Do YOU Need a Website?? Today, the pattern and methods of doing business has changed a lot in the business world with the invention of the internet Any business today must be forward thinking as to deal with the new and developing techniques offered for competition. Your business must be able to move quickly to take advantage of new options and opportunities.
The internet has become a vast resource of information for business people as they discover the advantages of getting online. the ease of use and the most cost-effective means of advertising. The Internet is revolutionizing entire markets, allowing all businesses, large or small the same opportunities to market their products, services and information on the internet in an effective and appealing manner.
Compared with attracting new customers through advertising or conventional marketing websites are amazingly low cost and the possibilities are endless. Search engines, referrals and the vast linking mechanics of the worldwide web provide volumes of "virtual foot traffic" previously unimaginable in a storefront setting. From market research to product distribution - from customer services to sales and promotions, running a strong website or ecommerce storefront establishes a dynamic presence for your organization on the internet limited only by your imagination.
If you want to develop your business and want to flourish with new opportunity then you should opt for the best way to forward your business by getting your own company website.
Web development should be seen as an investment in the advertising and branding of your company. Money that you invest into a website will create a return or ROI as would any advertising method.
One of the advantages of a website is its dynamic nature, allowing it to evolve as your organization evolves since changes or updates can be implemented easily.
Why should I put my company on the Web?
Establishing a Presence
Approximately 1,596,270,108 people worldwide have access to the World Wide Web. No matter what your business, you can't ignore 1,596,270,108 people. To be a part of that community and show that you are interested in serving them you need to be on the Web for them. You know your competitors will be on the web.
Selling Products
Many people think that this is the only thing to do with the Web, but we think you should consider selling things on the Internet and the World Wide Web after you have done a lot of the other things on this list. Why? Well, the answer is complex but the best way to put it is: "Before people decide to become customers, they want to know about you, what you do and what you can do for them." This you can do easily and inexpensively on the Web. Then you might be able to turn them into customers.
Networking
Much of what passes for business is simply nothing more than making connections with other people. Every smart business person knows "it's not what you know, it's who you know." Passing out your business card is a part of every good meeting. Every business person can tell more than one story of how a chance meeting turned into the big deal. Well, what if you could pass out your business card to thousands of potential clients and partners, saying "This is what I do. If you are ever in need of my services, this is how you can reach me." You can, 24 hours a day, inexpensively and simply, on the Web.
Making Your Business Information Available
What is basic business information? Think of a Yellow Pages ad. What are your hours? What do you do? How can someone contact you? What are your terms and what methods of payment do you take? Where are you located? Now think of a Yellow Pages ad where you have instant communication. What is today's special? Today's interest rate? Next week's parking lot sale information? If you could keep your customer informed of every reason why they should do business with you, don't you think you could do more business? You can on the Web.
Serving Your Customers
Making business information available is one of the most important ways to serve your customers. But if you look at serving the customer, you'll find even more ways to use Web technology.
For example: How about making forms available to pre-qualify for loans, or have your staff do a search for that classic jazz record your customer needs, without tying up your staff on the phone? Allow your customer to punch in sizes and check it against a database that tells him what color of jacket is available in your store? All this can be done, simply and quickly, on the Web.
Increasing Public Interest
You won't get a magazine like Newsweek to write up your local store opening, but you might get them to write up your Web Page address if it is something new and interesting. Even if Newsweek would write about your local store opening, you wouldn't benefit from someone in a distant city reading about it, unless of course, they were coming to your town sometime soon. With Web page information, anybody anywhere who can access the Web and hears about you is a potential visitor to your Web site and a potential customer for your information there.
Reaching a Highly Desirable Demographic Market
The demographic of the Web user is probably the highest mass-market demographic available. They are usually college-educated or being college educated, making a high salary or soon to make a high salary. It's no wonder that "Wired" magazine, the magazine of choice to the Internet community, has no problem getting Lexus and other high-end marketer's advertising. Even with the addition of the commercial on-line community, the demographic will remain high for many years to come.
Answering Frequently Asked Questions
Whoever answers the phones in your company can tell you, their time is usually spent answering the same questions over and over again. These are the questions customers and potential customers want to have the answered before they deal with you. Post them on a Web page and you will have removed another barrier to doing business with you and freed up some time for that harried phone operator.
Recruiting & Recognizing Top Employees
The Web has become a very popular mode of recruiting top employees from all over the country. By posting job openings on the Web you can draw from a huge group of qualified people. And why not have a page that recognizes and highlights the achievements of your top employees?
Staying in Contact with Salespeople
Your employees on the road may need up-to-the-minute information that will help them make the sale or pull together the deal. If you know what that information is, you can keep it posted in complete privacy on the Web. A quick local phone call can keep your staff supplied with the most detailed information, without long distance phone bills and tying up the staff at the home office.
Opening Global Markets
You may not be able to make sense of the mail, phone and regulation systems in all your potential international markets, but with a Web page, you can open up a dialogue with international markets as easily as with the company across the street. As a matter-of-fact, before you go onto the Web, you should decide how you want to handle the international business that will come your way, because your postings are certain to bring international opportunities your way, whether or not it is part of your plan. Another added benefit; if your company has offices overseas, they can access the home offices information for the price of a local phone call.
Creating a 24 Hour Service
If you've ever remembered too late or too early to call the opposite coast, you know the hassle. We're not all on the same schedule. While business is worldwide, your office hours aren't. Trying to reach US or Europe is even more frustrating. But Web pages serve the client, customer and partner 24 hours a day, seven days a week. No overtime either. It can customize information to match needs and collect important information that will put you ahead of the competition, even before they get into the office.
Allowing Feedback from your Customers
You pass out the brochure, the catalog, the booklet. But it doesn't work. No sales, no calls, no leads. What went wrong? Wrong color, wrong price, wrong market? Keep testing, the marketing books say, and you'll eventually find out what went wrong. That's great for the big boys with deep pockets, but who is paying the bills? You are and you don't have the time or the money to wait for the answer. With a Web page, you can ask for feedback and get it instantaneously with no extra cost. An instant e-mail response can be built into Web pages and can get the answer while it's fresh in your customers mind, without the cost and lack of response of business reply mail.
Making Changing Information Available
Sometimes, information changes before it gets off the press, leaving you with a pile of expensive, worthless brochures. Electronic publishing changes with your needs. No paper, no ink, no printer's bill. You can even attach your Web page to a database which customizes the page's output to a database you can change as many times in a day as you need. No printed piece can match that flexibility.
Reaching the Education & Youth Market
If your market is education, consider that most universities already offer Internet access to their students and most K-12's will be on the Internet within the next few years. Books, athletic shoes, study courses, youth fashion and anything else that would want to reach these overlapping markets needs to be on the Web. Even with the coming of the commercial on-line services and their somewhat older populations there will be nothing but growth in the percentage of the under 25 market that will be on-line.
Reaching the Specialized Market
Sell fish tanks, art reproductions, flying lessons? You may think that the Internet is not a good place to be. Well, think again. The Internet isn't just computer science students anymore. With the soon-to-be growing users of the Web, even the most narrowly defined interest group will be represented in large numbers. Since the Web has several very good search programs, your interest group will be able to find you, or your competitors.
Serving your Local Market
We've talked about the power to serve the world with a Web page. How about your neighborhood? No matter where you are located, there are probably enough local customers with Web access to make it worth your while to consider Web marketing. We know of a restaurant that even takes lunch orders through the Internet! But no matter where you are, if the big client has Web access, you should be there too.
Make pictures, sound and film files available
- What if your product is great, but people would really love it if they could see it in action?
- A picture is worth a thousand words, but you don't have the space for a thousand words?
- The WWW allows you to add sound, pictures and short movie files to your company's info if that will serve your potential customers. No brochure will do that.
Provide your basic business information
� What do you do?
� What are your hours?
� How can someone contact you?
� What methods of payment do you take?
� Where are you located?
What are your competitors doing?
You'll be very lucky if your competitors have not already got a website. And if they have, then it is taking business away from you. Why not try a search at Google (one of the best search engines) to see what your competition is up to? It's a great way to get a feel for what is out there, what you like and dislike and how you'd like your site to look and feel.
Did You Know?
� In 2009, 251,290,489 Americans or 74.4 % of the U.S. population has Internet access.
� In 2004, U.S. consumers spent 69 billion dollars online.
But web sites can serve many other functions as well.
- Instant Marketing - get your product or service information to your clients hot off the press.
- Market research - gather data about your potential clients and use the Internet to convert them to customers.
- Flexible - change prices as necessary; regulate your business in the market by swift price changes as circumstances change.
- Selling in marketing mix.
- Improve your market profile.
- FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions - let your clients ask all the questions which they want, without bothering your staff.
- CRM - Customer Relationship Marketing - track your customers as they develop over time and be ready to offer them the next product they need as they realize they need it.
- Cost reduction - Email will reach your on line clients for a fraction of a penny. Mail-shots become almost free.
Note: a Final Word
It is important to understand that you cannot simply put up a website and expect that all you have to do is wait around for orders. In fact, we recommend that you use your website in addition to other marketing methods.
A website should always be regarded as part of an overall marketing strategy. A website requires the same kind of advertising and promotion as any other business before it can generate income. The customers you gain through other methods can become excellent web customers as well. Once you have traffic coming to your site, your website becomes your - 24 hour-a-day, 7 day-a-week storefront!
We look forward to seeing your business on the Internet!
For further information or queries, contact or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and to get a free quote call us now!
