8 simple ideas to increase your website traffic using business cards-on a localized level

If you`ve been promoting your online business for a while now, finding it difficult to build your lists and sales due to that barrier of mistrust inherent of the Internet, you will be pleased to know there is an alternative!

It`s plain and simple, good old fashioned face-to-face, or localized targeted marketing. There are people in your community right now who want and need what you are selling. I am sure you don`t care if your sales and customers come from across the globe, or across the street, right?

Here are 8 ideas for getting customers to your website, from your own neighborhood.

Design Key Points:

1. Make sure your website address is prominent on your cards. If your main goal is to promote your online business, you will want to make a clear action statement, something like `Visit our website, www.oursite.com, for a free report on...`

2. You can even put your autoresponder email address on your cards: `Email info@myautoresponder.com` for a free 3 day e-course...` You should choose one of these-you don`t want to clutter your cards with too many requests.

3. Your cards should also be clearly superior to plain inkjet home-printed cards. You want to build trust in your company, that you are a reliable, real, legitimate person in business, ready to serve your customer`s needs. Full color cards or raised ink cards on high quality paper, designed by a professional will accomplish this goal.

Now, you have your cards set up, so how do you get them out there?

Getting your cards in front of the locals:

4. Contact your local Internet Service Provider. See if they allow advertising in their billing statements. You can arrange to have your card stuffed into each of their statements. This is a targeted audience of Internet users.

5. Do you have a local Internet cafe? Go there and leave your business cards behind, on the tables, on the rack they provide, under the keyboards.
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6. Go to your local bookstore. Slip your cards in books related to Internet and web use. You`ve just given them a free bookmark.

7. Be ready with your cards. Speak to everyone you meet. Practice your introduction speech. Get the card out of your hand, and into someone else`s.

8. Consider joining business groups, especially of you are marketing business to business services and products. Go to the mixers and networking opportunities. There`s rotary, chamber of commerce, ABWA (American Business Women`s Association) and more. Find out what your community offers.

The point is this you don`t have to spend all your time stuffed into your desk, eyes glued to your monitor, fingers cramped over your keyboard. Offline promotion can be just as effective as online promotion of your website.

This type of offline promotion also breaks down one of the walls of marketing online people are one step closer to knowing and trusting you when you meet them in person.

If it seems overwhelming, just think of it in small steps. You start in your own neighborhood and then branch out. It takes time and patience, but the payoff is rewarding: more relationships with your customers, more visits to your website, more people buying your services and products.