Think about it! If you think it’s good enough having an ‘ad’ or ‘listing’ with a typical ‘portal site’ (marketing website) – For starters … the only website address you would be able to refer ‘visitors’ and potential clients would be to an obscure URL address …. something like : “http://SomeOtherSite/YourNameBnB.co.za ” (Note: not easy to remember is it?) or “ http://SomeOtherName/SubName/YourName/php/23weird/htm ”
The obvious problem here is that whilst you may think that this address is ‘adequate’ to use … as your own ‘temporary website address’… by dishing it out, yelling it out, or even having it printed on leaflets/pamphlets/flyers, business cards, brochures, and even in magazines & newspapers, … you are doing yourself a major ‘disservice’. All your own effort at marketing your place … right down to ‘word-of-mouth’ referrals… would be lost.
Why you may ask: …because you are actually ‘introducing’ your potential clients to your ‘rivals’…. to your ‘opposition’. By using this “shared-web-address” you introduce your client to a marketing website that not only has you listed, but… HAS ALL YOUR OPPOSITION as well… conveniently listed above or below your listing. (Note: the Online Marketing Companies will keep this hush-hush from you!)
Don’t think for one minute that a potential Client/ Tourist will not become ‘curios’ and browse through all the neighboring establishments, … especially as he/she is presented with a whole list on a silver platter! AND… you would never know if that Client/Tourist was initially hell-bent on making a reservation with you… but…changed his mind when presented with a whole lot of other alternative places. Don’t be ‘Confused … about advertising on portal websites ’
Remember… we are not saying that you must not advertise on the many ‘Marketing’ Websites out there (called Portals ). In fact we endorse the fact that you must continue to advertise on these sites as you have been – because you should have a strong web-presence on these ‘Portals’ … especially if your rivals/opposition are there as well. (Advertise your website on several Online Marketing portals is a must!)
Obviously when ‘Visitors/ Tourists’ ARRIVE or STUMBLE upon,… or DISCOVER a ‘Portal Website’…where there are lists of businesses/establishments etc., you should be there as well!!!
What we are saying is that …futuristically… the whole idea of ‘your-own-web-Name’ (Domain + Mini Website) is that when you promote ‘yourself ’ …when you embark on an ‘ad- campaign’ …. It is to generate more business for yourself! … not to introduce potential clients to someone else’s Portal Website …. not to promote someone else’s Portal Website where all your opposition are listed amongst your ads, And there is a very real risk of you perhaps losing that potential customer to one of your rivals… yet you are the one who inadvertently ‘introduced’ them to your opposition…by using a ‘Shared or Sub Domain Name (URL address)’.
Get you own Name & Mini Website at least and know that all your efforts are going to promote your business/establishment. |
