I am not a happy camper.
But life goes on. It has to. So how can an Internet marketer run an Internet business without a website? Here are a few workarounds to keep you in business while things get straightened out.
1) Keep an alternate email address in your back pocket. Sure it looks more professional to have your email address with part of your URL or website listed as the root. But having a free email address is also handy if your website isn’t working.
2) Invest in a shopping cart. My shopping cart is my most valued piece of Internet marketing real estate. It is the reason I am able to contact you today, regardless of the fact that my site is down. You can use a shopping cart to send up a flare in the form of autoresponders, emails, and ezines -- contacting your customers and leads, letting them know you’re still alive and well. You can even do promotions and make sales directly through the cart (if you have good copy).
3) Do direct mail, voice broadcasts, or faxes. I feel like I’m time-traveling back to the dinosaur days but sometimes a postcard or an actual hard copy of a sales letter can cut through the clutter when an email cannot. Of course you can’t send them to a website if yours is down. Have them call a phone number. Fortunately I have detailed information for many (not all) of my subscribers. If you haven’t been collecting addresses, phone numbers, and/or fax numbers I suggest you begin.
4) Find joint venture partners. Even if you don’t have a website, you can find someone else who is selling a product related to your field. In the carrot-growing business? Why not joint venture with someone in the tomato business? If you have a database you can still survive a website crisis. I wouldn’t advise going to your list too often to sell or you will lose many subscribers and a lot of good will.
5) Back ‘er up. You must have a back up copy of your website or you will be in a world of hurt when it comes time to rebuild that puppy. I work with people who have lost months just trying to get their site staked out online. My webmaster, my virtual assistant and I all have a backup copy of my website. Wanna see? I wish I could show you but my server is having issues. So no site for me. Author Resource - Copywriting guru Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero has been helping entrepreneurs and copywriters get their marketing messages razor sharp since 1999. Get free access to 5 tips to turn your "blah" sales message into red-hot copy that ROCKS... at http://www.redhotcopy.com/start/store.php
