improve your google ranking

Google rankings are great if your interest is how often your link comes up.  But since links only work if people go to your site, how do you recommend translating this into an improved Alexa rating which tracks actual visits?  It is the one marketing folks are more concerned with.  Determining a company's worthiness for an alliance is decided with the answer to this question "What is their Alexa rating?"  The lower the number, the better.  Google is a nice place to start, but the effectiveness of your links translate into sales, not how many times you come up on google and where you are today (especially since you pay to be up at the very top of the list which is why Stanley and Sears always outrank you), what is your link really saying that compels the reader to take action?

Is the lure attracting the fish?