are, your previous customers will need your services or product again. Repeat customers are the cornerstone of my business. I strive to make every client 100% satisfied with my work because I want them to come back and I want them to recommend me to their friends. Putting in that little extra effort to make sure a customer is happy is an investment that will pay for itself many times over. Ask permission to contact your clients from time to time and keep in touch with them. Don't forget, you can afford to give them a special deal occasionally because you don't have to spend time or money acquiring them (as you do a new customer); you already have them. Special offers for previous customers are also a great way to say "Thanks" and encourage a continued relationship. There you have it. Three ways you can grow your business without spending a dime. About the Author Jennifer Johnson owns jBanner.com. She specializes in providing high-quality banner design at a price small and home-based business owners can afford. All articles published on EthanCote.com are copyrighted by their respective author. They are not to be taken without the consent of the author. |
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