Will A Website Really Benefit Your Business?

I would like to begin with these 6 facts:

• In 1953 the first colour television was introduced.
• In 1969, 16 years later, the first man landed on the moon and 600 million people watched it live on television.
• In 1982 the Internet was introduced to the world.
• By the beginning of 2013 there were about 634 million websites live on the internet.
• By the beginning of 2013 there were 2.4 billion people online. 
• These last two statistics are growing rapidly every day!

So why have I mentioned this?

The answer is simple, technology is part of our lives and something which we cannot ignore. From the invention of the first television, to the computer, to the microchip these things have undoubtedly changed life as we knew it.

The Internet has a huge impact on how we do business in today’s modern world, especially how we market ourselves and our products and services. There is no end to the availability of information on the Internet, which means your prospects are much more well informed than they were even 5 years ago!

The other factor is that people can choose WHAT they want, WHEN they want it and WHEREVER they are.

You, as one of 2.4 billion Internet users, probably already appreciate the value of this.

But why is having a website going to help your business?

Because out of 2.4 billion Internet users, there are guaranteed to be people looking for your products and services.

You may think “yes that’s true, but why would I want enquiries from people who live in Asia, Europe or any other country which is far away, if I provide my service in a local area?” – There are plenty of ways to find out how many people are looking for you and your services in your local area. With Google Adwords you can find out if there are further opportunities within a 100 mile radius from you, and even right on your doorstep.

When you know how many people are looking for you, you will have a better idea of the amount of new people per month who may come across your website. You will then see that having a website will:

• Give you more new enquiries leading to new customers.
• Give you the ability to present your services and products to a local, and also wider audience, if you so choose.
• Make you look even more credible to people who don’t know you, and to people who have been referred to you.
• Increase trust in your prospects leading to more business transactions.
• Make it easier to communicate with existing customers.
• Make your brand stronger 
• Make you available to your prospects 24/7

Let’s be honest, if you decide to have a website it means that you decide to have a virtual business that is open 24 hrs a day 7 days a week.

Your website should make people aware of what you do and instill trust. When you can do this you will encourage web visitors to:

• Visit your office.
• Give you a call.
• Make an enquiry on your website. 
• Buy a product from your website straight away.

When done right a website will bring you new enquiries, new customers, increased cashflow and profits for your business.

But is having a website beneficial for your existing customers?

Again the answer is YES. Your website should be geared around providing information to new customers as well as returning customers. It is a known fact that it is much easier to sell to an existing customer than it is to acquire a new customer. So ensure your website does the following:

• Communicate up to date news about your business or your industry. Keep your customers informed about any new developments on the horizon, which could benefit them. 
• Communicate special offers and promotions. You could even run a loyalty programme to encourage repeat business.
• Allow your existing clients to post feedback or testimonials. This also increases your credibility and trust factor.
• Encourage customers to contact you in and out of work hours using online forms.
• You can save yourself a lot of time directing your clients to use your website as a form of communication as well as information.

A website can help you create a BRAND

Your Brand is your identity. Your brand is something that is beneficial for new prospects and existing clients as well. How often do you choose products just because you know the logo or name of the business? I bet you do this all the time. You can create your BRAND on a website as well, but how well it becomes known depends only on you and your marketing strategy.
There are many ways to market your business and gain brand recognition. For some inspiration have a read of this:

Guerilla Marketing Ideas For Your Small Business

As they say there is no time like the present! A website can open so many doors for your business, I have only touched on a few of the benefits in this post.

If you have been thinking about it for a while, or just need some further help and guidance we can help.

Whether you have an existing website which is not quite working for you, or whether you are contemplating getting your first website, our free website review can help you understand what you need to do to compete in this very competitive marketplace.

Article by Jan Katewicz