It is important to note that just placing a banner on your website which links to your mall is not enough. The vast majority of people simply ignore banners.

Navigation Bar Link

By far, the most effective way to promote your mall is to place a link to your mall (using the word “MALL” or “STORE”) on your main navigation bar, so that the link appears on each page of your website, especially your home page, and so that the link is visible when each page loads (without having to go to any type of drop down menu). When a person clicks on the word "MALL" or "STORE", the person should be taken directly to your mall (and not to another page of your website describing your mall).

Text Links

Although integrating your mall into your navigation bar is, by far, the most effective way to maximize the potential of your mall, the use of text links is also a great way to promote your mall.

Keep in mind that links which appear on your home page are dramatically more effective than links which appear on other pages. Also, regardless of which page you place the link on, the closer the link is to the top of the page, the more traffic the link will drive to your mall. We recommend a highly visible spot at or near the top of the page which loads when a person visits your website.

When using text links it is very important to use the correct verbiage. A text link which simply consists of the word “Mall” or “Store” is not the best way to promote your mall. A more descriptive, more enticing text link would be much more effective.

Below, are some examples of effective text links:

1. “Purchase your holiday gifts here”
2. “Click here to shop for Fall apparel and accessories”
3. “Buy DVDs here - a percentage of whatever amount you spend goes to [your organization]”
4. “Great deals on Back to School items - a percentage of whatever amount you spend goes to [your organization]”

If you wish to add more lengthy text describing your mall, text such as the following is very effective: "Please visit our online mall at [the domain of your mall - for example, AmericanPAMall.org]. Through our mall, you can shop at over 300 popular online stores, such as Sears, Office Max, Petco and Barnes & Noble. A percentage of whatever amount you spend at any of these stores goes to [name of your organization - for example, the American Pigeon Association]. These proceeds help enable us to [a short summary of the services your organization provides - example text: continue our advocacy and educational efforts aimed at promoting the owning, breeding and showing of pigeons, as well as to continue to organize free events for our members on a regular basis]. All the retailers featured at our mall have a consistent history of selling quality products and providing good customer support and, thus, you can be assured of a pleasant shopping experience. There is absolutely no additional cost to you. Please visit our mall at [the domain of your mall - for example, AmericanPAMall.org]. Thank you for your support."

Don't be afraid to add text links throughout your website. In doing so, you can effectively remind your members and supporters that you have a mall, as well as describe what your mall has to offer.

Blogs

Blogs are among the most popular online communication tools today. Reviewing your mall on your blog and including a link to your mall will significantly increase your members' and supporters' awareness of your mall, which will significantly increase the revenue generated by your mall.

In reviewing your mall, be sure to state the reason why your members and supporters should purchase items through your mall (with the reason being that a percentage of whatever amount your members and supporters spend goes to your organization). Giving a specific example of how the revenue generated by your mall has been used and/or will be used is very helpful. You can even mention some of the well-known stores featured at your mall, like Sears, Office Max, Petco and Barnes & Noble. Additionally, you can point out that since all the retailers featured at your mall have a consistent history of selling quality products and providing good customer support, your members and supporters are assured of a pleasant shopping experience. Just be sure that your review includes a direct link to your mall.

Online Communities

Online communities of any type (such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace) are yet another very effective way of letting your members and supporters know of your mall. Facebook, Twitter and MySpace are particularly effective, given the tremendous number of people that go to these websites on a daily basis. If your non-profit organization does not have a Facebook, Twitter and MySpace page, then consider getting one. The effort is minimal and the reward can be huge. By placing a link to your mall on your Facebook, Twitter and MySpace pages, visitors will easily learn of your mall. Just make sure that the link to your mall clearly stands out.

Emails

If you have a list of supporters that you periodically email, consider sending them an email informing them of your mall.

The following is a sample email:

"Dear Valued Supporters,

We are pleased to announce the opening of our online mall at [the domain of your mall - for example, AmericanPAMall.org]. Through our mall, you can shop at over 300 popular online stores, such as Sears, Office Max, Petco and Barnes & Noble. A percentage of whatever amount you spend at any of these stores goes to [name of your organization - for example, the American Pigeon Association]. These proceeds help enable us to [a short summary of the services your organization provides - example text: continue our advocacy and educational efforts aimed at promoting the owning, breeding and showing of pigeons, as well as to continue to organize free events for our members on a regular basis]. All the retailers featured at our mall have a consistent history of selling quality products and providing good customer support and, thus, you can be assured of a pleasant shopping experience. There is absolutely no additional cost to you. Please visit our mall at [the domain of your mall - for example, AmericanPAMall.org].

Thank you for your support,

[name of your organization - for example, the American Pigeon Association]"

Newsletters

Newsletters are another great way to effectively promote your mall. Persons who sign up to receive your newsletter do so to be kept up to date with your website. Thus, this group of people would, by their nature, be very interested in learning about your mall.

The best way to mention your mall in your newsletter is to use a text link (please see Text Links above) or write a review of your mall (please see Blogs above), just be sure to include a direct link to your mall.

Podcasts, RSS Feeds, Press/News Releases, Message Boards/Forums, Open Letters and Message Boards/Email Signatures

These are all avenues which can be used to maximize the revenue generated by your mall. Podcasts, RSS feeds, press/news releases, message boards/forums and open letters can be used to get your members and supporters interested in your mall. The simple inclusion of the phrase “Your Organization's Mall - the URL of your mall” (for example, “Organization To End Hunger Now - http://www.website.com/mall.html”) at the bottom of your message board/email signature is an easy way to gently remind your members and supporters of the existence of your mall on a regular basis.

Offline Media

Offline media (for example, any type of printed materials) is an often overlooked way to let your members and supporters know of the existence of your mall and encourage your members and supporters to visit your mall.