If your website is still just an online brochure that just sits there doing nothing, you are risking a complete shut out in the new online business competition for customers.

This doesn’t mean you have to go out and add a bunch of flash or moving elements to your website. Believe me, you want to limit your use of flash and be very strategic with it when you do because search engines can’t search and index content in Flash sites very effectively yet and it irritates visitors. It also doesn’t mean your website has to be complicated. In fact, just the opposite is recommended. You want to keep your visitors in mind at all times when working on your website and you want to keep it simple. Your ultimate goal is to get them the information they need as quickly and as easily as possible.

In today’s web 2.0 business climate, the need for a strong online interactive user experience increases by the day. An impersonal website that preaches how great you are is no longer going to cut it. Your website now needs to be utilized as a valuable and important tool to connect with your customers and prospects, to share information, and to build relationships.

What it does mean, is that your website should be regarded as a living, evolving, changing thing. From website design to website functionality, here are some basic recommendations for your website:

1. Your site should be consistently updated with new and valuable content regularly – a blog is a great solution.
2. Your site should share information your customers and prospects want and need, and help position you as an expert in your niche.
3. Your site should be a portal for high-quality information.
4. Your site should provide crystal clear contact information on every page so site visitor’s can easily get in touch with you.
5. Your site should make your marketing easier and make it easier for your visitor to get what they need.
6. Your site should have a call to action get visitors to take action, whether that is to build your list or make a purchase or contact you.
7. Your site should give visitors a reason to come back.
8. Your site should be authentic, representing you and your business, your values, and your benefits.
9. Your site should include an opt-in box to capture visitors’ email addresses in return for some valuable information.
10. Your site should generate new leads and prospects.
11. Your site should hep you make personal connections with visitors.
12. Your site should utilize automation tools and strategies to put your marketing on auto-pilot.
13. Your site should show up in the search engine results, preferably on the first page.
14. Your site should connect to and integrate where appropriate links to your social networking profiles and feeds from your posts.
15. Your site should include a media page and/or press room.
16. Your site should be flexible and expandable so it can grow with you as your business grows.
17. Your site should encourage interaction between you and your target market.
18. Your site should stand out from your competition and set you apart.
19. Your site should have a planned structure and design that plays a supporting role to your content.
20. Your site should help you make more money.

It’s obvious the media thinks we’re stuck in the middle of a bad economy, and maybe we are. It’s on the front of almost every newspaper and at the top of every news station on television. It seems as if it is all doom and gloom.

But I am here to tell you that many entrepreneurs may not agree. In fact several small business owners I know are taking advantage of this economic downturn to grow their businesses, expand into new markets, refine their skills, and systematize their processes. They are taking action now to ensure that when things do pick and up people starting spending money again, they are at the front of the pack leading the way for their industry.

Here are five simple things that you can do right now to build your brand and market your business in any economy:

1. Networking. This is not the time to pinch pennies and stay home to save money. Now is the time to be very selective and strategic about how you spend your marketing dollars and who you spend time networking with. Find out what networking events your target market frequents and attend those events. By networking strategically, you will expand your reach, connect with more prospects, and see a greater return on your networking dollars.

2. Allow for negotiation. You will find that there are many people that want to work with you and love your work but just feel like they can’t afford you. Make hiring you easy by providing options and allowing for some negotiation. You could offer payment by credit card or by payment plan, accept a barter arrangement when applicable, or set up the work to be done in phases. By being flexible, you are showing your client you understand that budgets may be tight and that you want to help.

3. Offer free events. By providing valuable and relevant information that your clients and prospects can use to make a difference in their lives or business you are positioning yourself as a go-to resource and expert. Host a free educational event at your office, in meeting space (often restaurants) will donate the space to gain the foot traffic), or even by telephone. Teleseminars are a popular way to host an event without the facility cost. My favorites are Free Conference Call and Instant Teleseminar. Combine a free networking opportunity with some great information and you are sure to grow your prospect list.

4. Use FREE tools. There are several tools available online to help you work faster and smarter. Utilize the power of social media to your advantage – Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn are the big three. By utilizing the tools and resources available on those sites you can promote your business and share valuable information with your networks. For example within three days of posting a page for my business on Facebook, I gained four new clients who saw my page and emailed me. You can also start a blog using WordPress, Blogger or Typepad among others for free. Blogging and commenting on blogs is a great way to get yourself out there and create better link-ability for your business. Several email marketing providers also offer free trials you can take advantage of.

5. Build strategic partners and joint-venture relationships. The best thing you can do to expand and build your brand is to have ambassadors out in the community promoting you. Look for other service providers that target the same market you do and offer and complimentary (not competitive) service and see how you refer business to each other to mutually benefit both businesses. You also want to look for individuals you can partner with on projects. By having both types of relationships in your pocket you can not only help your business continue to grow and expand, but you can feel good about helping another entrepreneurs business grow too.

The bottom line is that your customers and prospects will hire you or buy from you when they are ready, not when you are ready. The key is to stay consistent, keep networking and continue to market your business, because your efforts to build your brand today will provide you with the results you want tomorrow.