The first phase in Blue Archer's strategic marketing approach: ECCO.

Logically, before your website can become effective, your market must be exposed to it. Every website strategy must include exposure strategies. How will you drive traffic to your website?

I still talk to potential e-commerce clients that want to sell their products online but have not considered how they'll attract buyers. Even today, with the internet rapidly maturing, there are still organizations that assume the web will somehow magically produce traffic to their website. And this certainly is not the case.

When considering exposure, you need to consider every medium that can be used to drive traffic to your website. You should integrate traditional marketing, online marketing, and in-store marketing (if you have a physical location). Some specifics include:

- Email your current customers with online promotions. Encourage them to forward the email to friends.

- Post your website address on EVERYTHING. Don't forget about invoices, receipts, boxes, bags, business cards, storefronts, yellow pages, print advertisements, email signatures, t-shirts, hats, cars, brochures, folders- you get the picture.

- Leverage online marketing, which may include search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, and banner advertising.

- Take the opportunity to creatively integrate your website into trade show booths or seminars

A holistic approach to exposing your website will, over time, ensure that you're driving traffic to the site.

But what do you do once the traffic comes?

Bob Faletti
Principal and Co-founder

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