NFIB

Using Discussion Groups to Build Site Loyalty
04/ 15/ 2002

by Peter Kent

"How do I bring people to my site and get them to return?" This is the question on the lips of every small business owner who has ventured to the Web in search of increased profits. Online discussion groups offer a unique and cost-effective solution to attract and retain pre-qualified customers to your Web site.

Discussion groups provide your site with free content and help you create online communities in which people with particular interests -interests related to the purpose of the Web sites themselves - gather to chat. Most importantly, participants in these discussions are potential customers who can provide your business or Web site with word-of-mouth referrals. When building online discussion groups, consider what you will need to set up the discussion-group program and how you will build the "critical mass" necessary to get the discussion off the ground.

Install a discussion board. For the computer novice, this can be complicated and time consuming. If you have developed or plan to develop your Web site with the help of an e-business or Web hosting service provider, check to see if they offer tools or programs for easy discussion board set up. Some companies, including BizBlast.com, offer a one-click installation discussion board in their hosting packages.

Attract chatters. Start by contacting friends and acquaintances with an interest in the discussion topics and asking them to leave a message on the first day of your launch. Reach potential participants via third-party introductions or referrals from other discussion groups or Web sites with focuses similar to your site. Contact owners of Web sites or authors of email newsletters related to your discussion topic and ask them to announce the opening of your site. You can also post your introduction at other discussion groups, including newsgroups, mailings lists, Web forums and CompuServe and AOL forums, that are likely to attract the same people you seek.

Cultivate discussion. Once your initial participants are in place, you'll need to remain active in the early days, answering questions and encouraging further discussion. The most successful discussions have a core of active members who keep the conversation going. Keep your eyes on the messages and encourage them to continue.

Sell. Place advertisements to push participants to other areas of your site or announce additions or modification to your "store." Most importantly, discussion groups give your business visibility and positions you as an "expert" on a topic.

When managed correctly, discussion groups can build site traffic and create loyalty among key audiences.

Kent is founder of BizBlast.com and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Internet (MacMillan, $16) and Poor Richard's Web Site (Top Floor, $20).

Loyalty leaders

E-commerce sites with the most loyal customers, according to customer surveys:
Nascar.com (http://www.nascar.com)
eBay.com (http://www.ebay.com)
BabyCenter.com (http://www.babycenter.com)
Edmunds.com (http://www.edmunds.com)
Kbb.com (http://www.kbb.com)

Source: Internet consulting firm Digital Idea

An easier way

If you're not planning to sell online, but need to get a Web presence, a new Internet service called GoToTheBusiness.com is worth considering.

For $24.99 per month, the Omaha, Neb.-based company will create a standard Web page for your business, which will then be located at http://www.gotothebusiness.com/yourbusiness.com.

It's a low-hassle way to put the basics of your business online, such as hours of operation, services or products offered. GoToTheBusiness submits your site to search engines and can even put up photos of your business or products.
The best feature is the search function within the site, which is intended to help people find local small businesses. In this way, the site functions more like a Yellow Pages, but allowing you to give much more information about your business than in a full-page advertisement.

To find out more, go to http://www.gotothebusiness.com.

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This article originally appeared in the January/February 2001 issue of MyBusiness Magazine, NFIB's member magazine.

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