According to an article published online at CNN Money , marketing professionals predict that more Americans will spend their holiday money online as opposed to in the stores. For Internet Marketers, the information is vital to building a profitable plan. It’s true that retailers can expect a decline in holiday spending in comparison to past years. Even with the conservation in spending, knowing that Americans will look to online solutions, it’s time to build the right campaigns to bring those customers to your virtual door. Customers this year are going to be looking for the following: Free shipping Exclusive online deals Coupons Discounts As you plan your internet marketing tactics for the remainder of 2008, make sure to remember that many Americans are more frugal this year. Bring them to your site by offering incentives, free shipping, deals and coupons and you may end up with a very profitable November and December! Linda for Contemporary VA

Internet marketers often focus so much of their time and effort on finding online methods for generating traffic to their website that they often overlook the offline techniques that can drive traffic as well. Your goal obviously is to get people to your site to learn more about your product or service. But, what if they aren’t even online to begin with. How do you spread the work about your site? Consider these offline marketing methods when developing your overall marketing strategy. Word of Mouth: You are the best person to market your site. Your passion for your product or service will come through when you talk to people. Use every opportunity (without going overboard) to mention what you do and suggest people visit your site for more information. Business Cards: You meet people everywhere you go and a business card is a convenient way to provide your contact information. Make sure your website is prominently listed, as well as any free offer that they can get at your site. Bumper Stickers/Vehicle Magnets: Granted everyone may not want to drive around with your website listed on their vehicle, but you can. Think about how many people see your vehicle each day. Even if you work at home, you still probably drive to the grocery store, chauffer the kids to school, and run errands on the weekends. Premiums/Give-Aways: If your business frequents trade shows, keep a supply of promotional items on hand to give to prospects. This can include pens, post-it-notes, t-shirts, hats, or anything that relates directly to your business. If you can’t afford enough to give to everyone, hold a drawing for a few larger prizes. Be sure to collect contact information on the entry slips – these folks are now a new prospecting source for you. Offline Ads: Consider running an ad in the newspaper or trade journal, whatever is appropriate for your business. Again, mention a free offer that they can get when they visit your site. Expert Advice: If your product or service has a unique angle or target market, contact a radio station to be a guest. Producers are always looking for fun and interesting things to bring to their listeners. The same is true for print magazines and newspapers. Write an eye-catching press release and submit it to various media outlets that match your target market. A well-rounded marketing plan will include both offline and online marketing strategies to drive traffic to your website. Test one or two ideas and monitor the results. Tweak the process until you see positive results. Add new marketing items to the mix on a regular basis to always keep fresh leads coming in and watch your website traffic grow. 

Cathy Yerges

Partnering in Your Marketing Success