Reasons Why Every Small Business Needs a Website

Official website : http://www.vghglobal.com

Are You Missing Your Customers?

All businesses should have a website these days.  Yes, ALL of them.  Few years ago,  I wasn’t completely convinced that all businesses needed a web presence.  The Internet had made it pretty obvious that a website can be an asset to any business.  An asset maybe, but a necessity?  Well, maybe not.  At least I believed that until one day when I needed to research a local retailer and they didn’t have a website.
 

I was visiting a gift shop manufacturer’s website to find a local retailer.  I wanted to purchase some gift to give to one of my friends on the occasion of birthday, locally instead of ordering it online from the manufacturer.  I was so excited to find a store within a mile from me.  I immediately searched for them but they didn’t have a website.  So how could I check their hours or make sure they still carried that brand or if they were still in business?  Talk about total disappointment!

Immediately I thought, “Now what? Don’t they want customers?”  I could call them, but I didn’t feel like it since I was on my computer. How much easier it would have been for me (a potential customer) to learn about that store if that retailer had a website.

Instead of calling, I decided to look up the next nearest store (which I think many consumers would do.) They had a website with the information I needed and more!  They had their hours, location and the best part of their website was that they had photos of their store (so I knew what it looked like) plus they noted that they had “on site parking”! What a great idea to provide this helpful information for new customers like me. That’s when I realized having a website was in important tool in the small business owner’s arsenal and it is a necessity.

 And that brings me to several reasons to have a website for your small business: 

1) Competition.  This is one of the strongest reasons to have a website.  You know your competitors have a website.  I mean not only your local retailers but also manufacturers and online sellers use websites as a way to communicate with existing and potential customers. It doesn’t mean that all of your competitors have a web presence but probably at least one nearby has a website!  Don’t lose customers to them!  If you are local, adding a printable map showing your location is a great convenience for your customer.

2)    Convenience.  If you have printed business cards and have a stack of them sitting on your counter, think of a website as your new digital business card. If a customer misplaces your printed business card then they can conveniently find you when you have a web presence. They will be able to get even more information about you and your business that could never fit on your paper business card.  Just imagine if someone asks one of your customers for a recommendation. Don’t you want to be the one who is recommended? It would be great if your customer said, “I don’t have their business card but you can visit their website!”

3)    Credibility. I’m sure you’ve heard a professional looking website provides you with your first chance at making a good impression on a customer.  A website shows that you are committed to your business and the customer is important to you. You might find that customers are more willing to do business with you because you have a website. Think of it as making that website investment for then!

4)     Build Relationships.  You can find value in having an online presence by building relationships with customers via your website by sending them monthly emails or newsletters to stay in touch.  It is easier to get people to visit your website and understand about your business. It is also a great customer service tool where customers can reach you 24 hours a day, any day of the week, by e-mail. Replying to their emails is a great way to develop a relationship with them!

 5)    Advertising. Now this is a good one with which to end my list.  A website can be a very inexpensive form of advertising. You can offer your customers much more information about your products or services on a website than other forms of advertising. You can make changes —seasonal or monthly changes reflected with  photos or prices or have weekend specials.  The sky is the limit!  You can send emails and publicize sales and special offers.  What about an online limited offer?  What a fantastic way of showcasing your business and keeping customers!

My experience provided me with some insights on the value and importance of a business having a website. What a great way to be able to communicate important information to your customers.  It’s like a silent partner, providing an easy way for your customers to learn about you and your business. If you want more customers, I hope these reasons demonstrate how customers and websites can produce amazing results together.  A website provides a great opportunity to expand your business.  I hope you will consider creating one today.

Some Important Things Every Small-Business Website Needs

The Web is full of horrendous sites, and we're not just talking about bad design. There are many other elements besides how your website looks that go into making it customer-friendly -- not to mention something that inspires them to actually do business with you.

From thorough contact information to customer testimonials, here are the essentials that every small business website should have for it to effectively help you do business.

1. A clear description of who you are

Someone who stumbles upon your website shouldn't have to do investigative work to figure out what, exactly, it is that you do. That means clearly stating your name and summing up your products or services right on the homepage.

A clear description will attract the visitor's attention immediately within 2-3 seconds, and encourage them to stay on your website longer.

2. A simple, sensible Web address

Don't make things complicated.

"Your domain name is like your brand. It should be easy for a user to type it into a Web browser or an e-mail address.

I will recommend that .com domain as users are conditioned to type that extension when they enter a Web address. For non-profits or organizations, I usually recommend using a .org domain for branding purposes, but also recommend having a .com version of the domain in case a user accidentally types the .com address."

3. An easily-navigated site map

Clear links to the most important pages, and a site map, are crucial for guiding visitors to the information they're looking for.

"Be sure your navigation is clearly laid out. I always recommend using dropdowns in the navigation menu so the visitor can see the content under every heading from virtually any page. You want to make it very easy for your visitors to find what they are looking for, or what you want them to know," Wright suggests.

4. Easy-to-find contact information

You wouldn't want to lose a customer to a competitor just because you made it difficult for them to get in touch with you.

The best place for the contact information is the top left or top right corner of the home page. It is also a good practice to include contact information in every page of the website in the footer or side bar or even in top right corner, which helps the visitors to find it more easily.

You should also be sure to include several ways for them to contact you -- phone, e-mail, and a standard contact form, are all good options. 

So, these days website is the necessity of today and everybody is busy and want to search the things online even many people like to buy the things online while sitting at home. Your site is the right way to find the customer online and it is the good way to boost your sales and business.

If you're in need to start your business/personal website, VGHGlobal Solutions is the better place to start your web design/ web development project.  At VGHGlobal Solutions every step of the process goes to ensuring that your website looks great, functions seamlessly and grows your business making our customer successful. We not only deliver websites with impressive looks but also aim to create an effective online presence that can represent the best image and identity of your business.

Contact: www.vghglobal.com

Article written by: VGHGLOBAL Solutions deals in Internet marketing solutions, a web design and web development company in India.