How to take my web business forward?

I have a very sophisticated website doing a business process and already have 5 large customers using the website after paying. But due to expensive software development cost I have no money to market the product. Suggest me what should I do and give me some ideas.

"If you build it, they will come" is not necessarily true on the Web. Putting a website up is one thing, but getting visitors to come to your site is another. Getting them to buy your product is another thing. The process becomes even more difficult if you have limited resources to market your business.

Here are some shoestring marketing ideas that can help you get the visitors you need at the least cost possible:

1. Create the best content you can with the best products you can possibly offer. Your product is your best advertisement - if visitors love your product, then they will go back and spread the word to others.

2. Given that you are selling a software, offer a 30-day tryout period. Let the users use your product so they can see how useful it will be for them.

3. Make it easy for users to recommend your site. Viral marketing is very important -- and easy to tap on the Web. But give your users the tools. Get a Recommend this Site script from websites such as cgiscripts.com and similar directories of scripts. Some even go as far as giving incentives to those who recommend the site to their friends. If only 10 people go to your site, but these 10 people invite 10 more - that's additional traffic that you get for FREE!

4. Rank well in the search engines (organic search results, not the pay per click). SEs can be a big source of traffic. The key is to create the best content in your niche. If you have good content, other websites will gladly link to you and offer your site as a resource to their audience. Check the on-page factors and be sure to get linked from authority sites in your topic area.

If you are going to read only one piece on search engine optimization, I suggest you read Brett Tabke of WebmasterWorld.com's "Successful Site in 12 Months with Google Alone: 26 steps to 15k a day." http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum3/201...

5. Send out press releases. While outfits charge as much as $650 per release, there are free press release submission places on the Web. Press releases allow you to (a) attract media attention; (b) get more back links to your website without sending each website an email request; and (c) get more visibility especially if your press release gets in Google News or Yahoo News. My website (see my profile) accepts free press release submission (no strings attached!)

6. Submit articles. Write articles and submit them to websites accepting author submissions. You get exposure for your business; establishes you as an authority in your field, and allows you to get backlinks for your website. If 50 websites publish your article and it contains a link back to your website, then you easily get 50 links from a single article. The more links you have, the greater your chances for increasing your search engine rankings. This strategy is not really for getting buyers, but more for getting your brand name out there and getting more links to your website.

7. Improve your conversion. Getting visitors is one thing; getting them to buy your products is a whole different story. Read the article "10 Ways to Convert Visitors to Buyers" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/072005/conve... for tips on how to improve your conversion rates.

8. Get your product reviewed by software review publications and websites. This strategy alone can bring tremendous publicity for your business.

http://www.powerhomebiz.com/guide/cases/...

the best guru I know is Antion.com as in Tom Antion,
he has over 200 websites and is making millions.....
Located in Virginia Beach.