Use your web site to attract, incubate, and progress leads so they are ready to be closed. Traditional marketing will bring visitors to your site. On site promotions are designed to keep customers interested in, and returning to, your web site. Great promotions also bring in new customers.
 

• Consider drawings for free product, ecoupons, or additional services.
   

• Good, fresh, useful content is needed to keep visitors returning. Promotions should be changed on a regular basis. Once visitors reach your site, make it worthwhile to stay by providing useful content such as industry white papers, trade show and industry updates, or seminar notes. Only 25% of the average Internet retailer’s customers are repeat buyers.
   

• Provide your catalog and product brochures in Acrobat format (.PDF) on your site. This allows visitors to print all or just parts of what they want at their own convenience. Also provide an option for them to request it be mailed to them.
   

• Create multiple email addresses to provide several options for visitors to contact you via email. Include email addresses for sales help, technical information, order tracking, financial questions, and an opportunity to send an email directly to the boss. Your prompt response to email inquiries is also critical. Within 5 minutes is best. Take no longer to respond than the next day.
   

• Create a customer testimonial section complete with photos where satisfied customers are quoted raving about your products and services. Ask them if they would be willing to include an email address where visitors can ask them questions about what they said. Better yet, you provide them with a forwarding email box on your site.
   

• Some suggestions for onsite brochures:
• Provide one large brochure covering most or all of your products or services or several smaller brochures targeting one specific product or service.
• Photos and descriptions of customers before and after using your product or services
• Why your product is better. Include table with feature comparisons
• Informational brochure showing how to use your product
• Company information including history, philosophy, policies, staff bios
• List of benefits obtained by using your products
   

• Create a special password protected section for exclusive use by your customers and people they choose to share the password with. This is the web version of word of mouth advertising. Most people genuinely enjoy sharing positive discoveries with their friends and family. Your goal is to make your site one of these positive discoveries. To do this, you’ll need to make this section as enjoyable, valuable, and useful as possible. Many companies strive to make their entire site like this, but that results in treating casual visitors the same as you do loyal friends and customers. This does not effectively convey your feeling of appreciation to those who are both loyal to you and willing to recommend you to their friends and family. This section should contain valuable, non-public information, and product add-ons and enhancements including:
• Inside information about your industry and products
• Annotated links to valuable sites
• Downloadable graphics, images, screen backgrounds, or screensavers WITHOUT any advertising
• Puzzles, jokes, or humorous stories
• Entry in drawing for free upgrade, month’s service, with a high percentage of winners
• Sign up form for them to be a new prototype tester
• Product improvement suggestion box with personal response from your administrative or development staff
• Streaming instructional video (beyond basic training) with product usage tips or suggestions