People sometimes really miss the boat on simple ways to market their web site. Your URL IS part of your company and should be incorporated into ANY marketing you may do. I have a client with a retail store who proudly showed off his new T-shirts to me one day. To my dismay, no URL was present anywhere on the shirts. It doesn't cost much to add a URL to anything that you currently use to market your business, but some of these you may have forgotten all about. The tips below are CHEAP and EASY ways to get traffic to your site.

1. T-shirts/Uniforms/Clothing - URLs don't occupy much space. A lot of companies put it under the logo or even on the back under the collar in small letters. Try a cap with just the URL; maybe even as a giveaway.

2. Stationary - Do you have your URL on business cards, letterhead, invoices, bills, and checks? Print that URL on anything that you would put your phone number on. It doesn't usually cost anything additional, and it will put your name in front of thousands. Ever think of putting your URL on your cash register receipt? It's probably quite easy to do. The GAP even goes as far as to put there URL on the cash register display. (see Silicon Alley Reporter Magazine, issue #25, p70)

3. Signage (Storefront) - Do you have a retail store with a sign in front? Why not put your URL on it? Closed signs are perfect for this. For example, "Sorry we are closed ... but you can still visit us at www.yourcompany.com". This is also perfect for realtors. For example, "To learn more about this home or take a virtual home tour, check out www.real-estatecompany.com" Every company has a sign that can have the URL as well. Why not?

4. Signage (Mobile) - This is a continuation on the above, but mobile signage is a bit different. Most companies have delivery trucks or a company car with signage. Adding your URL to these things is easy but a lot of people don't do it. Bumper stickers and license plate frames are also common items that can improve your mobile marketing.

5. Packaging - Do you sell a product in a box, bag or wrapper. Try printing something like "For more information on this product or to order more go to www.yourcompany.com". Tags on products could have URL's as well. If you use bags at your store, put the URL on these. People use bags over and over again, giving you more marketing impact. The David Bruce winery promotes their website in the smallest space available on their product - the cork!

6. Voice Mail/Answering Machine/Hold Message - Here is a perfect place to provide after-hour callers a way to get in touch with your company. Try something like this: "Sorry we aren't able to come to the phone.... please check us out on the web at www.yourcompany.com... many answers to frequently asked questions can be found by clicking on customer service button" Instead of leaving a message or calling back, they maybe able to get the answers from your web site. You get the idea?

7. Traditional Advertising - Every business will run some sort of advertising. Whether it is a newspaper ad or TV ad, the URL should be an integral part of your ad. Look through any magazine or newspaper. Everyone is doing it. Come on; join in!

8. Press Releases - Most companies use press releases to announce changes in their company or new services that they offer. Press releases are a form of cheap marketing that a lot of people use. If you don't use this tool for marketing your business, maybe you need to read "How to Write Press Releases". If you do use this tool, you need to make sure that the URL is included in the release. Put it in there as many times as you can. Some news services will edit your release, so make sure that you repeat the URL, so that it will get it in print.

9. Banner Ads - "Wait a minute. Why would you want your URL on a banner ad?" you ask. The important thing about any form of advertising is that your message gets across to the viewer, even if they don't take immediate action. The average click through rate (how many people click on your ad and go to your website) for a banner ad is about 5%. So, every time your ad shows it is important that the other 95% of people who didn't click on your ad have something to remember from your advertising. BRAND your web address into the viewers mind. They may not click your banner, but they may remember your URL later on when they want to go to your site.

10. SPEAK!! - Talk about your site to EVERYONE. I am amazed by the number of my own clients that don't use this simple and free means to promote themselves. Training your staff to talk about the website will also bring more people to the site. Get everyone in your organization involved. Try it yourself. Ask your customers, "Hey, have you been to our website at www.yourcompany.com?" Invite them to try it out. Maybe even give them one of your new business cards, so they don't forget the URL ; )

-Contributed by Adam Strong, C.E.O. of Strong Visuals

The opinions stated in this article are strictly opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Eclipse E-zine. If you would like to write an article for Eclipse, please contact us!