Does my Business Really Need a Website?

If people don't find your business website on the Internet, you lose out to your competition who do have websites.

Millions of people use the Internet to search for answers, information, products or services. If they use a search engine like Google, and type in keywords related to your business, don't you want a link to your website coming up on the first few pages of results?

How many people do you have phoning you, each week, asking you questions about your business, but never arriving to use your services or buy your products?

While speaking to people who never do buy anything from you, you could be spending your time improving your business, looking at better or more marketing options, and speaking to customers or clients who have already decided to buy your products or use the services you offer. You can spend more quality time with these people. They are people who have already seen all that you have to offer, on your very own website. If operating a business from home, you may even get to spend less time working, and get to spend more time with your family.

How much are you spending on marketing your business?

How much are you spending on advertising in local newspapers, brochures, and other forms of advertising, including adverts you place on other people's websites?

By all means, it is advisable to continue advertising in this way, but if you have your own website, not as much advertising will be needed. The advertising that you still do will now include a link to your website, where customers can go to browse through what you have to offer. Customers who decide that theyre not interested wont waste your time phoning or emailing you. People who are interested to learn even more, or who have already decided to use your services or buy your products, based on what they saw on your website, will contact you.

A website is your virtual shop or office. Combining your creative vision with that of a creative web designer can make your shop or office look really attractive, even if youre actually doing all your work in a tiny corner of your bathroom.

Don't stop placing adverts in the usual manner that you do, just place less of them, and certainly do include the link or address of your website.

Carefully chosen words in your website helps search engines find your site more easily, and the link to your site rises in search engine search results.

Having your own website means that your advertising (in the form of information and images on your website) is aimed directly at the people looking for you, instead of at whoever happens to stumble across your small advert somewhere.

A search engine is not going to find your poster on the wall, your brochure you distribute, or your advertisement in an offline newspaper or magazine.

How much would you pay for an A4 size advertisement, in colour, in your local newspaper, for just one day? How many readers does that advert reach?

How much would you pay to place a daily advertisement for one week?

How much would you pay to place a daily advertisement for one month?

How much would you pay to place a daily advertisement for one year?

Think of a website as something better (and much cheaper) than an offline advertisement. All businesses need to advertise, so why not choose cheaper methods of advertising? Kill two birds with one stone by reaching your target market for less cost.

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