Crossing the Streams – 5 Ways to Market Your Web Site Offline

Does anyone out there remember the infamous warning by Dr. Spengler in the 1984 movie Ghostbusters? The conversations went like this:

Dr. Egon Spengler: There’s something very important I forgot to tell you.
Dr. Peter Venkman: What?
Dr. Egon Spengler: Don’t cross the streams.
Dr. Peter Venkman: Why?
Dr. Egon Spengler: It would be bad.
Dr. Peter Venkman: I’m a little fuzzy on the whole “good/bad” thing here. What do you mean, “bad”?
Dr. Egon Spengler: Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light.
Dr. Ray Stantz: Total protonic reversal!
Dr. Peter Venkman: That’s bad. Okay. All right, important safety tip. Thanks, Egon.

When it comes to promoting a business often times it is as if this warning was taken seriously and the online and offline streams are never crossed!

Putting a website on a flyer is often a second thought; the URL is buried in the contact info in the lower corner. It may even be the first thing to go when space becomes a premium and one more line is needed to convince the reader to buy.

The website as an afterthought is not as uncommon as you might think. As simple designs are in vogue for things like business cards, often the web site is left off in favor of an email address.

Yet, as important as it is for people to have an email address to contact you, isn’t it even more important for them to have an extended introduction to you and your services through a web site?

Often what I see is a business that has a web site and it dangles off the end of their business, it just doesn’t seem to connect anywhere.

They may have spent thousands of dollars to have it created only to be left alone with a web site and no idea what to do next.

Here are five things that you can do with your web site right now, that will integrate it better into your business and your marketing efforts.

1. Make sure to include it in a prominent way on your marketing materials including, business cards, flyers, mailings, etc.
2. Tie your traditional marketing together with your online marketing using a selected hub, or landing page, on your website. This page could be one that details your services.
3. Create a plan for promoting your web site that includes ways to do it that you can track, for example using special landing pages for flyers you send out so you know how effective the flyer was in getting people to visit your website.
4. Create a sign that can reside at your physical location inviting your customers to visit your web site; this is also a great way to encourage comments and feedback if you have a blog on your web site.
5. Last but not least, make sure your web site is engaging and that it actually provides added value to a visitor. If they have your business card and your web site really only has a few more contact details, a contact form, and a little story about the company the value to have repeat visits is just not there – strongly consider a blog to continually have interesting information available to your visitors.

There are five ways that you can better promote your web site to those customers and potential customers that get your print advertising, or visit your store.

Remember that a web site is a tool, and if it is used correctly it can enhance your marketing message.