There are a lot of articles and reports about generating site traffic online. On the other hand, I’ve seen only a few that discussed ways to generate traffic offline. So here are some ideas I’ve picked up here and there, and some of my own.
Give away “branded” stuff. Brand things you give away with your site address; t-shirts, caps, pins, stickers, anything. You can sell them, but it’s better to just give them away. The reward you get is much more fulfilling (you get a walking billboard), not to mention socially responsible (you clothe someone).
Harness the power of traditional media. Advertise on newspapers, on television, or on-air radio. Certainly it isn’t cheap, but well worth the money. Then again you can always try to do what people from my part of the world do when they want some press attention for free. Climb up on top of a really high place and make as if you’re about to jump (don’t do this at home kids). That’ll get you some looks from the media. Just don’t forget to wear your site-branded shirt.
Get the word out. Word-of-mouth promotion is free. Use it! Tell your family and friends that you have a new site or blog. Better yet, tell everyone. This is easy. Go to social events (parties, etc.) and try to subtly include your site in every conversation you make. This may offend some people’s sense of propriety, but it beats the alternative: telling complete strangers to visit your site as you pass them on the street.
Sponsor Events. Offer to contribute something to a community affair in return for a plug. You can do this with dances, league games, and other celebrations/programs. Or create an event of your own; a contest, for example. A word to the wise: beware the snowball effect. One must always be prepared (financially) for everything that can happen when conducting a contest-else he may find himself running from an avalanche of winners because he didn’t expect such enthusiastic participation and didn’t prepare enough prizes.
Involve others. Look for other webmasters who promote their sites offline. This way you can try the more outrageous promotion methods (these methods warrant a separate article) with safety in numbers. Also, try to make tie-ups with small businesses using a “You-promote-me-I-promote-you” approach. One that is related to your site’s niche is best. You wouldn’t want your “All about dogs” site to be promoted by an adult specialties shop, and vice versa, would you? Not only is it illogical, it’s also a bit of not downright disturbing.
So there. Good Luck!
Good ideas – I think you should have a balance of offline and online promotion for best effect.
The other day I seen a branded BT coffee mug. It surprised me at first as it looked so tacky, but then I thought – if I give enough of these away I can promote me or my business without even trying.