5 Reasons to Put Your Business on the Web
Let’s say you’re in a fairly straightforward business, such as construction, and you like to work face-to-face with your customers. You’ve been running the business on your three-year-old PC. So there’s no need to invest in a website, right? Not so much….
Every business, from cookie stands to building contractors, benefits in some way from being online. Even if you’re no bigger than a lemonade stand, you need to get your business on the Web.
Let’s start with five reasons:
1. Presence
We’ve reached the point where if you’re not on the Web, you might as well not exist. If someone Googles construction firms and you’re not online, you’ve already lost to your more tech-savvy competition. Over 500 million people use the Web every day—you simply can’t afford to ignore that market.
2. Marketing
If you’re still printing flyers and going door-to-door, your marketing is more than a bit outdated. A website is like constant advertising; you put your material out there and people come to it, instead of the other way around. And it’s there 24/7, so you don’t miss that crucial customer from another time zone who decides to look for construction firms at 3am.
3. Feedback
Every business likes to hear from its customers, but few people would be bothered to call up a company just to say thanks. A website serves as a portal for customer interaction, where people can leave you messages and you can get back to them in seconds. This can come in handy when you’re working with long-term clients who need regular updates.
4. Networking
Every business relies to some extent on connections. For example, your construction firm may be built (pun intended) on relationships with contractors, architects, interior designers, and even government agencies. Your website is like a free-for-all business card—it makes connections all the time and helps you build a stable, relevant network.
5. Updating
So you’ve rolled out a new product and you want to get word around. Do you call the papers, print out posters, or start sticking ads under every windshield wiper in town? When you have a website, all you need is to update your site and write a short release to pass around. For half the effort, you reach ten times more people, say your piece in more detail, and avoid the wrath the occasional short-tempered car owner.
