The Internet and the World Wide Web can be one of the most powerful tools in building your business. The Web offers a growing number of opportunities for reaching both mass and targeted audiences with business information. Yet, the web is still probably one of the most underutilized resources available to the small business person.
The Internet can also be one of the cheapest ways to promote your business and obtain free promotion and publicity, providing you are willing to spend the time it takes to make waves.
Though only a few businesses rely on the Internet as the sole or even the primary means for promotion or publicity, many companies today employ Internet technologies to some degree in their marketing mix.
Over the next few days, I will explore several of the ways that you can put the Internet to work as a powerful promotion and publicity-generating tool for your company.
First, start blogging
A “blog” (short for Web log) is an online diary or electronic journal made available for public viewing. It is also the fastest, easiest and possibly cheapest way to establish a web presence. You can even set up a blog for free. Google offers a free blogging service at www.blogger.com, while TypePad, and a myriad of other blogging tools, can be purchased for a small fee.
Increasingly, companies are publishing their own blogs as a way to reach targeted audiences directly or to communicate internally within their organizations.
Use your blog to establish an online identify for yourself or your company and to reflect your personality or corporate viewpoint. Create a Profile page that tells what you do, how you do it, and how you provide value to your clients. Make sure you have a way for clients and potential clients to contact you.
Write short, insightful articles, using an informal tone, on subjects which relate to your business. Make the articles informative and feature links to other Web sites. Try to update your blog frequently.
For free step-by-step instructions on how to start a blog, go to www.blogger.com/start.
Also, read Jeff Worio’s informative article on Blogging for Business.
Tomorrow, I will talk about creating a web site for your company, another way to use the Internet to generate promotion and publicity for your business.
