Why does my business need a website?
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010The world wide web has become the world’s #1 source of information. While newspaper advertisements have been somewhat historically effective, the fact remains that it is a gamble whether or not your target audience will actually see them. It has become more of a gamble, as most newspapers offer free online versions of their printed articles funded by corporate advertisers, thus eliminating the need for a traditional subscription. In addition, a newspaper advertisement is typically “one and done”, meaning that once that issue has been distributed, your target audience has only that one chance to view your ad, then it’s gone. Does this really give you the most effect for your advertising dollar?
Similar to newspaper advertising is direct mailings. How many flyers do you need to send out just to bring in one customer? How many of those flyers end up in the trash or a recycling bin without ever being read? Probably more than you’d like to think about!
By contrast, in our technology-driven society, a very large portion of the public has internet access at home, at work, or both. More and more people use search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, or Bing, to research products of interest and local businesses. Believe it or not, your business is probably already on the internet… the problem is that you have little or no control over the information that is already there!
Having a website for your business is the equivalent of having your business open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, along with an advertisement that’s never tossed in the recycling bin. You are in complete control of the public image your business portrays, and users can find pertinent information, such as store hours, locations, and phone numbers, as well as your current sales and promotions, at their convenience. With a website, your sales flyer or advertisement is never “yesterday’s news”!
Ready to talk about how a website can improve your business and connect you with your customers? Give us a call today at (814) 723-4105.