Internet Marketing for Small Business: tools, strategies and solutions for small businesses marketing on the internet.

"What Can the Internet Do For Me?"

Good question. Let's see if we can give you an answer. But first, a couple of questions for you:

• Do you run a small business?
• Do you already have a business website?
• Do you wonder why (or whether) you should?

You might think that if you run a business that provides a local service (a hairdressing salon, plumbing or building services, a pub or a restaurant, a newsagent's, a butcher's or greengrocer's shop, a garage - you get the picture?) then there's no point in having a website for your business.

Or maybe you've got a website that's not doing anything for you, so you think it can't help you.

Think again!

Marketing your small business on the internet can put you head and shoulders above the competition. In short, it can help you:

• win new customers
• turn one-off customers into lifetime customers
• establish yourself as The Expert in your field
• reach a global audience
• add extra revenue streams to your business

You see, there are 3 ways the internet can generate revenue for your business. You can:

• sell your own product or service - and charge for it
• sell somebody else's product or service - and receive a commission
• sell advertising - either directly or by joining a programme.

And of course, you can do 2 of these - or even all 3 - in the same website. Or even on the same web page.

And you build your own reputation!

You are no longer Mr Jones, the butcher; you are James Jones of Meat.com (if the domain name "meat.com" were still available - which it isn't!).

You'll use your website as the focus of your other marketing activities - which will include a newsletter, and maybe a membership site. You can become known as the acknowledged expert in your field. And your business will grow exponentially. And then you'll wonder why you didn't start marketing your business on the internet years ago!

And that, in a nutshell, is why you ought to use the web for your business. The next question is: how to go about it. And this is introduced on the next page: Web Site Basics.