What attracts and keeps customers to a website?

[onesoul]

I am helping (or trying to anyhow) a friend with his business.
Basically it is an online business right now, selling Fishing Lures and Molds.
Due to the fact that money is a wee problem right now, I set up the website for him. Not sure how well I did LOL, would post it, but it's against the rules.
Most search engine companies charges more then we can afford right now.
So.........what is the best free way to attract people to the website, other then the yahoo directory?
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Thanks!

[francisho]

Go for affiliate marketing,
find out ways to do it without spending a dime, how?

make use of the ever expensive search engines of coz lol

without spending a dime is overrated, but if you do invest money into it, look up for people who are already successful in the ebusiness and compare their package of "how to" ebooks, there are many scams out there though, be warned, personally, I don't really buy the ebusiness thing, it seemed too easy, and everyone's claiming how they can make you a millionaire, if they really can, there'll be too many millionaires out there, it doesn't sound right, not sure if I'm right but personally, I just don't buy it.

Anyone already making millions off the Internet who's willing to share his story? Please, not the type that "i made so much n so much using this n this product", "click here to buy" or "check it out at" kinda story

That's cheap and dirty advertising that sounds more like a scam than anything else

[llfwjr]

1) Have him try Google's Adwords program. Easy, flexible, and you only pay what you want for click-throughs to his site.

2) Make sure he includes keywords in his site's HTML.

3) Make sure he has a good amount of relevant content in the site.

4) Don't depend solely on the internet for sales. Check out other sales opportunities, like specialty stores, trade shows.

5) Look into other forms of advertising - like classifieds in specialty magazines.