The answer is, probably. If you are practicing some of the web marketing techniques listed in Spinning the Hit Counter, you are probably seeing an increase in visitors. That's good. The next question is what are they doing once they get to your site? Hopefully they are staying long enough to learn more about your business and what benefits you can offer them.

Then what? Do they click to another location forgetting that they ever saw your name? Or do you see some result from their visit, preferably with an order or a visit to your physical store?

You website costs you money every month. Unless you have money to burn, you will want to see some return. And you can.

If you built your website to attract more people to your physical store, then use your website as an on going marketing or advertising campaign. Let's say you own a shoe store. When you think about advertising your merchandise, you immediately think of posters in your store windows and on the racks. They will call attention to the brands and types of shoes you sell. You may even run a small advertisement in the local paper.

Now, carry that over to your web site. Does your home page say "We sell shoes" or does it have pictures of the shoes and the brand names plainly visible? Which home page will get that customer into your store? A sporting goods store will do better with a website that shows the fishing poles, golf clubs, or ice skates being used. But of course, you know that and have conveyed that message to your webmaster.

The next step is to give the visitor and incentive to leave the computer and come to see you. A coupon or promotion that they could only learn about by visiting your website is a great way to get a customer into your store. But what if you visitor is in another state or your store is not opened at hours that are convenient? Here is where the web really shows it's potential as a silent salesperson. You have a few choices. You can have the potential customer call and leave an order that you will ship out the next day. You can have an order form that they can fill out and mail in with payment. Or, you can have on-line ordering either through yourself or another web service.

If you do not care to take orders and ship them out (this is not your core business), you can find other companies that will be more than happy to be a fulfillment center for your goods. You might even be able to offer items that are available only through your website by becoming an associate with a company whose products compliment yours.

Now, when a visitor comes to your site, they have options – buy on-line or visit your store. Either way, your website is making money for you!