• Who Owns Your Web Site?
• Opportunity Knocks
• Diversify, Diversify, Diversify!

Archived Issues

Who Owns Your Web Site?

We all know just how important it is to have a web site for your business. In today’s world, you pretty much have to have a site – it’s often the first place customers look for information about your business and the products and/or services you provide. But once your web site is live on the web, do you know who owns it?

The answer to this really depends on the web developer that you select to build your web site. Believe it or not, some web firms actually retain ownership of your web site files, and sometimes they even retain ownership of your domain name! We have had clients come to us for help with updating or upgrading their web sites, only to find out that they don’t own their own web sites.

You might think that it doesn’t really matter, especially if you don’t need access to your site files very often. The problem with this comes in if you decide, for whatever reason, that you want to move your site to a different hosting company, or if you want another web developer to update or work on the site. If you don’t own the site, you will not have access to any of the files, and you won’t be able to move it or have another web team work on the site. The same is true for your domain name; if you didn’t register the name yourself, you may not actually own it, even though you paid for it!

So before hiring a web developer or firm, be sure to ask who will own the end-product, as well as the domain name. If you already have an existing web site, ask your web developer for a copy of your web site on a CD. (Note to Five Sparrows clients – of course you own your web site and domain name!) The same is true for other materials that you pay to have created – whether it’s a newsletter, logo, flyer, coupon, etc., you should be given an electronic copy (like a .pdf file) of the final product.

After all, if you paid for it – shouldn’t you own it?

Opportunity Knocks

Ever feel like you’re spinning your wheels when it comes to marketing your business? If you’re not getting the results you want with your current marketing efforts, it may be time to consider a new opportunity – a Promotion Opportunity!

A promotion opportunity can be found by identifying ways of reaching your target audience, then looking for the right "opportunity" to reach them. To get started, you will want to think about what types of marketing activities are realistic for you. If you’re a small business, then chances are that you won’t be running a series of network television ads. But what other opportunities exist for you? Can you offer a coupon? Is your web site listed in Google? Can you sponsor a local event in your community?

The key to finding a good promotion opportunity is to first think about your target audience. Look for groups of people with something in common. For instance, an auto insurance company might divide some of its customers into groups like teenagers/high-risk drivers, or families with more than one car. Both of these groups clearly have different insurance needs, so the company would probably want to offer separate types of insurance policies to each of them. For your business, decide on which groups of customers you want to target, then look for the best methods of reaching each group (the method for reaching teenagers, for example, would be different from the method used for reaching soccer moms).

Another way to find a good promotion opportunity is to look at what marketing strategies your competition already uses, then look for “gaps.” Do they advertise? If so, where do they place ads? Do they have a web site? Is it listed in the search engines? The “gaps” in their marketing could provide you with a great opportunity to get your business noticed. For example, if a competitor’s web site is outdated or old, this could be an opportunity for you to add new features to your company web site, like online shopping or uploading new coupons.

By finding the right promotion opportunities for your business, you stand a better chance of reaching the right people with the right message.

Diversify, Diversify, Diversify!

Most of us know that diversification is a good thing; whether it’s in regard to our professional training and skills or our financial investments, it’s usually wise to not “put all of your eggs into the same basket.”

The same is true for marketing your business – you should always use a variety of methods to promote your business. Studies show that consumers mentally integrate information from a variety of sources, so make sure you get your message out by using as many different techniques as you can.

The internet has become a major information source for many people (including your customers), so that may be a good place to start diversifying your marketing efforts. The obvious place to start is with your web site – is it up to date and current? Can customers find out how to contact you? Do you offer useful information for visitors? Whether your site is big and sophisticated or small and simple, a good web site is a valuable asset and an important part of any company’s marketing strategy.

Some other ideas to consider:

• Get your site listed in the major search engines (yes, it can be done!).
• List your business on quality online directories and related-industry web sites.
• Post your online coupons not only on your web site, but re-use them on other sites who offer this type of service.
• Re-use your existing marketing materials (brochures, flyers, menus, etc.) on your web site.
• Turn your marketing materials into email campaigns that you can send to customers and prospects.
• Take advantage of the programs offered by your local Chamber of Commerce. They often provide networking events and other services that can help you promote your business.
• Start a company newsletter that you can send to clients, either by postal service or via email.
• Send out a press release to announce interesting news or events about your business.

Be creative – a good variety of marketing techniques can go a long way. By diversifying your marketing efforts, you give customers the opportunity to hear your message in several different ways, making them more likely to remember you the next time they shop.

Five Sparrows values your privacy and will never share, sell, or rent your information to anyone, and you may unsubscribe from this publication at any time.

Copyright 2006 Five Sparrows, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
3889 Hartland Hills, Hartland, MI 48353
www.fivesparrows.com