You want to have website, but when your friends ask you why, you have a hard time answering. Do you face this situation? Well, let me share with you the tops reasons people develop their website. Ready?
Code fast. Code furious.
- Clement Koh
1. Legitimising and gaining credibility
Today, more and more consumers use the internet to search for the products or services they need. Your small business will gain credibility by having a website. Without one, potential customers will go to your competitors that do. If you already have a website but it is "home-made", having it professionally redesigned will provide your business with a professional image which will inspire even greater confidence. For home-based businesses, this is particularly beneficial since you do not have a store front to promote your products or services.
2. Information 24/7, creating business for you when you sleep
A website is available to both your regular and potential customers 24/7/365 providing them with the convenience of reviewing your services when your store or office is closed. With today’s busy lifestyles, this is a great selling point when making a purchase decision. Your hardworking website is pitching and selling all the time.
3. It can be your online personal assistant
You can automate time consuming processes online, saving you valuable time to do important stuff. Here are some ideas:
- Appointment booking system
- Feedback forms, Surveys and Questionnaires
- Payment system
- Cost Calculator
- Resource distribution
4. Constant stream of visitors
Why don't you save the money from your website and spend it on online paid advertisement? Well you could, however when you stop paying for online advertsiements, you lose your business.
If you have compelling content on your website, you can see a constant stream of visitors coming in day after day, month after month. If you are unfamiliar with this concept, I invite you to read more on Content Marketing and Search Engine Optimisation(SEO)
5. Vital Part of your customer Journey
Do you know that your client or customer will visit your webiste multiple times before signing a contract with you?
Decision makng process is not a step by step sequence. Consumers usually jump from website to social media to messaging then website, go for your talk, watch you on youtube, go to website again then purchase. The customer Journey can be complicated.
Conclusion- Website can be the best investment in a business
As a small business owner you probably think you can't afford a professional website, but you can't afford NOT to. Although the cost of designing a website varies, once it's up and running, a website for a small business generally costs under $100 a month and, in some cases, as little as $20. Compared with the cost of a newspaper ad, when you consider the potential market you can reach with a website, it is a very cost effective way to promote your business.
