No business owners would dream of offering a product or service and not think about how to market it. It's surprising then, that some business people believe that a web site is some sort of magic bullet. Just build the site, launch it and watch the sales numbers increase. Not so. Design and marketing go hand in hand.

"You can't do one without the other and be successful," said Malinda Pengelly, President of Beyond Email - a web design and marketing company in Greensboro, NC.

"Business owners need a marketing plan for their web site. It doesn't have to be elaborate. An outline on a sheet of paper can be enough," she said.

"There are only 10 to 15 search engines that really count," said Pengelly, including the well-known Yahoo!, HotBot and Alta Vista. Getting your web site on all the top engines should be your No. 1 Priority. "Submit to the top 15 no matter what you do," said Pengelly.

Once your site is up and running, it's a good idea to have a follow-up procedure to track its performance and to assess your marketing efforts. Many web site designers offer this and other services for a monthly fee.

Monitor the traffic, or hits, on your site. Which search engines are delivering the most traffic? If you're selling a product, track the orders. If you're getting good traffic but few orders, something is breaking down in the process. Many companies will also maintain your site, adding changes and updates as needed.

Another way to advertise your web site is to include the address on signature files in E-mails. Signature files can be automatically inserted in all E-mail correspondence. The signature file can also contain your company name and a short blurb about your company.

There are also more traditional ways for people to discover your site. Include the site address on any company advertising, promotional products and materials and business cards.

"It should go anywhere that your phone number goes. It's an extension of your company identity," Pengelly said.

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