Why Your Small Businesses Should Have a Website

Written on October 28, 2008 by admin

When the next person asks for your website address maybe you should be telling them ‘www.online-soon.com’.   After all, if all these people keep asking about your website then maybe it is time to rearrange business priorities, stop procrastinating, and put website development into the next quarterly budget.

As the owner of a Thailand-based web development company, I can tell you that going online with your business does not need to be cost prohibitive and that there are experts available that can help guide you each step of the way.

Why it makes ‘cents’ to have a website for your business:
1. Online Marketing
Building an effective website and developing an online marketing strategy can be some of the highest return-on-investment initiative a company can take.  Another marketing advantage is that there is no other medium that is as versatile and responsive to your business as a website.  Data published in June 2008 (www.internetworldstats.com) tells us that there are 250 million Internet users in North America, almost 390 million Internet users in all of the Americas and 1.5 Billion worldwide.  How many of your target customers and clientele are online?
2. Education
People want to know details about your business.  One of the main reasons that consumers use the Internet is to learn about products and services. Background information about your company and your products, testimonials from other customers, information about your staff and management, and some helpful and pleasing graphical information will all help to promote your business.  Online consumers are typically looking for enough information on which to base a decision.  Your website can help to educate people and help to generate trust.
3.  Working for you 24/7.
Your website is working for you, even when you are not.  Your customers have the opportunity to go online at any time, day or night.  With today’s analytic tools a business has the opportunity to study peoples activity patterns, which can help you learn more about your business.
4. Provide Important Information
A website can provide customer’s with information that they just cannot get in any other media.  For example, you may want to include a map of your business location, your business hours, contact information, and to give your customers an opportunity to send you a contact message at any time.
5. Customer Communication
Many business owners will tell you that the most important customers are the customers that you have already.  There is no easier and more convenient method to maintain customer contact than through the online medium.  Through your website, you can maintain a contact database of your customers, distribute newsletters, take surveys, and update customers so that they feel you’re taking the effort to keep them informed. This will help the customer create a favorable and lasting impression about your business.
6. Lend Legitimacy to Your Business
A website can help provide a customer with the impression that a business is legitimate.  A professional looking and functioning website demonstrates an investment in a business, increases customer confidence, and can increase sales
7. Research Your Markets
Many small business owners realize the value of understanding their markets.  A website is an excellent way to track customer patterns and preferences.  You may also want to set up a survey figure out what are your customer’s impressions and how you can improve your business.
8. Customers Expect It
I have made this point earlier, but it is worth reiterating.  It is very likely that many of your competitors have websites, and almost certain that your larger competitors have a significant online presence.  A well-designed website is a way to level the playing field, to present a professional online image, and to expose your business to a wide audience in a way that cannot be done with any other marketing methods.

When you make a decision to develop a website or to improve your existing website there’s no need to feel alone as you decide what is best for your business.  Please feel free to Contact Us and will be pleased to provide you with advice and guidance to turn the website design decision into a most rewarding experience.

Posted in Marketing