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How can I promote my Web site offline?
There are several methods of promoting your Web site non-electronically. These include:
Business cards - Your company business cards should, as a matter of course, include the
your Web site address (URL). As well as providing individual contact details (name, telephone, fax, e-mail, video conference, etc.), your business cards can easily
include your corporate Web site to promote and advertise your online presence.
Company printed material - Similarly,
any printed material that your company produces, whether this be press releases, product releases, reports, letter headed paper, user manuals, catalogues, CD-ROMs,
videos, training documents, flyers, etc., should also include your Web site address. You need to reinforce and emphasise the online resources available to all your
customers and suppliers.
Local newspapers - Local newspapers and magazines can be targeted to promote your
company to specific local audiences. The actual local press you use could be in your own neighbourhood (e.g., to highlight a sponsorship deal your company is involved
with locally), or it could be a local newspaper at the other end of the country (e.g., to promote a local conference at which you will have a significant presence).
Presentations - Following on from the conference theme, it's very easy to ensure that
your URL is included on all presentation slides that your company employs. A simple footer at the bottom of each page endorses your Web address and provides a signpost
to where further information is available for all delegates. It may also be a good idea to include the URL (in bold or large font) on the opening and closing slides.
Conferences/Events/Seminars - Other objects such as posters, flyers, pamphlets, leaflets, freebies,
audiocassettes, CD-ROMs and similar items used at seminars and workshops should also carry your URL. Later, when people (i.e., possible customers) play the CD-ROM on
their computer, or give your freebie 'yoyo' to their children, or listen to your cassette tape in their car during driving time, you will have an ideal opportunity to
highlight your Web site and the facilities it offers.
Billboards -
These can be a useful channel in advertising and
promoting your Web site, especially if the billboard is located on a particularly busy road or junction. All passing traffic will have an opportunity to see your URL.
Routes that have heavy bus or coach traffic allow you to reach many potential customers simultaneously. Some billboards can also be seen from passing overground
trains these should also be targeted.
Other advertising spaces -
You may also decide that it's worthwhile promoting your
Web site on other advertising spaces, such as on the inside of trains (more probably underground or subway trains), on the sides of buses, coaches, train platforms,
bus stations, underground walkways, etc.
Radio/Television/Press/Cinema -
Probably the widest promotional coverage is obtained via
these channels. They are also probably the most expensive and so may not be within the grasp of an average SME (small and medium-sized enterprise). However, this might
not be such an issue for several companies involved in affiliate partnerships.
A short advert in your local cinema should cost much less than an equivalent television commercial, and could be used to target specific audiences
(e.g., 16-25 year olds, music lovers, etc.). You might want to check the films that will be running during your cinema promotional campaign, as you probably don't want
to advertise, for example, your Web site security before a film about computer hacking, Internet freakers or Web nerds!
Internet/Web journals - These magazines also allow you to reach a wider audience. There has been
a dramatic increase in the number of such magazines, with each offering specific slants for their own readers. For example, some are more focussed on the business side
of the Internet, others on the technical or security aspects, and others on the marketing issues, etc.
Additionally, most of these magazines also have their own Web site (as well as the equivalent printed version), and allow the option of advertising in one or other (or both) of these media.
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