Every physical business will eventually come to a point when an online presence will benefit their profits and sales. An online website provides a place where current customers can purchase products or services, contact customer service and read about upcoming promotions. Potential new customers can also visit the website to get a feel for the products or services offered by the company before making their final purchase decision.
The smaller businesses are the ones that hold out the longest. These small businesses feel having only one or two employees means an online storefront or website would be a waste of time and money. The online presence provides benefits for all businesses no matter how many customers or employees are currently a part of daily business.
If you’re a business owner, you might have the following reservations.
1) It is Too Difficult or Costly to Create a Website
Ten years ago creating a website for a business was both expensive and time consuming. A web designer needed to be hired to write the code for the website and then there was the domain name, hosting costs and upkeep of the website.
Additional costs could also include a full-time webmaster to create new product descriptions and remove old descriptions as needed. This is not to mention the back end processes of order fulfillment, tracking and payment processing. Those years are well behind the Internet. Today, the process of creating a website is both inexpensive and easy.
Online webmaster tools, including website templates and web builder tools are available to aid even the least skilled novice through the process of creating an online business facade. Free content management system software simplifies the process of uploading new products and deleting products that are no longer available.
If the business focuses on services, the same content management systems can be used to sell services to current and new customers. Payment processing is handled directly through integrated shopping carts linked to business bank accounts or business PayPal accounts.
2) My Business is Too Small For a Website
This is the number one reason why a business chooses not to break into the Internet. Every large business started out as a small business. The Internet is utilized daily by hundreds of millions of people.
Many of these people are searching for new products and services and the businesses that take the time to erect a website to promote their products are the ones that will fulfill the needs of these online customers.
Even if a business does not have a product to sell to the consumer or those who wish to handle all sales in a more physical setting can benefit from an online website. More and more consumers are researching a product before they choose to buy.
The main website of the business is the first place many of these consumers begin their research. They are looking for customer reviews, company history, prices, product descriptions and possibly online coupons to lure them into the store or business.
Branding a business is the key to success. Retail moguls like Walmart and Target are branded names today, but there was a time when they were simply Mom and Pop stores with only local customers. Once the brand name takes, the business sales and profits will rise dramatically.
3) I Don’t Have the Time to Maintain a Website
The most time consuming part of starting an online website is the planning process and the first few days of implementation. During the planning process, the business will choose the domain name and secure hosting. Once these details are taken care of, the website can be up and running in just a few days with information about the company and product descriptions.
If writing is an issue, outsourcing the writing aspect of creating an online website can cost a few dollars, but nothing compared to the potential sales increase that could be associated with an online presence.
Like Nike Says – Just Do IT!
Every business will benefit from a website. There is no debating the power of an Internet presence but if you are still questioning the power of the Internet here are a few facts that could help you make that final decision.
Google accounts for 2 billion searches per day.
The average consumer searches the Internet BEFORE buying a product or service.
Online sales are expected to soon overcome physical sales on Black Friday.
A website opens a virtual businesses door to people beyond the local market.
At the end of the day, businesses that have no online presence are just cheating themselves out of sales, profit and new customers. If your business sells (ANYTHING) they need an online presence to promote, advertise and sell!
For more information on what services we provide that can help you get started with a profit-pulling website for your business, visit here: http://www.zionglobalmarketing.com/services/
