Are you still wondering if it’s a good idea to have a website?

Advantages of taking your business into the internet

1. Image

• Websites are the Great Equalizer
  • The internet provides equal access to its users, whether you have a small business or a multi-million dollar business. Everyone gets the same amount of screen space. 
• Image
  • Surveys have shown that most small business and organizations do not have websites, so putting your business on the web puts you a step above the rest.
  • A Small Business has the opportunity to compete with big organizations because the image they have on a website makes them look like that.

2. Marketing

• Low Cost Advertising
  • The cost of a website is minimal compared to traditional advertising methods, like mail, newspaper or magazine ads, radio or television.
• Reduce Recurring Printing Costs
  • Websites offer you the opportunity to provide you with the freedom to change your products, services and information whenever you feel necessary.  Compared to printed advertisements that quickly become outdated and there are large costs included for reprinting.
• Build A Customer/User Database
  • With a website, you can build a customer or user database to get to know your clients and enables you to get a sense of what their interests are, and how you can customize your business to meet the needs of your clients.
• Customer Coupons At No Cost To You
  • You can give your customer an incentive to visit your website by providing them with coupons they can use directly on the site or on your store.  By your customers printing out the coupons themselves, you will save on printing and postage costs.
• Increased Free Advertising
  • There is an important tool useful for your business, you can advertise for free by linking your site to other websites and vice versa.
• Supplement Your Current Advertising
  • You can use your current advertising like flyers or business cards to display your new website.  This can help your customers find more information about your company.
• Public Relations
  • Make information about your business available to all of your customers or just a selection of them by using a password to view you website.
• Great Demographics
  • Surveys have shown that the average Internet user is 36 years old, has a college education, and an annual income of 65,000.
• Universal “Findability”
  • Someone looking for the products you sell can find you in a matter of seconds, thanks to search engines.

3. Customer Service

• Give Users Printable Information
  • A visitor to your site can download and print anything that appears on the screen.  You can display a map to you location, forms that can be filled out, product literature, etc.
• Improved Customer Service
  • You can publish your own list of “FAQ” or Frequently Asked Questions.  You can provide clients with immediate help to their question and give details in your answers.
• Improved Technical Support
  • You can provide up-to-date technical information, such as user manual, product specifications, diagrams, etc.  By providing your clients with such information, in the long-run you will save costs of extra technical support.
• Immediate Feedback
  • You can get immediate feedback from your customers, through surveys, contact forms, and e-mail addresses for your contact personnel.
• Your Clients Expect It
  • With over 400 million users worldwide, the Internet is getting more and more publicity every year.  As public awareness increases, the public will expect even small companies and organizations to have websites.

4. Sales

• e-Commerce
  • Setting up an e-commerce site allows your customers to access, browse and buy your products. This gives your sales a boost with no direct involvement from you.
• Open an Online Store for a Fraction of the Cost of a Physical Store
  • With a website you can display all of your products, with photographs, audio and video clips, with descriptions of each item.  With an online store you don’t have to pay rent, utilities, insurance, etc.
• 24×7 Availability
  • The website is available for everyone 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.  No matter what time of day it is, your store will be open.
• Reach Specialized Markets
  • The website can help you reach specific markets looking for a specific product. Customers can look at a broader area for a product instead of just their local area stores.
• Product Availability
  • Your customers and sales reps can save time when looking for a product and it is not in stock by tying your website to your product database.
• Product and Service Demonstrations
  • Use your website as a tool for demonstrating your products and services to customers.  Multimedia presentations allow you to provide your customers with an in-depth experience of your products and services before they buy.
• Your Competitors May Have Websites
  • As more and more businesses get online, those who don’t are increasingly putting themselves at a greater disadvantage.
• Your Competitors May NOT Have Websites
  • This is even better than the reason above.

5. Networking

• Networking
  • The internet can serve as your business card online.  You can establish relationships with other businesses and provide industry-related information to your customers.
• Host a Discussion Board for Your Users.
  • Hosting a discussion board where visitors can post and reply to comments and questions can be a great way to generate interest in your website.

Do you think you need more reasons?