You Might Need a Web Site if…

“As an owner of a small business with no product or service that can really be sold online, do I need a company web site?”

The answer, there is very little that can’t be sold over the Internet. There are over 30 million people shopping online, buying everything from music to cars to real estate property. Research predicts that revenues will be over $300 billion in 2005 and will grow at a rate of 30 to 50 percent over the next few years. These numbers alone should be enough to persuade you that your business should be online.

Regardless of whether you sell your services or product online, you should at the very least have an online presence so that customers, potential customers, partners and even potential investors can easily and quickly find more information about your company, the products and services you have to offer, as well as how to contact you.

Can I Afford a Web Site?
Given the competition and current market trends you can’t afford NOT to. Think of your web site as your new marketing tool which, when applied correctly, will generate a return on investment.

Your competition is probably already on-line and you need to use every possible avenue just to keep up. You should look at having a web site as an investment in you and your company’s future. The coverage that you will get with a website beats out radio and print advertising anyday. The cost for 1 or 2 weeks on the radio alone would cover the cost of your average web site.

Whatever time or money you currently spend on marketing, supplementing it with a web site is a necessity. Your site will help you expand geographically and clients or customers will take you a lot more seriously.

Join the e-Commerce Club
Taking credit card orders over the Internet is quite an investment, especially if you don’t already have a merchant account. There are several e-Commerce solutions that can be custom-built for you that use payment gateways such as PayPal, which only requires a bank account and an email address. Customers can pay you through their credit card or even their checking account, and it’s a great solution if you’re looking to test the waters.

Summing Things Up
To be taken seriously, it’s not enough that you simply have a web site, but you must have a professional-looking web site. Many customers now search for information online before making a purchase; your web site may be the first chance you have at making a good impression on a potential buyer. If your site looks like it was designed by your brother-inlaw web hacker for free, your chance at making that good first impression will not happen. Ineffective planning and development leads to web sites that fail. Your web site is a core component of your business, and not a technological novelty. If your web site does not serve the needs of your business and its customers, it will never reach its full potential.

No matter what size your business is, and even if you’re not planning on selling online, a well-made web site is essential for any business. If you don’t have a web site, you’re already losing business to companies that do.

Main reasons you need a web site.
Promote name recognition
Elevate company’s perceived value
Establish credibility
Generate sales leads
Enhance sales process
Expand markets
Reduce operating costs
Improve communications