Promotional Ideas

Hi, I have designed a site where i hope to be able to charge companies to have a page about them and what they do, this also includes pubs and clubs etc.

How much should i charge?
How should i go about promting my site. Is there any methodogies linked with this that may be interesting to look at? I would like to distribute some leaflets to local people. Is it better to spend more for a better leaflet, or less to give them the site details?

build web site traffic first before you do anything else. Why would anyone want to pay to have a page on your site if your site doesn't have meaningful traffic?

So i should build by including maybe information on the local area, walks, local events, schools, history, stuff which i couldnt get anyone to pay for.

Guess you could do it for free for a number of businesses for the first 6 months or something, and you will build a rappor with businesses and let them know how it is going and how it is benefiting them, so when you hav alot of traffic, you can go and have a chat to them about charging since you know them personally by then.

If they ask why are you doing it for free, don't lie, just say it's a small business idea and you are checking out the viability of it as an idea, but will remain free for the first few months (don't say 6 since you may only need 3 to get it going).

You would need an independant report to prove somehow what your traffic is. If I wanted to advertise my business, I'd want to know this. And also know from businesses you put on the site to give a declaration that they are getting business from it.

Remember - always look at the question "Why would a business pay you for this?"
And it's only if they can get money from it or save money from it.