YOUR
COMPETITOR HAS ONE
To stay on top of an ever-changing market, most small
business owners try to keep tabs on their competitors.
By doing so, they gain insight on market trends, come
up with new strategies and stay up to date with what others
offer. If your competitors have a website, it's a strong
indication you should too.
STAY OPEN 24 HOURS
While some small businesses are open 24 hours a day, most
business hours are limited to a more traditional workday
schedule. With a website, customers can view your products
and services long after your normal operating hours. If
you sell products online, you can even accept orders while
you sleep.
EMAIL
Has anyone ever asked for your business email address?
Are you currently using a personal email address from
your ISP (Internet Service Provider) or a free email account
for business contacts? You can raise the level of prestige
and branding for your business with an email address that
includes your company name or services. Personalised email
accounts are always included when you set up a website.
You can also set up multiple email addresses for different
functions within your company, for example: sales@yourdomain.com,
info@yourdomain.com, or yourname@yourdomain.com.
SURVEY YOUR VISITORS
When a visitor enters your website, they're expressing
an interest in your products, services or information.
But how can you find out exactly why they came or what
they're looking for? To gain a better understanding of
your customer base you can set up a survey to figure out
exactly what potential customers are most interested in
and also learn what new trends or features are on the
horizon.
SELL YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
ONLINE
You've probably seen or heard about online stores like
Amazon.com or eBay.com. While these companies have huge
infrastructures and massive marketing programs to drive
their online business, it is possible to set up an online
store in a much the same way, just more modestly. There
are countless online stores that thrive doing the same
type of selling but on a smaller scale. If you have a
retail product that can be shipped, you're a great candidate
for an online store.
A WEBSITE OPENS GLOBAL MARKETS
A website can be accessed 24 hours a day from anywhere
on the planet possesing an Internet connection. From the
moment your site launches, you can do business everywhere,
any time of day. As an added service for international
customers, you may want to offer a currency converter
to help them understand prices in their local currency.
ATTRACT NEW BUSINESS THROUGH
SEARCH ENGINES
A large amount of research today is done online. By having
your website listed on the top search engines, it can
be listed under the results for any number of queries.
For example, if you're selling diving equipment and someone
searches for "flippers" your site could be the first selection
listed under the results.
GIVE DETAILED CONTACT INFORMATION
TO PROSPECTIVE CLIENTS
Anyone ever ask for directions to your business? Always
telling people your hours or which product lines you carry?
A website can deliver details about your business to anyone
with an Internet connection. This frees up time to focus
on business instead of answering frequently asked questions.
INTERACT WITH CUSTOMERS
The best clients are repeat and referred customers. That
said, there's no better way to keep customers coming back
than keeping in touch with them. Through a website you
can interact with clients via online newsletters, polls,
chat rooms and special deals. When you keep in contact
it shows customers you care, one of the best ways to keep
them coming back.
INSTANT VALIDITY
As a customer you want to know the person you buy from
is legitimate and runs a reputable business. A well designed
website creates a feeling you're a legitimate company
and leads to increased sales.
LOOK BIGGER THAN YOU REALLY ARE
Even a one-person business can look like a multi-person
or multi-department operation through a company website.
A professional, well designed website presents a more
appealing image than a larger competitor who's web presence
appears weak or amateur.
CUSTOMERS EXPECT IT
In today's business world, the Internet is the fastest
growing source for information. Without a web presence,
your business risks never being found by prospective customers.
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