A website for every business

Yes, yours and every other  business needs a website and there is no exception. With internet access in almost everyone’s hands, the tendency of searching for products and services is going to increase until in the end it becomes the normal for everyone. Are you prepared for that day when customers start searching online? If not , just take a minute to imagine what they will do when they cant find you online-take their business elsewhere of course.

Websites are the future

As the world gets more and more technical and more and more businesses establish themselves online, people are likely to limit their searches to Googling rather than trying to make numerous calls to try and find what they are looking for. Your business needs to be ready for this time, and in fact that time is already here. Without a website you do not know what you are missing out on. Suppose you still feel strongly that you do not need a website right away, think about making your business future proof. the more you understand about websites, more you will appreciate how to use your website and benefit.

Common objections

As a website developer I have often come across some interesting objections and excuses for not getting a website. However when you look at it you will find out that these are just excuses which delay your progress in business.

1. My business is doing well enough without a website

So you do not have a website and your business is still doing well. That is not surprising, after all there were successful businesses even before there were websites. So what is the catch? Doing well is fine but it does mean you couldn’t do BETTER. By getting in more leads and reducing the cost of acquiring sales, a website will improve your business which you cant object to even if you are already doing well. A website can help you to reach a market segment which is currently not within your reach, thereby expanding your market. Therefore think in terms of a website which is a tool to improve your business.

     2. Websites are not really used in my line of business

If your competitors do not have websites do not take that as a reason not to have one. In fact you are looking at one big opportunity to get ahead of them. When you are the only one having a website, you will be the only one getting leads online isn’t it? That can not harm you at all, in fact this is sure to bring new business from previously untapped sources your way. IF WEBSITES ARE NOT COMMON IN YOUR LINE OF BUSINESS BE THE PIONEER. By the time everyone else realises that they could do with a website, you will be light years ahead of them!

    3. A website is an extra cost to the business

My answer to this is very simple. A website is a marketing tool for the business not an ornamental item. With a well designed and well-optimised website, the business it generates is more than enough to pay for its maintenance costs which in any case are quite neglibible. You will find that the world’s largest companies spend thousands of dollars every month on optimising their websites. While you do not have to do the same in terms of expenditure, you need to have a website which is positioned to bring in business. Think of your website as one of your sales representatives. Good sales reps do not come for free.

How does a website benefit my business?

Credibility

Its simple, nowadays when people first hear about your company, they want to check it out on the internet. They presume that they can find out more about you without having to bother you with question. what if your answer is “Sorry we do not have a website.” At best that makes you look like a fly by night company, a briefcase company, a very small company, a backward company. In fact this can result in you being associated with just the stereotypes you do not want. A company with a website shows that they have nothing to hide, they want everyone to know about them and what they do. Having a website might just make the difference between being sidelined or being considered for that next big contract!

Efficiency in communication

So here you are, spending hours of the day sending products images, price lists, product descriptions etc. to clients. Some will result in sales but some will not. However, you perhaps actually employ someone full time to attend to such inquiries. having a website can actually reduce the number of inquiries you have to deal with in person by as much as 50%, and also reduce the amount of time dealing with enquirers. If you have a website, resources such as company profile, product pictures, product descriptions and price lists can be uploaded to the website and customers can just find it online without having to contact you first. BELIEVE ME ,THIS SERVES YOU A LOT OF TIME AND WITH TIME YOU MAY REASSIGN ONE OF INQUIRIES STAFF TO OTHER AREAS!

Sales leads

The ultimate idea behind a business site is to improve the bottom line, its all about more money in your pocket. In a nutshell this is how a website puts more money in your pocket.

MORE LEADS MEAN MORE ENQUIRIES

MORE ENQUIRIES MEAN MORE SALES

MORE SALES MEAN MORE PROFITS

A website starts from a very different position to your human salesman and therefore enjoys vast advantages over the humans. The human salesman goes to potential customers and tries to convince them that they need to buy you product as it has some benefits for them. Your website on the other hand brings leads from potential customers who have already been identified as searching for your product. They are already looking for your products /services. All you have to do when they contact you is finish a sales job which is more than half done.

How to make sure you get the best out of your website

You need to observe best practices to ensure your website pages appear on Google search and rank high enough to give you healthy business leads.

1. The layout must be user friendly, making it easy for visitors to find what they are looking for
2. Use header tags, image attributes, meta tags to improve your SEO. You need at least basic SEO for your website to be of benefit.
3. List your business on Google My Business
4. Make sure your business information is consistent whenever you post it online on other platforms
5. Update information on your website regularly, post new offers, add new products etc
6. Avoid duplicate content

Everyone needs a website

After all, is said and done, everyone needs a website. There is absolutely no excuse for not having one. If you cant see a pressing need now, you will surely be forced by the changing environment to see things differently in the not too distant future.

Written by Brian Muyambo for Express Media Web Hosting. Brian is an expert in local SEO.