Why Should My Business Have A Website

These are just 7 of the main reasons that a business should have a website, but there are hundreds of more reasons ……

1

More people are looking online for information about businesses. When a person moves to a new town or city what is the most common way that they find shops and services? They Google it! For this reason, your business needs a website. It helps people who are unfamiliar with the area find you.

Your website is your online store front. Gone are the days where a person check’s the phone book for a business’s contact details, now they Google it. And if they don’t find the contact details of the business they were looking for, then they often find a competitor business instead. It is the same as a person finding a “closed” sign on your door, then going to a competitor instead.

One up on your competition. If your competitors do not have a website, but you do, then you are one up on your competition. If your competitors do have a website, then the real games begin. Now starts the race for google ranked space but even more important, client reviews. So take a look at what your competitors are doing, and decide accordingly.

2

A website gives your advertising campaign a boost. Stationery, business cards and other advertisements are limited to the amount of information they can hold. By placing your website address on your static advertisements, you can direct clients to a place with more info. The desire for more information is usually the first response a person has to a well-designed advertisement. 

It Gives a professional appearance to your business. Many people expect a professionally run businesses to have a website. Or at least a domain e-mail address (e.g. info@yourbusiness.co.za). By having your own domain name e-mail address, instead of @gmail.com, your business has the advantage. You could be a one-man shop, but by having a sales@yourbusiness.co.za, info@yourbusiness.co.za and acounts@yourbusiness.co.za you have the appearance of having multiple employees and therefore looking like a larger and more reliable business.

“Those seeking information on what you offer are doing so at 10pm at night.”

3

Answer frequently asked questions.
Do you find that people phone your business to ask for information about a certain topic? Time is money and answering trivial questions takes time away from your human resources. Instead, include answers to frequently asked questions on your website. This way you are giving your potential clients a sense of company depth. And, a means to help themselves. People are more likely to look for a company that gives them all the information they need online. As opposed to the old fashioned phone-around town approach. Often, those seeking this info are doing so at 10pm at night. Your website handles queries while you are at rest.

Open 24/7. A public website is open 24/7. This is especially useful for those who need to get personal stuff done after business hours. You could be in bed sleeping, or spending quality time with your family. But your client may have had a long day at the office and needs to make inquiries. Online inquiries, for their family holiday at the coast tonight, for example.

4

Get your customers familiar with what you are selling. When selling, the first thing you do is to make sure the client is familiar with what you are trying to sell them. More and more client’s are looking online for information about products and services. This querying happens long before they even contact the business. This way, when the client calls, half the sale is already done if they have seen what you offer on your website.

5

Let your client’s know who you are. People generally prefer to do business with people they know ..Or get to know. By having an “about us” page, customers may get to know what you do and importantly, how you do things. A “references” is a good idea too. You get to showcase previous work with happy client responses, building trust with your future clients.

Make referrals easier. Let’s say that somebody loved the service they received at your business. It is so much easier for them to tell their friends. Especially nowadays with Google places. Just try it for yourself. Type the name of your business and see what Google knows about you. Be sure that the info Google has about your business is relevant and up to date.

E-mail made easy. When you start a new website host, often e-mails are associated with the hosting plan. You now have the option to create and use e-mail addresses matching your web address. It is a really good idea to have a contact form included on the contact page of your website. This allows people to get in touch with you quickly and easily, without the fuss of a full paragraphed e-mail. Customers don’t have to open their email program or pick up a telephone to contact you. It is right there in front of them (on your website). All this with one click of a button!

6

Communicate changes quickly. The time it takes to update written info on your website is considerably shorter than it takes to update in printed adverts. Especially with easy self editing options. Even if self editing is not your cup of tea, it shouldn’t take longer than 24-hours for a website’s written content to be updated. Depending of course on the amount of information to change..

If your business address changes, it will only take an hour or so to change contact details on a website. How much longer will it take to change on a billboard?

7

Websites cost a fraction of what printed adverts cost. How much would it cost you to have a one page advertisement in every newspaper in South Africa? A website is live to everybody world-wide, and costs much less to make. There are no printing costs, no mailing costs and it is accessible to everyone. Once a website is up and running it generally costs you less than R100 a month to keep it running.