There are many businesses and organisations that are successfully running day-to-day without a website – but just imagine how much better they could be doing if they invest in one. It’s been proven over and over again that a well designed, regularly updated website can attract and engage visitors and provide them with key information about your organisation – which it wouldn’t have otherwise.
I’m doing perfectly fine without a website, so why do I need one?
some may say, If it’s not broken – why fix it? But, that’s like saying, why drive 5 miles to work when you can walk? You can do it faster, better and generally improve your day by taking the drive route, leaving you time to concentrate on all the other things you should be doing.
Having a website is one of the best ways of ensuring that your potential users and customers can find out about you, where you are, and what you offer — in seconds and at all times, even when you’re asleep. Websites are a much more cost effective platform to advertise your business with over traditional methods such as advertisements in the local paper, exhibitions and stalls and cold calling. Although don’t stop doing what you’ve always done so well – all a website is, after all is another marketing tool.
Buying business premises can be costly and risky, if you’re a start-up operating on a shoestring – a website can be a safer, cheaper alternative. It’s also a great way to start out, if you have your website with you from the start, it can grow as your business does – without you having to stop and worry about it at a later date.
If you use the right methods to promote your business online, you can overcome your competition simply by being more visible than they are. This will give you more time to look at the big picture, and how you promote your company or organisation as a whole.
Your website will ensure you look modern and professional in the eyes of your customers and clients. People wanting to use your business will look you up on the web beforehand, and if you don’t show up – you’ve lost out. You can tailor the impression your business gives on the web, you can make your organisation seem bigger or smaller than it really is, allowing you to reel in the bigger fish.
Your Website Should:
· Be easy to navigate.
· Be readable.
· Give your contact details and location.
· Provide details of your services or products.
· Reflect your branding and image.
· Be up to date in its design and content.
· Promote the benefits of your organisation.
Your website is just the first step. There are a whole host of other tools you can utilise to be more successful in your business sector now you are online.
What Your Website Can Do
· Pay Per Click advertising – create adverts that are prominently visible on search engines, and the best part is you only pay when someone actually clicks that ad and lands on your website!
· Newsletter & Email Marketing – Communicate to your customers just how good you are, and share with them things like recipes, how to guides, products on sale and general news about your organisation.
· Social Media – Get to know your users and customers – talk to them, listen to what they say about you around the net. If done properly you can get people so passionate about your business and services that they will advertise you for free, just by mentioning you in their social circles online and offline.
· Sell Your Products & Services Online – Customers and Clients can purchase your products and services at their convenience, on their lunch break, at midnight – whenever, wherever! Your eShop can be open 24/7 and as long as you’re happy to do so, can sell your goods to people in locations all over the globe.
· Keep Visitors Up to Date – This can be done easily with a blog, and even factor in to your email marketing. Your blog is also full of juicy key words (words that are common within your business sector and relate directly to what you do or sell) which can propel your website to the first pages of search engines.
· Be Optimised for Search Engines – Target certain words and key terms that users might be typing into search engines, allowing you to appear more or less often for them as you want to.
· Include an FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions can be answered via your website. This can save needless calls, letters and emails to your business and improves your customer service.