Reasons To Have A Web Site

Have you recently started a new business and in the rush to get it going, a web site is the last thing on your mind? Or, maybe you have run a successful business since before the Internet existed, so don't see why you need a website? If either of these scenarios applies to you then you could be missing out.

Having your own website is a great way to create a good impression and increase the profile of your business. It can also generate income through new customers and reduce the number of enquiries for information you have to deal with. Furthermore, a website can save you money.

Generating Additional Business

Perhaps the easiest way to demonstrate this is with a couple of examples. We have used a guest house and a plumber in these examples, but no doubt you will be able to see how this situation applies to almost any business.

Example 1 - The Guest House

Imagine you are planning a holiday in Devon, UK and need to find a guest house to stay at. A good place to start looking would be the website of the local Tourist Information Centre where you would get a list of all the guest houses in that area.

You might try phoning a couple, but it is possible that either the phone is not answered, or there is just an answer phone message. Some guest houses will have web sites listed next to their names and since it only takes a click of the mouse to visit these, this would be the next obvious thing to do. Already, those guest houses without a web site have lost your business.

Some of the web sites might only have basic information such as a single photograph of the guest house with basic details of the location and rooms. Although this is better than nothing, these web sites are not likely to make you decide in favour of those guest houses. However, what if a web site had much more extensive information. It may have photographs of the rooms, en-suites and dining areas. There may be information and photos of the locality, details of room rates, facilities and services offered including sample menus. It may even show a map of how to get there. Would this not make you think very strongly about using that guest house? After all, if the proprietor has taken so much trouble over the web site then it is a good sign that they might take equal care over their guest house.

Furthermore, if that web site contained testimonials from satisfied guests and had an online booking form allowing you to make and pay for a booking then and there, then it is very likely to get your business.

Example 2 - The Plumber

Imagine you are having trouble with your central heating system and need to get a heating engineer in. A good place to start looking would be the Golden Pages online directory. This would produce a long list of candidates, but they are just names and numbers, so how do you pick one? Some of the plumbers might have web sites and these few probably give a few basic details which is better than nothing, but there is still nothing to make you pick one above another.

However, what if one web site had a photograph of the plumber and a note of his experience and qualifications. What if it showed the area he covers, the type of work he specialises in and the rates for different jobs. Furthermore, what if there are testimonials from satisfied customers and a guarantee of a free no-obligation quote?

Wouldn't this make you pick that plumber above all the others?

Providing Information

Do you get phone calls from your customers asking for basic information? If you own a shop then you may get questions about your opening times, your location, whether you deliver, whether you stock so and so etc. For every phone call you answer, how many do you miss because you cannot get to the phone?

All of this information can be on your website available to all your customers 24 hours a day 7 days a week. You are providing service to your customers by making critical information available and saving yourself time by not having to deal with simple enquiries. Having a web site means, in effect, that you are always available to your customers.

Increasing Retail Sales

If your business involves selling something then you are missing out on a source of income by not selling online. In the UK over 50% of Christmas presents are bought over the online. It is relatively simple to put some or all of your products online and sell them over the Internet. This is not limited to the big companies like Amazon - the smallest business can now sell online. How many potential customers do you currently have? If you sell online that number increases to over a billion.

Increase Your Profile

More and more people are using the Internet on a daily basis. Not having a web site is like being a shop and not having a shop window - without a web site your business is invisible to the online community. A good web site will not only be a shop front for your products and services, but can become a source of information that people will come back to, thus making the name of your business on the tip of their tongue. There is more about this aspect of web sites on the page about what makes a good web site.

Save Money

Advertisements in newspapers, telephone directories and the like are expensive. The bigger the advert, the more it costs. Having a web site means you can reduce the size of your advertisement. Just put a link to your web site in the advert and any potential customer can find out all about your business. Alternatively, you could use the same size advertisement but make your business name much bigger so that it stands out and the advert becomes more effective. Putting the address of your web site on business cards, flyers and other promotional material gives potential customers the opportunity to find out all the information they need without having to try to cram it all on a small piece of paper or card.

What's more, your website is can be viewed anywhere in the world. Why limit your advertising to the local community when you can advertise to the global commnuity?

"It may not always be profitable at first for businesses to be online, but it is certainly going to be unprofitable not to be online."

Esther Dyson
1951-

Internet Facts

In September 2009, 312 million people in the EU had access to the Internet. This represents over 63% of the population.
From the year 2000 to 2009, the number of Internet users worldwide increased by 380%.
In 2008, an estimated 29 million people in the UK bought a Christmas present online.