Do you own a website? If you don’t, you need one. They are easier to make than you think. There is a long run-on list of reasons to have a site here. Figure out which ones matter to you. Of course, all of them are costing you money and loss of opportunity.
People are very quickly moving away from the Yellow Pages. People go on line to find information. If you are not there, you won’t be found. Or maybe you will be found, but what people find is bogus or you are mixed into information with 15 of your competitors in an aggregation site.
In a cynical world, people are wary. They look around what people say about you, what you look and sound like- they are looking for your personality. And if you aren’t online they are not finding out why you are unique- why they need to do business with you.
In fact, the attitude is growing that if you are not on-line, you are out of date and just not a player. Might not be true at all. It is about perceptions. Can you afford to be seen in this negative light?
Maybe you get referrals because of great work. Well, most people who get a referral, go on line to find out more information. You will not be found in any context that is attractive to you. Bottom line, you need a website. It is a repository of critical information that helps buyers decide you are the right choice for them. Make sure they see what you want them to see when they look for you.
There are so many fun and attractive ways to present your company to prospects and your existing customers. If you don’t have a website- or a blog- as a repository, you are speechless- you are mute in the language of the 21st century.
The Internet gives you too many ways to improve service to your customers whether they are B2C or B2B.
Even if you are so ensconced in your markets that people love you. You are competing with one arm tied behind your back.
You probably don’t have a website, because you have done fine for years and what you have heard so far makes you think someone is trying to take advantage.
I can understand why you say this. There is a tremendous amount of self -serving BS propagated at business owners. People actually mislead. People will actually lie to you. This is not a good reason not to have a website. And be thankful that you have the common sense to know BS when you hear it. Here is a option that I recommend.
However you are marketing now, an effective web site can leverage those resources and help build business.
Billions of dollars are spent on Yellow Page advertising. Have you ever noticed how most Yellow Page messages read very much like the next? Yellow page ads can leave prospects scratching their head on whom to trust, whom to do business with.
The Yellow page competitor with an effective website has a powerful tool to create the texture and content needed for the prospect to determine they are the right choice. Maybe you are not in the Yellow Pages. Maybe you are marketing through direct mail or maybe you are out knocking on doors.
Whatever method of sales generation you are using- whatever marketing efforts you use to empower sales- a website is a grand tool to leverage those efforts.
Your website allows you to put timely information on your website immediately.
Special offers, product changes; new testimonials, great pictures of a successful project: any useful change can be made almost immediately, for an instantaneous impact of your prospects.
A website can really help your staff save time.
Are you always handling the same questions or dealing with the same concerns? Answering these questions on the web site can cut down on the time spent by you or your staff. A prospect can email you with a question and a staff member can handle it promptly but not right this second.
This ability to better utilize your human talent can help reduce frustration; save time, and actually give your customers better customer service, because it fits their needs also.
Your website can help you to capture the names and email addresses of prospects that are interested in your product or service.
This is direct response marketing. Whether you are keeping up with existing customers, or whether you are nurturing leads until they are ready to buy- a website is the repository for the information you offer them. You stay in touch and nurture them and they come back when they are ready to make a decision.
Effective use of technology allows you to follow up with this prospect until you finally land them as a customer. The road to the successful sale can easily begin with the information gathered from the website.
A compelling website can really help you with PR.
Wouldn’t it be great to have the local paper write an article about your business. Wouldn’t you like to be interviewed for the local television news program? A compelling website can be a tipping point for finding the interesting angle that makes you newsworthy.
The media can come to your site and quickly understand what you do that is special and discover the idea that makes your story interesting to their audience. Can you imagine how exciting it would be to get some really great PR? A compelling website is a great big step towards that PR goal.
The Internet is a powerful collection point for media that can greatly impact your prospect. Do people need to see your samples? Include some pictures or video. You can talk to your visitors with an audio clip. Your message can be as elaborate as necessary without boring everyone with the details. Each prospect, using the hyperlink options available, can select the level of detail they want.
The website allows your prospect an unfettered access into your business 24 hours a day. They can explore at their leisure without interruption, without the slightest embarrassment for asking a lot of silly questions, and without the fear that they are drawing the unwanted attention of a pushy sales person.
You can create your own website community and promote your business within that community.
If, for example, you are in the horse riding business; you can easily create special events and special pictures that highlight your friends and customers and business partners. People will come to the page to see their pictures; their friend’s pictures and discover for themselves how much fun riding horses can be. I hope this small and prosaic example opens your eyes to the world of possibilities that can be created through a website.
Beware what technology you end up with. The first fundamental issue in web building technology is being able to discern the BS and avoid the distraction of hype. There is a lot of stuff talked about because it makes people money. Here are some key points you need to consider in web technology.
Actually, the easiest web building technology today is WordPress. You might be familiar with WordPress as blogging software. Well it works great to build a website. WordPress is open software that you can build with and then export when and if you want to move your site. Here is more information on WordPress
You don’t need an expensive website. What people are looking for is really simple. They need help. They need answers to their questions. They want some ideas on what they can do. Nobody knows your customers better than your great people. Nobody knows their concerns and fears better than your great people. You content on a website would be such a win-win. For you and people needing your help. Did you see these notes on the importance of content?
Are there questions or concerns you have that are not addressed here? Do you have an embarrassing question that you don’t feel like asking? Just ask. The world is getting so complex and very confusing. We all have our niches. Feel free to call or email. Or leave a comment below.
