Does your business need a website?(scroll down)
The answer to that question is probably Yes! but you figure out the business justification before you spend a penny. You're busy, don't want to bother, don't want to spend the money. But then, there's the nagging feeling that you ought to have a presence on the web.
Before you spend any money ask yourself these questions. The answer will help you understand first, if you need a website, and second, how a site could enhance your business.
For most small businesses, a website is rapidly becoming a basic requirement of a marketing plan. A site can help you reach one or more of the following goals:
Help customers find you in the offline world your office, your storefront, your phone number.
Help persuade customers that you have the right service or product for them.
Help sell products online, even across different marketplaces, to retail customers or other businesses.
Here are the questions which would help you decide, if you need a website
Do your prospective clients use the website to look for your type of products or services? These days, people use the web to find just about everything, even the ubiquitous kitchen sink! If you offer a professional service, your clients will expect to find you on the web
Do you sell or offer a service that people research before they buy? Chances are, youre not offering something that people buy on impulse. For example, if youre a consultant, prospective clients will want to research your background. A website gives you an opportunity to explain your services and highlight your results via case studies.
Do your competitors have a website? Imagine that a prospective client is considering hiring your business and is attempting to use the web to compare your services to the competitors. If you dont have a site, it makes you appear less established and professional. Its like not having a business card.
Are your competitors larger than you? If your business is very small, or youre just starting out, you may want it to appear larger than it is. The web can help you level the playing field. A well-crafted, highly professional website gives the appearance that your business is large and established.
Do you spend a lot of time explaining your business to prospective clients? Perhaps youre a technology consultant specializing in a complicated area of business. You find yourself explaining exactly what you do over and over again. Instead, post a clear, concise statement of what you do on the web, and you will head off those clients who never needed your type of service in the first place.
Is it important that your business project a highly professional image? Perhaps you work at home in your bathrobe. Who needs to know? They wont figure it out from your professional website. In fact, a well-designed site can project whatever image you want for your business, whether its ultra-conservative, or young and hip.
Do you want to expand your business beyond your current customer base? If you want to grow your business, youll need a web site to reach clients in new areas. Suppose youve always focused on one industry, but now want to offer a new service tailored to a different industry. You could create a special section on your website that resonates with the new, intended audience.
Do you want to reduce your sales and marketing costs? Printing collateral can be expensive. Then you have to figure out how to get it into the hands of your prospects. You can put the same type of content on your website, update it easily when you have changes, and send emails to prospects to entice them to your site.
Do you find yourself answering the same customer questions again and again? Avoid repeating the same answers over and over by providing the information on your web site. Your customers will be happy to get the answers they need at their own convenience.
Now that youve articulated (at least in your head) the answers to these questions, youve got a good idea of why your business should have a web site. You understand that a website isnt just a "cool" thing to have its an important asset that can work double-duty to help your business succeed. And even if you dont expect new prospects to discover you via the web, you know that a website will help you at the next stage, when clients are researching your qualifications and background. Not having a website is a knock-off; it makes you look like youre not serious about your business.