New Business - What's this about a web?

[Elliot]

Hello everyone. My wife and I recently acquired a distributorship for medical alert devices. Many of you know the product called "Lifeline". We are distributing a different companies product with, what we believe to be a large potential market, in the pacific northwestern United States.

Unfortunately, the national affiliate does not market. That creativity is left to us. We have hired someone to put together a basic website for us... which is now up, but that is all. These may be dumn questions, however, how does one submit to search engines? Do they cost money? What would you all do, if you were like us... on a budget with little web knowledge?

Most of our marketing will be through direct solicitation with retirement centers, direct mail / ValPak and directly with physicians offices. Howerver, I know the web can be an important tool/resource for information on our product.

It is sad.... my 3 year old daughter is more literate on the web/computers than I am.

Thanks for any advice.

Elliot

[Yaro]

I'd ask your daughter for help

No, seriously - if the web is not your strong point and you never intend it to be, then you need to outsource your online marketing. Instead of hiring a web designer I suggest you hire an online marketing firm that can produce a real campaign for you - including attracting targeted traffic and not just a pretty website.

If you don't have the funds (I'd budget at least $5,000 if you want good results), then you need to either educate yourself or instruct someone in your business to be the web person and get them educated.

Either way, there is no simple solution - online marketing is a skill that takes time to implement and get results from.

[Andy]

Elliot,

Like Yaro says, getting a web site up is a start, but you've got to have some marketing help, not just good web help. There are many strategies in getting your site marketed effectively online and not all of it requires you to understand how to code. In fact, blogging itself requires minimal technical knowledge but can do a lot to help your personal brand and ethos. If you can establish yourself as an authority then people will also trust your product. The problem with that is that it requires some time, a lot of writing, a learning curve, and patience. If you aren't willing to do that then you'd be best finding a good web consultant.