The Internet is changing the way we all conduct business. For most organizations, a Web site can be an important tool for running a successful business, although there are a few exceptions.
Maybe "no"...
If your business has all the customers it can handle and you do not have the desire to grow any larger, then you may not want to establish an Internet presence for your business.
Another possible case for not establishing an Internet presence is that you are certain that your customer base does not use the Internet. This argument is becoming harder to defend nowadays when a recent poll by Harris Interactive puts Internet usage among American adults at nearly 70%.
Usually, a definite "yes"
For most organizations, investing in a Web site is becoming more of a basic requirement for being in business and should be part of your marketing plan. In can help your organization in different ways:
- Increase your company's strength and stability in the marketplace.
- Offers your business the ability to extend your public image, expand your market and provides for the growth of your business.
- It can be used to increase sales, reduce the costs of doing business, help advertise your business, and enhance your customer service and support.
Increase Your Sales
- The median household income of Internet users is nearly 40% higher than of the national median household income (Source: CyperAltlas and U.S. Census Bureau). A higher average income means more expendable income to spend on your products and/or services.
- Whether your focus is local, regional or world-wide, you can reach a larger audience on the Web - in full-color, sound and motion - at a remarkably reasonable cost.
- You can use your Web site to process orders. This allows you to make sales 24 hours day, 7 days a week without the costs of a toll-free number or the employees needed to take the orders.
- Easily build a customer database. You can ask visitors to your Web site to confidentially provide you with personal information about themselves. By doing this, you can build a mailing list of customers that can be contacted in the future about new products or services you are offering or any special offers that you may be providing. A customer database is critical for any successful business.
- A targeted, permission-based email marketing campaign (not SPAM) can provide you with 7 to 12 times the response rate of a comparable United States Postal Services (USPS) direct mail marketing effort.(Source: AMR Research)
Reduce Costs
- By directing your current and prospective customers to your Web site you can reduce or eliminate the need for brochures and printed literature.
- Reduce the costs of a toll-free number by processing orders on-line.
- Reduce the costs of servicing your customers by making business information available (i.e., store hours, location, etc.), answering frequently asked questions, receive feedback from your customers, and creating a 24/7 service center - all on your web site.
Advertising
- As an advertising media, a Web site is much more affordable and economical then the yellow pages, radio, television, or newspaper advertising.
- Traditional advertising (yellow pages, newspapers, television, radio) are expensive and static. The Internet provides an affordable and effective medium that can provide dynamic content.
- Leverage your advertising dollars by including your Web site address on all of your "traditional" advertising. There is a limited amount of information that can be included in traditional advertising and it is expensive. Including your Web site address will direct your customers to your Web site to find out more about your business and the products and/or services you have to offer.
Customer Service
- Customers can find out the facts about you and your business on-line without taking up you or your employees valuable time.
- Customers will appreciate the ability of contacting you by email or with a feedback form on your Web site at their convenience.
- A Web site can be easily used to conduct customer surveys and collect customer feedback. This valuable information can be used to improve your product and/or service offerings.
- A Web site can help you reach new customers, keep you in touch with your current customers, and help you respond quickly and efficiently to their changing needs.
If your competition is on the Internet, then you cannot afford not to be. If they are not on the Internet, then you can gain a distinct advantage over them by being on the Internet.
So if you want to grow your business, your business should have an Internet presence.
How to Establish an Internet Presence
Now that you better understand the need for your business to be on the Internet, how will you go about creating a Web site for your business and getting it published on the Internet?
There are a number of software tools available that can help you create a Web site. Most of these tools include templates that you can use to build your Web site. Before you go ahead and use one of these tools you need to ask yourself, do I really want to use a cookie cutter approach for my Web site? Will it produce the high quality Web site that my business needs and deserves?
Your customers and visitors to your Web site will associate the quality of your Web site with the quality and integrity of your business and its products and/or services.
Don't chance it! Let us help you. At GLD Web Services we will work with you to put together a Web design and hosting package that will not only meet you business needs but also your budget. Contact us today and see how we can help you with your Internet needs.
You did not go into business to worry about the Internet, but we did! We've made the Internet our business so you can focus on yours.