Helen M. Overland

Handy Tips: How to Maximize the Return on Your Website

By: Helen M. Overland, 2004


Having a website is a great marketing vehicle that can do much for your organization. But are you getting all the benefit you can out of your site? Effective online marketing doesn't end with a professional website. Here are some handy tips to maximize the profit from your site.

Customer Contacts

• Answer all customer email in 24 hours or less. The faster the response, the more likely a sale
• Advertise specials and company news on your site
• Use pictures of your products or services on your site
• Update the site every once in a while
• Make sure your website is friendly to use for your target market

Marketing

• Make sure your website has the same style as your other marketing material
• List your site in directories dealing with your business
• Exchange links with other websites in a related business
• Place your web address on your printed marketing material
• Make sure your employees are familiar with the website, and mention it to customers

Damage Prevention

• Never, ever spam. It's okay to email your established customers, but don't buy "opt-in" lists. First contact with a potential customer should almost never be by email
• Make sure your employees are trained and comfortable with their software
• Make sure all the computers in your network stay virus free. If it doesn't have up-to-date virus protection, it shouldn't be plugged in
• If you have a network, it's a good idea to have a decent firewall. If you are doing e-commerce (your website takes customer orders), make sure you have a good firewall
• List as few email addresses on the site as possible. (this will streamline email management & reduce the amount of spam you'll receive)

©2004 Helen M. Overland. All Rights Reserved. SEO Search:    Search the Web with an SEO Focus: