How a Business Can Benefit from a Website
by: Brad Seefeld
With over half of all U.S. households shopping online, the internet has become a massive market for small businesses to sell their products and services to consumers. The Internet is quickly becoming the “world’s market place”. Businesses benefit from websites because it saves money and time, reach a wider consumer market, gives customers what they want, and it will help keep up with competitors. Customers will enjoy better support, not be hindered by store hours, and a sense of professionalism from your company. In today’s age, all businesses that want to go somewhere should have a website.
A small business web site can save a company money and time. Real-world advertising today often costs thousands, or millions for television ads, of dollars to produce and distribute to the intended audience. Internet ads are usually free or less than $25. This means that businesses can advertise more, spend less and ultimately make more money by getting new customers to see ads. Ads that are placed on the Internet usually last forever too. This makes online advertising far superior than real-world advertising.
Websites reduce the cost of printing. Most businesses distribute catalogs, brochures and/or fliers to their customers and their target market. These papers cost the company money each time one is used. By replacing these with a web site, businesses can store all their necessary information and refer customers to the site. This means that businesses can display and organize a far greater amount of information then they could on paper. Information is also updated regularly, putting all previous information out of date. When this happens all paper materials must be reprinted with the new information. On the other hand, information on websites can be updated instantly for free. Businesses will enjoy this as a cost effective convenience, saving them time and money. Websites reduce the cost of printing in more than just one way.
Businesses can offer online support through instant e-mail communications. The most important part of any business is customer support. A company with good customer support sells more than a company that does not. E-mail is quickly rising as the preferred method of communication by customers. E-mail provides customers with the use of communicating on their own time. Most businesses aren’t open 24/7. Customers have busy lives and don't always have time to call about the question before closing hours. With e-mail, customers can type the question in their free time and send it straight to a customer representative. In turn, the customer receives an even better response because the representative has enough time to research the question more in-depth or could forward it to the appropriate person. In addition, e-mail is much cheaper than conventional communication methods. Businesses often spend hundreds of dollars providing toll free phone numbers to their customers. E-mail comes free with websites. Email is more convenient for your customers, allows better responses and is cheaper.
The internet allows businesses the opportunity to reach a wider consumer market. There are currently over half a billion people connected to the internet and that number is growing double-digit rates. Conventional brick-and-mortar stores would never see that many people in an entire lifetime, but on the internet it’s only a click away. With a website businesses will be opening up shop in front of millions of people. Purchasing items online has also grown in popularity. Online purchases were reported to account for almost a third of all purchases made this last holiday season. Online shopping has become more secure and reliable so customers feel safer using it. This is good for businesses because they will be able to rely more and more on their online stores.
Internet users are online looking to shop. “If you build it, they will come.” They are often on a mission to find something. They are ready to spend their money. This makes it easy for businesses because customers will find them. Real world shops can be hindered by their location. If a certain area does not have a strong economy and their business is located their, they will not receive as much business as they would if they opened in a booming area. On the internet, everyone has an equal chance to sell. What makes this even greater is that the people coming to the businesses’ website have put in some effort to find it. They are looking for a particular product and want to find the best price for the most quality. All the business has to do is have a website that offers this. The customer will do all the work in finding it. A web presence will surely draw more customers to your business.
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How a Business Can Benefit from a Website
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About The Author
Brad is the president of a successful web design firm. He started the company when he was only 17 years old! Ever since, he has been helping others create the same success that he had.
bseefeld@finallythebasics.com
finallythebasics.com
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