Wondering if you really need a website? Trying to figure out
how to get the most out your existing website? We've compiled this
list of reasons to have a website to give you an overview of the
possible reasons and advantages of having your own website.
The Web is the Great Equalizer
On the web, everyone is forced to use the same web page size
to show their information. No matter how much money you have
to invest in a website, the visitor still sees what you have
to offer a single page at a time. So everyone gets the same
opportunity to make a good impression. A well-designed
website costing a few hundred dollars can make a better impression
that an elaborate site costing thousands.
Your Customers are Online
The Internet has been growing at a staggering rate and shows
no signs of slowing down. In the last couple of years, the
public has come to expect even small businesses to have
websites.
Improve Your Business Image
More and more people are turning to the Internet to find
information. They expect to find your business on the web
and it's great for your image when they find you online.
Anyone Can Find Your Website
Using search engines and online directories, visitors can find
your website in seconds no matter where they are in the world.
With a sound online marketing strategy and a website designed to
improve your ability to market, you can increase your prospect
and customer base.
You're Open for Business 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week
With a website, the time of day just doesn't matter. Your
visitors can come to your site whenever they want to. You
can make your products, services or information available to
them day and night.
Excellent Prospects
Surveys show that the average web visitor has a college education,
an annual income of $65,000 and is is 36 years old.
Your Competitors Have Websites
Users are turning to web more and more to get information.
Will they be able to find you on the web or will they find
your competitor's website?
Your Competitors Don't Have Websites
Of course, if you have a website and your competitor doesn't, then
you get the vistors.
Inexpensive Advertising
In comparison to traditional forms of advertising, the cost of
building and maintaining a website is very reasonable. A
quality website can cost less than a display ad in the yellow
pages or in a magazine. What's really great is that it doesn't
become dated and doesn't get thrown in the trash. Its always
there, always available to the public.
Supplement Your Current Advertising
Having a web site is a great way to supplement your current
advertising. By displaying your Internet address in other forms of
advertising media, you let your customers know exactly where they
can go to get more information about your business right
away.
Increased Free Advertising
One of the greatest features of the Internet is the ability
to link to other web sites, and, more importantly, have them link to
yours. This allow customers to find your web site through several
different channels, increases the potential for traffic to your
site, and essentially provides free advertising for your business or
organization.
Reach Very Specialized Markets
A web site can help you to reach very specialized markets
because of the sheer volume of Internet users, now estimated at over
400 million worldwide! Customers looking for rare or specialized
products, services, and information often rely on the larger
Internet marketplace to find what they are looking for, rather than
limit themselves to their local area stores.
Coupons at Zero Cost to You
Give your customers an extra incentive to visit your store or
purchase from your web site, by providing them with "coupons" and
information about sales directly on your Web site Customers can
simply print the coupons from your site on their own paper, so you
get a wide distribution without incurring any printing or postage
costs.
Public Relations
Make information about your business or organization
available to millions of people or just a select group through
password protected areas of your web site.
Give Your Users Printable Information They Can Use
A visitor to your web site can download and print anything
that appears on their screen. You can take advantage of this by
displaying: a map to your place of business, application forms that
can be filled out which require a signature (which can then be
mailed or faxed to you), product literature, assembly instructions
for your products, diagnostic flowcharts, dimensional drawings, etc.
Product and Service Demonstrations
Use your web-site as a tool for demonstrating your products
and services to customers. Multimedia presentations allow you to
provide your customers with an in-depth, interactive experience with
your products and services before they buy, and ultimately make them
feel more secure about purchasing your product online. This could
also be extremely helpful as an in-store sales tool for your local
customers.
Prospecting
With a web site, you can build a customer / user database to
save contact and demographic information about people who visit your
web site. This can enable you to gain a better understanding of who
your online visitors are, and create complimentary marketing
strategies (direct mailings, etc.) customized to their interests.
This is also a great way to keep in touch with customers who have
purchased your products, leaving you the ability to send a follow-up
e-mail, or occasionally sending them information about new
products.
Networking
The Internet makes business-to-business networking as easy as
clicking on a link, and your web site serves as your "business card"
to introduce yourself to people around the world. By establishing
relationships with other business and organizations you can provide
industry-related information to your customers, employees, or
colleagues, or provide issue-related resources your members, as well
boost your user base through reciprocal links.
Customer Response
With a properly designed website, you can get feedback from your
customers, follow up on orders and answer their requests for more
information. You can even set up email responders that
will send them pre-selected information automatically.
Answer Customer Questions
You can publish a list of questions that your customers or
prospects ask about your products or services. You can
answer in detail and give your visitors immediate help with
their questions and concerns.
Technical Support
You can put your product or service manuals online, provide
specifications, pictures, diagrams and so on so your visitors
can get the detailed information they need when they need to.
Customer Feedback
You can use online surveys, feedback forms, email follow-ups
to find out what your customers really need or want from you.
Then you can design offers or customer service based on what
they are telling you.
User Forums & Chats
You can set up bulletin boards and chat rooms that your users can
go to to post comments and questions. This creates interest in
your website and keeps visitors coming back to your website to
participate or to ask questions.
e-Commerce Sales
You can set up eCommerce services on your website, allowing your
visitors to browse through your online catalog of products or
services and buy them through an online payment system or by
notifying you of orders with email. You get additional sales
with very little additional overhead.
Online Sales are Cost-Effective
With an eCommerce website, you get an entire store without the
costs of opening a physical location. You don't have the usual
expenses such as insurance, rent, phones, personnel costs, etc.
You can put up detailed product information, complete with
pictures or audio-visual presentations.
Customers Can See What's in Stock
With an enhanced eCommerce website, your customers or sales reps
can check to see if a particular product is in stock and if it
isn't, when you expect it to be available.
Educational Materials
If you provide education services, you could put your entire
curriculum online in a passworded section of your website and
set it up so that the materials can only be accessed after they
have been paid for. You can also put up a calendar of seminars or
workshops so your students see what you have coming up. Online
chat systems can allow you to set up interactive chats between
instructors and students.
Hiring Employees
You can use your website to promote for new employees. It's very
inexpensive and with more and more people are using the web to look
for jobs, it can be a very effective method of finding qualified
personnel.
Employee Training
You can put your training manuals and product information online
in a password protected area of your website. Your personnel
can access the information quickly and easily with an internet
connection. With the information online, you can make sure that
its always up to date with the lastest information, prices and
special offers.
Good for the Environment
In a world where our diminishing natural resources are an
ever-mounting concern, the Internet is becoming a constant and
"recyclable" resource. Every business that uses the Internet for
marketing, advertising and commerce helps alleviate the need for
printed information and advertising, in turn conserving the energy
and resources it takes to print those materials.
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