Five Basic Internet Marketing Strategies to Promote Your Professional Services

If you're not using the internet to market your professional services, you're missing out on expanded opportunities. Using the internet to promote your business will help you make the most out of your marketing efforts. Here are several very basic online marketing strategies to establish a presence online that will expand your reach to the global marketplace and grow your business substantially.

1. Have a powerful signature line
This is something many people overlook in their marketing strategy, and it can be very powerful for attracting business. Change your signature line at the bottom of all your emails frequently. Several 'signatures' can be created using Outlook or your email program. Offer a link to an article or tips list, or to your latest newsletter. Make sure to 'hot-link' your URL so that just by clicking, people will go right to your site. Add a call to action or a reason for visiting your site.

2. Develop a winning website
Choose a domain name that's easy for people to remember and spell. You can register your URL (website domain name) as soon as possible as a placeholder for your website even before you develop it. There are low cost templates available to get you started with a simple 5 or 10 page website so that you have an online presence. Provide value through your website to the type of people you would like to become clients. Set up a resource center for your area of specialty to build your reputation and draw traffic for your products and services.

3. Promote your website
Write your home page copy so that it's about your potential clients, not about you. Stand in the shoes of your ideal client and address the problems and challenges they have and the solutions your services can provide. Have attention getting headlines that sell on each page, and invite people to contact you or sign up for your newsletter. Determine two or three main keywords for each page that your ideal client would search on to find you, and use these words several times in the page body copy so the search engines can easily find you.

4. Publish an email newsletter
Offering an email newsletter - an 'ezine' - is the #1 way to promote your services online. It's one of the easiest ways to expand your reputation and increase referrals. People will receive many messages from you over time, and they will start to trust your expertise and style and will hire you and buy your products and services without you having to put a lot of effort into selling.

An email newsletter is a proven way to automatically bring people to your website where they can hire you or order something from you. It's a great way to expand your visibility and build your list.

You can write your own newsletter, or if you are pressed for time, send out a quote or a tips list, or pay someone else to do the writing - purchase a pre-written newsletter in your area of specialty. Inject your own personality into the ezine so that people come to know and trust you over time.

You can use an Excel spreadsheet or Outlook to start your list quickly, then automate the subscribe/unsubscribe process for your ezine after you reach 100 subscribers with a service such as AWeber, Get Response or Constant Contact.

5. Write articles and post them to online directories or online magazines
Develop the habit of writing about solutions to the problems you see your ideal clients repeatedly having. Write three key points you want them to know, then expand on each of these points by writing three sentences and you have an article! There are many online directories and magazines that will accept your articles. Offer your articles as free content to other ezines. Put your contact information at the bottom of the article so people who like what they read can contact you, and include a link to your own ezine subscription form.

Take Actio

Here are some simple steps you can take to get you started or to advance your efforts on each of the five strategies:nn- Signature line: Take a look at your current signature line. Can it be upgraded? Is there a call to action? Create several signature lines to promote various products or services.nn- Develop a website: Register your domain name. If you already have a website, do you have attention grabbing headlines that sell on each page? Begin to create a resource area at your website for your area of specialty.nn- Promote your website: Are the search engines finding you? Ask your webmaster to change your keywords and get your website ranked at the search engines so that people who search for the solutions you provide can find you easily.nn- Publish an email newsletter: If you're not currently offering a newsletter, create an 'editorial calendar' of topics you could easily write about in your area of specialty. If you do have an ezine, what steps can you take to substantially grow your subscriber base?nn- Post articles online: Block out an hour this week to create an outline and three key points for an article. Research which of the many online directories or online magazines you could submit your article to.