Do I Really Need A Web Site?

Web Weaver makes building your website easy. Anyone can do it for very little money. The tough part is building a successful business with it. How to get started?

Answering these simple questions can help point you in the right direction:

• Why do I need a web site?
• What will it accomplish for my business?
• Who is my target audience?
• What service(s) do I have to offer?

The biggest mistake you can make is to build a Web site that doesn't do anything for you. This may seem obvious, but many companies build Web sites simply because they believe it would be a neat thing to have. Without a real purpose in mind, a Web site will be ineffective, a waste of time and valuable resources.

By the way, there is always a good purpose for starting a web site - you just have to discover it. Think about all the possiblities. Let's make a list of all the great things that will happen to you when you start your own web site:

Always Open

• Your business will be open for business 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You won't have to stay open on Independence Day, Christmas or New Years day. If you live in New England, people in Nevada will still be able to shop your store, while your out having fun with family and friends. Any time someone wants to know your hours, location, directions, or any other details about your company, they can get it, at their convenience, without disturbing you. Saving your client long distance charges and keeping your phone line open.

Low staffing costs

• When you have a web site, you can offer products and services without hiring additional employees. You won't have to spend valuable resources on compensating or insuring new staff members while maintaining the same level of sales and quality customer service.

Thousands of new customers

• Because anyone in the world can visit your web site, you will gain customers from other states and countries while you put in the same amount of effort and money.

Enhanced Image

• Create an image of a well established company. The Internet provides a fantastic medium through which you can project any image of yourself you want. It is totally up to you:
• design a professional web site,
• add helpful content,
• insert classy images,
• your company will immediately take a step-up in the image it presents to the public.

Cost Cutting

• Save on postage and printing costs. Think of how many cards you mail out to let customers know about your sale. All of that can be eliminated by putting the sale information on your web site and inviting your customers to visit it. You can request your customers' E-Mail addresses to keep them informed about special events, sales or company news.

Customer Service

• How many times have you purchased an item only to end up feeling like your business was not appreciated. You can almost hear them saying, "great doing business with you now that I have your money go away". Business owners spend untold hours repetitively explaining to customers how to use the product, how to install it, troubleshoot it, clean it and whatever else can be done to a purchased item.
• Your web site will never leave your customers feeling this way. It will provide answers to all their questions. Create a page of "Frequently Asked Questions" and include the URL (web address) on every receipt and invoice. With any luck, they will visit your website for answers, before they call you for help.

Full-Color Advertisements

• Ever advertised in a local newspaper or magazine? The costs can be out outrageous. You are being charged per line, per inch, and per color. With your own website you can add pictures, articles, directions, newsletters, detailed instructions, rates, product images and so much more! With just one web site, you have a contant advertisement for the same low monthly cost (under $25 a month!)
• Exchange links with your friends to their website and your advertising potential can increase very quickly.

Online Yellow Pages

• Think of the Internet as a huge Yellow Pages book. Can you imagine not being in the Yellow Pages and try reaching your local market? Unless you spend a lot of cash on newspaper ads and other local promotions - no one will know your business exists. If people can't find your company on the Web, you might as well not exist. Having a presence on the web can even the playing field.

Avoid the crowds

• Many people detest standing in line, excessive noise, high pressure salesman, rude clerks, etc... People are shopping online more today than ever before. Once they discover online shopping - they will never go back to pushing a cart. By putting your products online, you satisfy the needs of your customers.

Get the Web

The Internet is still in its infancy, no matter how many web sites there are out there today. It has been less than a decade since companies made the decision to use web sites as part of their marketing plans. Many are still resistant to make the change. Can you imagine what it will be like in another 10 years? Don't be left behind the times.

The reasons to create an online presence is endless, but I'm sure you have realized by now that your business absolutely needs a web site! Get started today! You'll be glad you did.