It truly amazes me how many small businesses still don’t have websites – and worse yet – still don’t think they need one.
The days of running a business without having a website are LONG gone (and short of a major solar storm or act of God, they’re not coming back). Well, if you still need convincing (or know someone who does), here are a couple very compelling reasons to get a website, and get one now.
(By the way, if you’re reading this blog I’m guessing you already have a site. If so, PLEASE, please print out this post, call that friend you know that owns a business but doesn’t have a website, sit down with them, and have an intervention. They’ll thank you for it in the long run.)
97% of consumers use the Internet to research local purchases.
What if I told you that almost 100% of your local market was looking for your business online?
My guess is you’d beat a path to the nearest web designer as fast as your fingers could dial the number.
Oh wait.
Where would you look for your nearest web designer? Ah ha – you said online didn’t you? If you did, you’re absolutely right. In fact, a recent study done by BIA / Kelsey Group reveled that a full 97% of consumers search online for local products and services to buy. In comparison, only 30% use the yellow pages according to a study by TMP Directional Marketing.
The fact of the matter is that Internet usage is no longer seen as just an additional resource, it’s become a way of life. People instinctively turn to the Internet when they’re trying to find something. So if you’re not online today, it’s as detrimental to your business as not advertising in the yellow pages was 15 years ago. You’ll be missing out on tons of sales you never knew existed.
Your website is your online identity.
In a way, the Internet is a separate world that you need to establish your identity in, and your website does that for you. It’s like driving a stake, planting a flag, and claiming that space in the name of your business. And since I can see all the "nay-sayers" shrugging at this point and thinking "so what?" – let me tell you about something that happened to a local car dealership here in Michigan that didn’t have a website – an had their business identity stolen.
Click here to read the original story in the Oakland Press
Summit Auto Sales in Pontiac didn’t have a website. They thought they didn’t need one – until someone took their business name and set up a fake website claiming to be them. This fake site looked like a legitimate business site, used the Summit Auto name, and even used the dealership’s actual address. The purpose of the fake site was to trick customers into buying cars at "too good to be true" prices – and it worked. People from all over the country paid money to the scammers, then when their car never arrived, they hunted down the real dealership demanding an explanation and their money back. In short, a HUGE nightmare ensued. Read the story. Seriously.
Get a website.
Seriously if you don’t have a site yet, get one. There’s no legitimate excuse anymore for not having a site, and if you continue to operate without one it could do irreparable harm to your business. In today’s marketplace, having a site is as important as having a business card, and many customers gauge a company’s reliability and reputation by the site they have. So be sure to get yourself a professional site for your business. Your customers, and your profit margin, will thank you.