Running your own business is not an easy task, and your to-do list is guaranteed to go on forever (no matter how many items you check off!) As a small business owner with such a long list of responsibilities, it’s important to be able to prioritize your tasks. One mission that should be at the top of your to-do list is creating a website for your small business. A website is your small business’ window to the world; a professional place where you can grow your audience, keep up with competition and showcase your work.
Not convinced? Here are 8 reasons why your small business absolutely needs a website.
- First Impressions Count
The fact is: if you’re not on the web, you’re being missed. Digital presence is key to opening your small business up to new potential clients and creating a professional feel. If a potential client Google’s your business and can’t find a website, they are less likely to pursue using your services. - Keeping up with the Competition
It’s bad if an individual searches your business and a webpage doesn’t come up, but it’s even worse to have them search the services you provide and have competitor’s pages show up in the results. You may not want to think about it, but your competitor’s have websites and are already using them to gain new customers and increase their revenue. Having a website for your small business is a good way to keep ahead of the competition and have a chance at gaining new clientele. - Informing Customers
Your website is your window to the world. Think of it as your online brochure, portfolio, and catalogue all in one. Websites are a quicker, easier way to update information about your products or services opposed to making these announcements in print. Informing your customers about new arrivals, specials, and upcoming events is much easier when done through your own website. The best part about relaying messages through your website is that they’ll never be outdated because they can be updated. - Accessible 24/7
As consumers, we all know the frustration of trying to gain information about a business or services and having that particular business be closed. When you own a small business, in order to go on vacations and partake in other activities your business must close and becomes inaccessible to the public. With a website, you can keep your business information accessible even when you are away. An About Page, Services or Products Page, and a Frequently Asked Question Page are all great webpages to have on your website to help inform potential customers even when you’re not at your desk. - Saves Time
Providing information to your customers takes time. Whether it’s handing out brochures, sending emails, or even sitting on the phone with them—you’re taking up time out of your day to explain information that you can make readily available on a website. Including the pages mentioned above as well as an online catalogue (amongst other things) is a great way to save time (and ultimately save money) for your small business. - Provides a Medium to Showcase your Work
No matter what type of small business you own, a website is always a great way to showcase your work. Whether it be through a portfolio of photo’s or beaming testimonials, potential clients will visit your website to check out the work that you’ve done and what makes you unique. - Ability to Target a Wider Audience
When it comes to finding customers for your small business, one of the first places owners often look is their community or area surrounding their community. While this is a great idea and often amounts to new customers, having a website widens your customer base by allowing you to sell to anyone, anywhere. People love buying things online so don’t miss out on this perk of having a website, especially if you sell products! - Improves Customer Service
As we’ve touched upon throughout this article, your website is a place where your small business meets your clientele. It’s a great place to put not only information about your business, but information that your customers are looking for. A website is a great place to start a blog or news section to hand out tips to your clients about something related to your field. For example, if you are a waste company and you are looking to have great customer service you could create a blog about “tips for recycling.” A website is also a great place to have a “chat” or “message” area to offer answers for questions generated by online users.
No Website Means Losing Business
If your small business doesn’t have a website, you’re losing business. Since people do their research on products and services online, that’s where you need to be. There’s a multitude of options when it comes to creating a website for your business but we recommend investing on a quality, custom-made website so you really stand apart from the competition and come off as the high-end, trustworthy professionals you are. If you’re ready to get started on your website give us a call at 201-345-4556 or email us at getstarted@crearemarketing.com. We look forward to providing you with the web solutions your business needs.
