Why Every Business Needs a Website
As the saying goes, time is money. Every business owner I talk to wants two things. They want to save time and maximize profit. Often these two are mutually exclusive. However, there is one tool, if utilized properly, that can help your organization or business do both. What is it? A website.
If you aren’t sure about this theory, look below. You will find five ways your business or organization will benefit from a quality website.
1. Chalk it up to kids these days, but people are less likely than ever to pick up the phone and call. Gone are the days of pulling out the yellow pages, walking over to a corded, rotary phone mounted to the wall and dialing a number to ask for information. If someone wants to know your hours of business, they’ll look it up on their smartphone. If you don’t have a website, you are losing business. Think of your website as a 24/7 employee, always there to answer questions, but never wanting to be paid over time.
2. This leads us to our second point. You may not have a website, but your competition does. 45% of all small business have a website. That can be troublesome for those who don’t. Say Joe and Mary own a home and are looking for someone to do a little landscaping. A quick google search shows four companies in their area who do this type of work. Two out of the four have websites. Which ones are automatically out of the running? You guessed it, the ones without a website. According to a recent study done by G/O Digital, 80% of respondents did their research online before stepping into a physical store. That means that if you don’t have a website, but your competition does, you could be losing a major portion of your business.
3. Websites sell to the introvert. Almost half of the population is introverted. For the introvert (I should know, I am one), the thought of talking on the phone or entering a small store front to be greeted by a salesperson is a bit unnerving. Will I do it? Yes. Will most introverts do this if necessary? Yes. But the good news is for all of the I’d-rather-stay-home-and-not-make-small-talk kind of people is that we can buy almost anything online. Many of us will justify paying more for a product in order to stay within our comfort zone. Let us gather information anonymously, via the web, and we are much more likely to step foot in your shop. This is how half of the consumer base prefers to shop. If you don’t have a website, half of your potential clients are likely to go somewhere else for their business (see point #2).
4. A quality, professional looking website levels the playing field. The little store front can actually compete with the big box store thanks to the internet. Businesses can use the internet to reach potential customers locally, nationally and globally. Even if your product isn’t sold online, a website informs your customer of what you do sell. Whether you sell physical items or offer a service, your customers need to know what you do. Otherwise, they will continue to do what is familiar, which is often shopping at larger retailers. In the long run, a solid website is one of the least expensive forms of advertising available. It exposes your organization or business to a wider audience than any other form of media.
5. It gives your business credibility. Solid content, professional design and quality images show your potential customers that your business is worth their time to check out and ultimately buy from.
Whether your current website reminds you of 1996 and needs a little updating or your business isn’t online, it’s obvious that a carefully crafted, professional looking website is crucial to your company’s future. If you are interested in starting a web design project, but don’t know where to begin, we’re here to help. Contact us at 319.415.0741 or at katie@nashstreetdesigns.com to take your business to the next level.
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