There are many great resources about marketing The site you're on right now (Entrepreneur.com) is a great one. A far as specific advice on using an existing website to market a business, here are a few tips that might help you:
First, make sure your website name makes sense to the audience(s) you are seeking to engage. If your domain name has nothing to do with your new direction, it can actually hurt your chances to be successful in your new business. Since you can buy a domain name for $10 or less (check out
EasyCgi.com for domain name research, buying and some great hosting packages.
Second, check out your content and coding. Great businesses engage buyers by paying attention to lots of details, including strong branding, site usability and functionality. You'll get where you want to go if these have all been anticipated and attended to.
Next, create winning marketing materials, again using professionally designed and copywritten materials that make sense for your new direction.
As far as creating a strong marketing budget and action plan, you first need to figure out a bunch of stuff: Who are your end users, what is your geographic footprint, what services are you offering? Once that's in hand, you can look into various online and print advertising options and pick the ones that make sense.
Overall great marketing tips:
Use diverse mechanisms to promote your brand.
Outsource to professionals to help you create the materials you need to be a player in this space.
Develop smart sales systems, and use technology to help you run and manage your business.
Network, take print ads, do direct mail and take ads on various online portals.
Also get involved with social networking spaces--all these can help you market your new firm with gusto!
Best of luck,
Pattie Simone
