Today’s culture is more Internet savvy than ever before. Websites have become the most powerful marketing tool a business can possess, and as such are considered the centerpiece of any marketing strategy.
Still, as a small business owner or manager, you may be wondering, “What could a website possibly do for me? Why do I need one? How could I afford one?” Consider the following 10 items below:
1. Customers are looking for you. In today’s internet savvy world, people are much more likely to do a Google search to find a business rather than open the phone book or the newspaper. By not having a website, you may be missing out on business.
2. Customers want to research beforehand. A lot of people, especially tech-savvy individuals, like the ability to anonymously research a business before making a decision. Provide the right information via a user-friendly website, and you can “reel them in,” as it were.
3. It gives you credibility. A website allows you to share the number of years you’ve been in business, your experience and education, as well as photos, testimonials, etc. This establishes credibility, especially to people who have never heard of your business before.
4. Many people won’t “buy” unless you have a website. In today’s market place, a huge part of a business’ image and credibility is based on its website. If it doesn’t have one, or if the website falls short, then the business’ image and credibility is diminished – even before the person contacts the business. You may be losing customers without even realizing it.
5. It puts you on even – or higher – footing. It used to be that only large companies had the cash flow to market themselves as highly professional. But the Internet has leveled the playing field. With a well-designed website, a one-woman business can out class the larger corporation down the road. It’s not about who’s bigger – it’s about whose website is better.
Stay Tuned for Part II - Reasons 6-10
