Developing a Promotional Plan
(Page 1 of 5 )
This article takes a look at the overall goals of your site and why a plan is needed for its success. Whether your site is designed to send traffic to an offline business, convert traffic to online sales, sign up people for further information, or is an exclusively informational site, you need to determine those overall goals and objectives.
Every website needs a promotional plan to ensure that the goals and objectives of a business’s website are achieved. In the make believe world of the movies, they may be able say, “if you build it, they will come”. In the real life of business, however, a much more active approach to marketing and promotions is required.
Your site needs a promotional plan to reach its goals. In order to formulate a strong promotional plan, you need to know what those goals are for you and for your website.
Your website needs a goal and a purpose. What you have to do is to decide what your site is supposed to be doing for you and your business. While most promotional articles offer the nuts and bolts, we will take this opportunity to look at the overall goals of your site, and why a plan is needed for its success.
For many people the website is a tool to gain added business for an offline company. For others, the website may be the entire venture in itself. Still other websites may be designed as informational sites and targeted and qualified traffic is not a concern. A good promotional plan needs to consider these factors.
You must know who, either businesses, or consumers, or even both, constitute the target market for your business. If you are going to use your website as a vehicle to convert those potential prospects into paying customers and clients, you need to identify who they are first. Some preliminary market research will be required to answer that question.
Another need is to decide where and how you are going to communicate your promotional and marketing message to your identified target audience. There are virtually unlimited methods to reach your potential customers. You must select the avenues that are right for you, your business, and your promotional budget.
Once you have answered these basic questions, you are ready to begin developing a promotional plan, for your own website.
Next: Planning your Website Goals >>
More Website Promotion Articles
More By Wayne Hurlbert
/ 17 
