Do you really need a website for your business?
Certainly, there must be some cases where having a website for your business is not important. Every rule has an exception, right?
Yes, there are instances where you may not want/need a website:
- You perish the thought of more customers
- You’ve established your brand
- You have your business listed on other sites
- You get enough referrals through social media
- And again, you perish the thought of more customers
So, in a nutshell, if you’ve built your brand, you’re not worried about your business reputation, and you perish the thought of more customers, maybe, you don’t need a website.
I’d be careful about your reputation though, especially if Social Media is your main source of clientele, because a few bad Yelp reviews, or attacks on Facebook, and new business could take a hit. With a website, you get to constantly reinforce your brand.
But, if you’re not in the list above, let’s review the Why’s around a business website.
Your website is your #1 employee, or should be!
Think about it, as a business owner, you are asked the same questions over and over, and you’re delivering the same information every day.
You may already have, or you may be planning to hire, staff to help answer the same questions and deliver the same information every day so you can concentrate on growing your business.
What if you had a way to get the majority of the questions on your products or services answered before you ever met your prospect What if they knew all about your products and services before you even met them? What if they just had a question or two before they made a purchase?
Or even better than that, due to the information they gained about you from your website, the first interaction was a purchase?
Sound good? It can happen. As a matter of fact, it’s happening every day. And, it’s happening at a faster pace than ever before.
And the reason is simple. The internet has made our lives easier, be it a consumer or a business, we can now do more than ever before and do it faster than ever before.
I’ve heard from some people starting a business that they aren’t able to afford a website.
I’m here to tell you, without a website, you’re wasting whatever other resources you’re putting in place. And a well-designed website will save you money and time.
Think about it. Your website works 24 hours per day 7 days per week. It never gets tired. It never complains about having to answer the same question day in and day out.
It is, or at least it should be, your best employee.
Sounds good but what will a website for my business actually do for me?
Your website, once designed can do all of the following listed below.
With a solid strategy you can start small and increase the functionality and value it provides:
A website for your business acts as your Brand Ambassador
This is a good starting point if you’re trying to decide where to start.
This can be as simple as a one-page website that includes your logo, business name, the benefits of the products or services you provide, and a call to action such as ‘Call us Now!’ or request an email address for that monthly newsletter.
This one page website needs to do a lot in a short amount of space, and getting a one page site correct is so important, that I’ve dedicate a full blog post to it:
Why build a one page website.
Get found on Google Search
With a Search Engine Optimized website done right, your website can be found on Google and possibly reach the coveted first page ranking.
If you’re able to reach that ranking level and maintain it, you’re business will stand out from the competition and your sales will skyrocket.
Build a Relationship
With engaging, friendly website content that knows how to develop the same trusting relationship you have already mastered in person, you can build a loyal following with your clients and increase sales naturally.
As with the in-person sales process, building trust with your prospect is the first key to an ongoing relationship.
As any sales person worth their weight will tell you, nobody wants to be sold. Thus your website content should focus on education first. Make your website the first stop for research on the product your selling without any pressure to buy your product or service.
You should get your customer to realize that buying your product or service is the best idea they’ve ever had, while you gently lead them to that as a decision they make on their own.
Only after they have all of their questions and concerns out of the way, should you introduce your call to action.
That’s where the sales funnel comes into play. This is another topic that is too vast to answer in this post so I’m dedicating another post for that.
Sell your Products and Services
In the section above I mentioned the sales funnel. This is where a good marketing plan comes to roost. By taking them through a normal sales process, you can actually do the full sale without ever interacting with your prospect. This is website Gold and a sure means to increasing your income in a rapid manner.
Generate a loyal client base
And, finally, your website can create a loyal customer base. With your website, you can gather contact information that you can use to keep them informed of new products, services, giveaways, etc. You can send offers that get your clients to recommend your services, purchase more of your products, etc.
For ideas on continuing sales to your current client base check out this post. So, as you can see, the answer to the question, does your business need a website, is a qualified ‘Yes’, if you want to protect your brand, develop client loyalty, increase your sales and make your life easier and more profitable. If not then I have a question for you; why are you still reading this?
Thanks for reading. Please comment on this article and let me know if you found it helpful and if you think there’s anything I could add to make it more useful.
Brian
