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Are You Neglecting Your Website?

You know that your horse business website can be a great friend to you in your equine marketing, but are you paying it the attention that it deserves? Are you forgetting to introduce your friend?

The first step toward maximizing the benefit that your business gets from your website is to make sure that people know it exists. One of the primary ways to tell people about your website is by giving them the address. Not that you should stand on a corner and tell passersby "I have a website at www-dot-myfarmname-dot-com!" You could do that, but you will reach more people, more effectively, with little effort, and—better yet!—no expense, with these methods:

1. Print your website address (or "URL") on all of your marketing materials: in print ads, on letterhead and envelopes, on your business cards, and both on the packaging and in the footage of your sale and stallion videos and DVDs.
2. If you post on Internet forums, most allow you to include a web address in either your profile or your "signature" line. Remember to include your URL, and every time you make an online post you will automatically introduce your website to all of the readers.
3. Learn how to set up a signature file for your email program. The method varies depending on your email service provider and which program you use to write your mail, but is possible for virtually all email accounts. At minimum, include the name of your website and the URL. Every time you send an email, the recipient receives an introduction to your website or a reminder to take a look.

Don't forget about your website. Spread the word and let your site get discovered!

Have a question about marketing your equine website or other comments regarding this article? Send Ingrid an email at Ingrid@equinnovation.com. Thanks for your feedback!

Copyright 2005. This article first appeared in The Equine Business Edge, Equinnovation's complimentary newsletter (click to subscribe).

Contents may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

For information on republishing this article, please email Ingrid@equinnovation.com or call Ingrid at 231-275-3355.