Write articles, and submit them to ezines and article directories (including a resource box advertising your ezine).

Explore pumping up your linking strategy with other high-traffic web sites.

*Don't Forget The Customer!

Now is time to reinforce customer relationship. Send them valuable, free information. Build that bond, establish trust.

This will make them more inclined to stay with you and not jump ship when your competition launches a price war.

*Don't Shut Down Your Advertising Efforts

It always amazes me how first thing corporate America does when presented with an economic bump is to shut down their advertising and public relations efforts. In an effort to control costs.

What they forget is that now, more than ever, it is important to keep a high presence. People are holding back on buying - when they finally decide to make a purchase, wouldn't you want to be one they think of first?

During this time, when advertising budgets plunge, media outlets offer sales. Take advantage of these opportunities, choosing those that have performed well for you in past.

*Think Outside Your Niche

Perhaps your product or service can be repositioned successfully in new markets.

As you can tell, it's not really that hard to prosper if you're willing to step outside box a bit.

See what's going on around you, apply your own unique point of view, and you'll be amazed at many ways you can build your business, and bottom line, during these crazy economic times.

The numbers:

1 sale, multiplied by $50 per sale, divided by 50 visitors, equals $1.

Now, your goal is to pay LESS than $1 cost per visitor - this difference is your profit.

You have to have a firm sense of your cost per visitor before moving forward with an expensive advertising campaign! Or you may soon find yourself overextended, and operating in red.

2. Capture Those Non-Customer Email Addresses!

Now, before you run out and start to place ads, there will be an increased level flowing through your site very soon. Remember our 50 visitor to one sale ratio from earlier? One will buy...but 49 won't. You have to have a way to capture non-purchasing visitor emails for future marketing efforts.

How to entice them to give up their addresses? Have sign up fields to your ezine on each and every page of your web site. Offer free information, in return for their email addresses (a free report, a multi-part mini course, a free ebook, etc.)

3. Track Your Way To Success

Finally, before you start advertising, you must have a way to track your results. Otherwise, you'll have no way of knowing which advertising vehicles are performing for you...which to keep, which to discard.

Sam Robbins' Adminder is one piece of software that is highly rated, and heavily used: http://www.adminder.com

If you successfully do all three of above, you'll be able to proceed with placing your ads with confidence, firm in knowledge that you're operating your business at a profit (and not running in red).