Why every company needs a website?
The Internet has dramatically changed the way business is done, not to mention the way the world communicates. Websites are now a necessity for any company, consultant or contractor. What used to work (yellow pages, newspapers etc.) doesn't any longer. How can I say that? Here are the facts:
Google alone has approximately 80 billion internet searches every month
80% of people search online first - before making a purchase
1 out of 3 searches are for local companies
These are very important numbers and if you do not have a website, you are missing one of the best marketing advantages available. Building a website is an opportunity for your business to stand out among the rest of the competition.
Here's what a web site can do for you:
Expand your customer base by reaching new audiences that otherwise might not find out about your business. A web site can personalize your company and make potential customers comfortable about doing business with you before you even speak with them.
Save money on advertising, publishing and marketing costs. Information can be updated more quickly, frequently, and less expensively than in traditional media such as print or radio.
Increase market presence by allowing people to find out about your company from anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day.
Add value to your advertising money. With a web site, your company has more space to work with and unlimited use of color, in addition to many other benefits over other advertising methods.
Level the playing field with an online presence. By conveying professionalism and quality, your business can be more attractive to potential customers than your largest competitor.
Achieve global awareness by being accessible to anyone, anywhere, at any time.
Customers come to you through search engines, by typing in your address, or clicking through a link to your page. For once, customers find you, so you don't have to seek them out.
Reach an unlimited audience because, unlike printed materials, there is no limit to the amount of times you can pass out a web address or the amount of times a web site can be viewed.
Maintain corporate information more efficiently through the use of a customized web-enabled database.
Add credibility in a world where web sites are no longer a novelty; any company that doesn't have a web site is taken less seriously in today's market.
Save time spent on customer service by referring customers to your web site.
Help customers find you in the offline world by making your contact information more accessible.
The internet has dramatically changed the way business is done around the entire globe. The advantages of having a website are numerous and something that any business owner should take seriously.
by Jennifer Clark
