Website Design and Marketing Secrets
By Debbie Allen, All Rights Reserved

Why do you need to create a website for your business now? Not having a website today is like not having a business card!  Your web page can be your most effective business card.  Your business card of the future …and, the future is now!

Amazingly, over 60% of all small businesses still do not have a website.  Those companies are missing an incredible opportunity to market their business both locally and internationally.  In addition to your marketing, your customer will take note that your business is changing, growing and being innovative as well. Without a website, your customer may wonder if you are as successful as you say you are.   

Whether you decide to simply offer service and information on your site, your presence on the web can be an effective form of advertising and a way of giving better customer service to your current clientele.  

To be consistent, you can’t afford to not make an impact on the web!  Now over 97 million people across the world are online.  With the new web appliances, anyone can be online without a computer for as little as $99, plus a monthly Internet service fee.  The online customer base is growing rapidly.  To make your website successful, you must be active in creating it. Don’t let the title fool you – many Webmasters are not Masters.  No one knows your business better than YOU do!

How to get started or improve your site
The first step you need to take is to register your site or get a domain.  I suggest that you register for more than one domain.  Purchase multiple domain names with keywords and point them to your one main website.  I have 7 domain names now, and I’m always thinking of opportunities to add more that will drive traffic to my site.  Now more than 50% of my speaking engagements come from my website alone. I've received bookings from all over the U.S., Australia, U.K, Canada and Singapore, all from someone finding my website.  It is exciting to know that when you are sleeping away, your 24/7 billboard is selling clients on YOU and your business all around the world.

Register the name of your business as one domain (your website address) and register another for a keyword describing your business.  If a dot.com is already taken, you can go for a net or an org.  The search engines will find you just as effectively.  It is more important to think keywords that describe your business to use as multiple domain names.

Go to www.NameBoy.com or www.DomainInvestigator.com to search for an available domain name.  From this site, you can search for other domain name ideas by typing in one of your keywords.  A list will appear that suggests similar domain selections.

Other resources that sell domain names include www.NetworkSolutions.com.  This company will also launch your site and/or expand your Internet identity.   Take advantage of their evaluating optimizer, it will show your site’s ranking for free.  Another company that will host your website and sell you a secured server or shopping cart for online purchasing is www.PlanetNet.com.   

Creating An Effective Site
Creating a great website is not about flashy images and dynamic graphics.  A businesslike, easy to follow website is much more effective.  Forget about loud colors, blinking or scrolling text, fancy animated graphics or anything that distracts the eye.  Your visitor needs to concentrate on your text if you want to get them to “bite.”  

Compare your site to your business.  Keep your pages clean and well organized. People must be able to find things easily.  Imagine walking into a supermarket in a strange town to buy a box of tissue.  You are in a hurry.  To your dismay you find that none of the aisles are labeled and you’re forced to walk all over the store to find what you want.  How annoyed and fed up would you feel?  Sure, you still buy … but only because of the hassle involved in leaving the store and going to another. 

Online, this is as … click … “I’m outta here!” Actually, when you go to the supermarket you will normally find that everything is neatly labeled and tidily displayed in rows with signs above them … build your online business along the same lines. Learn to see your business through your customers’ eyes.  Apply what I call “the three clicks role” … make sure your visitor can find whatever they’re looking for within three clicks. If not, you run the risk of them becoming frustrated and leaving your website forever.

Three Steps Toward Online Success
Step #1 – Concept

• Determine your overall image. Consider what you want your site to offer.  Example: special services, featured products, special offers, etc.  Have a clear purpose and cater to your core customer base.  Determine reasons that viewers would come to your site. What do they expect?  What do they need?

• Create a storyboard.  Brainstorm and organize your ideas in the order you wish them to appear on your site.  Then add additional features such as graphics, sound, music, etc.

• Maintain consistency in your color scheme, font styles and sizes.  Use a white or light colored background to minimize download time.  Avoid low contrast in text.  Example: Blue text on a black background or yellow text on a white background.  If the viewer has to strain their eyes to read your text, they will simply click away.  

Step # 2 – Approach

• Support your Webmaster.  Your Webmaster will need your help and guidance to build an effective site.  You know how to service and sell to your customers, your Webmaster does not.  That is why it is so important for you to add your input into your Website design every step of the way.

Step #3 – Content

• Provide rich content.  Most Internet visitors will only stay on a site for a few minutes.  You can increase the chance of keeping your viewers on your site longer by adding valuable information that is continually updated and improved upon.  Your goal should be to add enough interesting and valuable information to keep the viewer on your site for 20 minutes or longer.  Feature strong headlines and keep your site updated.  Make your site easy to follow and easy to view so that viewers do not become frustrated and leave your site. 

Marketing Your Site To Search Engines and Directories
Now the most important step in marketing your site begins – registering your site with search engines and directories. There are over 20,000 search engines, but the top 30 are the most important.  And, the top three are critical to your online success.  

The average person clicks on four links before going on to a new search.  To ensure your spot on the top of the search engines, you need to know where most of the traffic comes from.  

Statistics say that 85% of the search engine/directory traffic comes from three main sources - Yahoo, Excite and Infoseek, with 50% of those coming from Yahoo alone.  These three sites offer a business express program for $199 that guarantees to look at your site within seven days.  Paying this fee is the only way to get listed today, but it does not guarantee you get placed on the site or get listed high on these directories. 

Yahoo is a directory – not a search engine.  A directory searches for keywords on your title bar and throughout your home page.  The keywords you choose are very important since that is what directories use to find your site.  Spiders or robots search from the top title bar to the bottom of your page.  

Search for the best keywords that viewers may use to find your site on www.GoTo.com and www.FindWhat.com.  These two sites let you buy your way to the top of their search engines by placing a small bid amount for each viewer that clicks on your site from their location.  Keywords cannot be used more than three times, or some search engines may kick you off their site.  You can, however, hide keywords all over your home page.  Example: Under photos, links, buttons, etc.

To list your site on other important search engines and directories, go to www.Add-Me.com.  This site takes you through a very simple step-by-step registration process.  This can help you get listed on 30 sites in a matter of minutes.  Much quicker than going to each site individually.  Use this free service monthly, then manually enter the other major search engines online. It takes very little effort and time to stay active on these sites.  But, when your efforts start to pay off with more viewers coming to your site, the online marketing fun begins.    

By using the strategies I have highlighted in this article, I have taken my site from nowhere to highly visible on the World Wide Web. You don’t have to be extremely Internet savvy or take a lot of time to make this work effectively for you, too. 

For more e-marketing tips and strategies, go to the links on Debbie Allen’s website at www.DebbieAllen.com (business associates and links) and/or contact Debbie Allen directly at 800-359-4544 to present on this topic.

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Bio: Debbie Allen is one of the world’s leading authorities on sales and marketing.  She is the author of five books including Confessions of Shameless Self Promoters and Skyrocketing Sales.  Debbie has helped thousands of people around the world attract customers like crazy with her innovative, no-cost marketing strategies and secrets to sales success.  Her expertise has been featured in Entrepreneur, Selling Power and Sales & Marketing Excellence.  Sign up for her FREE 6-week e-Course Business Success Secrets Revealed ($97 value) and take the online business card quiz to rate your marketing online now at www.DebbieAllen.com.