One of best ways to get traffic while waiting to be listed by search engines is through link exchanges with other quality sites. This will also help you to get better search engine rankings.

You can easily go after your target market by trading links with sites that relate to your offer. How do you find sites willing to trade links? You can go directly to sites that interest you and see if they offer reciprocal linking. Review site and contact site owner or administrator by email and asking.

You can also conduct a search using "directory of link exchanges", "reciprocal linking", "banner exchanges" etc., to find sites that might be willing to trade links themselves, or provide a list of other willing sites.

Many of your requests for a link will probably meet with a negative or no response. The reason why is simple. It's back to WIIFM (What's In It For Me) principle, most basic of motivators in human psyche. If you approach a well established site to link to you, there has to be a good reason for them to do so.

I have received a number of emails simply stating "link to me - http://www.somewebsite.com". That kind of promotional strategy gets you nowhere.

Here are a few hints and tips for site owners as to how you can persuade an established site to link to yours.

1. Most Important! Be Polite.

When you send your email for a linking request, make sure that tone of it is extremely courteous and not demanding.

If English is your second language, run your request note by someone who is familiar with complexities of language. The way you word your note is most important factor as to whether another web master will even bother with taking time to take a look at your site.

2. Grammar and Spelling

Your request note is your official representation. If you don't take time to spell correctly, other web masters may believe that your site will be of same quality, and discard your request immediately.

3. Ensure your site is complete.

No one will link to a half finished site.

4. Respect that many web masters are busy people

Don't expect an answer straight away and harass site owner with countless follow up emails. Leave it for at least two weeks before your second contact and ensure that second note is equally as polite as first.

5. Read site

Ensure you take a good look over site you wish to link to you. Be familiar with it's content and mention some of content in your request for linkage. Identify common theme between sites. If site has a "Submit your URL" page, use it. Be sure to read guidelines for submission carefully.

6. Appeal to web masters WIIFM (What's In It For Me) motivator.

Experienced site owners can pick a new web master or site a mile off, so don't misrepresent your site or it's traffic levels if you propose a reciprocal (swap) links agreement. Point web master to a section of your site where you provide content or tools that are original and would be of use to their site's visitors.

Otherwise, you risk missing opportunities, and not maximizing return on your investment in your online presence.

If you haven't visited your own Website for a while, look at it again in light of these questions:

1. Does your Website present an appropriate image of your company? Marketers talk a lot about branding, and consistency of message. Does your company site reflect how you'd like your customers to feel about your business? Is it sophisticated, and professional looking? Does it speak directly to visitors in language that they'll understand, and in ways that relate to their issues and needs?

Image is also about public relations. Publicity is a powerful marketing tool, and reporters are increasingly looking for stories and information online. Does your Website offer a media center? Does it offer comment on current events in your industry? Do you face up to bad news, and spin it to your advantage? Whatever you may think of Microsoft, check out their extensive Press Pass area at:

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/default.asp

2. Does your Website suggest potential for new or currently untapped markets? In almost all sites that I've consulted for, we've identified markets or audiences beyond "real-world" customer base of business.

This may be because site extends geographic reach of your marketing. If you have good content on your site, it may also be because visitors looking for your subject area find you in search engines, and come to read your articles and white papers.

Either way, if you find many "non-traditional" visitors to your site, you should assess whether they constitute a possible new market area for your business.

3. Does your Website suggest potential for new products or services? A clear understanding of your visitor needs may also encourage you to consider new products or services. On Web, bundling expertise into downloadable, for-sale content provides valuable new revenue streams for many businesses and non-profits.

You can find great clues for development ideas by tracking keywords entered into your own site search engine. These show what visitors expect to find on your site - and therefore what they expect your company to offer.

4. Does your Website provide continuing added value for existing customers? Most site owners focus on acquiring new customers, and fail to maximize opportunities to support and service existing ones.