The Top 10 Ways To Promote Your Online Business

With ever changing and increasing options, having a game plan of effective advertising options are essential.

Not only do we work hard for our money, but who wants to put money into a source of advertising that no longer brings in prospects.

I have been marketing my online business since August 2001 and have seen many changes. 5 years ago I would have recommended that you purchase an ad in a major national newspaper, purchase a Fax broadcast and do some safelist advertising. Sadly, none of those 3 methods, in my opinion, work for my business in particular today.

But I am happy to report that there are things that work and work well. Here is my top 10 list for you.

1. PPC. Pay per Click. I know that you have already gasped. Yes PPC is expensive and can cause you to go broke if you do not know what you are doing, but it is also a very effective way to bring qualified prospects to your website.

2. Article submission. To demonstrate yourself as a knowledgeable authority in your industry is important. People flock to those who know more and those that can and are willing to help. Also, you do not need to know how to write. You can pay for articles to be written for you, on http://www.elance.com and other sites.

3. Press releases. There is something attractive about reading a press release. Those who do not know how the internet works, think that the press is writing about a person or business. In reality these are cleverly disguised self promoting articles submitted to the press. Again, if you do not know how to write a press release, you can hire a professional writer to produce one for you.

4. Ezine advertising works. It is always tempting to purchase the inexpensive classified ads, as they are less expensive, but save your money and only purchase solo ads. You can find ezines (electronic magazines) by doing a search. Don't be hasty to place an ad. Subscribe to the ezine first to make sure you like the format and content.

5. Advertising on other people's websites. Many websites with high search engine rankings offer advertising space on their sites. This is a great way to produce a back link which in turn will boost your own website placement in the search engines. Before you purchase advertising space on a website, I personally recommend that their Alexa traffic ranking should be no higher than 150,000. (i.e. you are looking for rankings 1-150,000)

6. Magazine advertising. Business opportunity specific magazines still offer a great offline method of getting your message out. If you can swing it, a ¼ page or better sized ad, will give you the best results. Do not forget to include a website as well as a contact Toll free number for your prospects. Please also note that you will have prospects call you who do not have a computer, so be prepared to mail materials to them.

7. Smaller, community specific newspapers. Look for papers with a local and loyal following. I recommend circulations of 150,000 or less.

8. Online Forums. Join a business specific thread and give your candid opinions. Do not go on just to place a link or to advertise your website, never to return. This is not looked upon nicely in an online community. Joining a forum will also have a way of creating a back link to your website, so increasing its ranking.

9. Signature line in your emails. A very overlooked and easy way to advertise what you are doing. Keep the message short and sweet. Do not try to sell, but to tease a person to see what you are up to. No one appreciates blatant in your face advertising.

10. Business cards. In the day of modern advertising resources, the business card is overlooked. If you do not have a business card, it may be that you are ashamed of your business, so you need to re-evaluate what you are doing. I was guilty of not having card, after all 99% of my advertising is online. But when I was asked for my business card and did not have one, I suddenly realized that I was missing out on an incredible form of marketing. Not only would you have your website and contact information on one side, but the back side could have a tasteful sales message, or this year's calendar etc. www.vistaprint.com has a good selection at a low price. Sign up for their newsletter and receive promos where you can get your cards at no cost (just pay S&H).