12 Ways To Promote Your Website Offline

So you have your website and you've done everything right on the web - search engines, classified sites, newsgroups, bulletin boards, link sites, mailing lists, etc etc etc.

And now you think you've exhausted the possibilities of marketing your website and you can sit back and wait for the visitors to roll in, right? WRONG!

Here are 12 extra ways to promote your website without even turning your browser on:

NUMBER ONE:
Make sure that all of your staff know your website address. They know your telephone and fax numbers, they know your "snail mail "address - they should ALL know your web site address too. Make sure that any new staff have this information along with the usual contact details.

NUMBER TWO:
Print your URL and email address on all letterheads, business cards & compliment slips, in the format www.yourcompany.co.uk This way everyone that you ever come into contact with has your web address.

NUMBER THREE:
Business closed for the day? Why not put up a sign - "Open 24 hours a day on the WWW - www.yourcompany.co.uk" Spooners Restaurant (http://www.spooners.co.uk) did this and regularly get table bookings via email that they would usually have missed.

NUMBER FOUR:
Include your web addressL in your answerphone, or line holding message. Let people know that they can find information/buy products/ enquire about services via the world Wide web.

NUMBER FIVE:
Type your website address into your screensaver to remind staff of the address while they are on the telephone. This way even temping staff know the address

NUMBER SIX:
When potential clients call for information about your company, ask them if they have Internet access and send them to your website. This means they can have the information immediately, without waiting for the postal system, and may help cut down on your postage bills.

NUMBER SEVEN:
Look for unusual promotional items at holiday times - WWW tiepins or brooches, computer shaped cookies, Christmas cards on disks (with the obligatory link to your website) - the choice is endless and it all draws attention to the fact that your company is taking advantage of the latest technology

NUMBER EIGHT:
Why not swap leaflets with one of your clients and reach a whole new potential audience? Every brochure we send out features a leaflet/business card from one of our clients - a favour which they reciprocate.

NUMBER NINE:
Magnetic car stickers featuring just your company name and website address help get you seen while you're out and about and can be a great conversation starter!

NUMBER TEN:
Have t-shirts printed with your web address and logo - then give them out as prizes or promotional items.

NUMBER ELEVEN:
If you're in a restaurant or hotel with a guestbook - sign it! And don't forget to leave your web address. These guestbooks are left in receptions all year round and people tend to browse through them while waiting.

NUMBER TWELVE:
Make sure that any newspaper and other offline ads feature your website address prominently - don't hide it away in the small print!

Nikki Pilkington is owner of Milton Keynes based Internet Marketing Company Nikki Pilkington.com, and writes articles, hints and tips to help people looking to promote their website for free, as well as running paid e-marketing campaigns. For more of her articles visit nikkipilkington.com and sign up to the newsletter.