Does your business really need a Website?

The first question that comes to mind is,"Does every company need to be in the phone book or even advertise in any way shape or form?" If you are in business as a hobby, and you are just as busy as you want to be, then probably not.

However, if you are planning on growing your business or to stay in business in today's market, then you might want to consider

then following. In 2008, 84.3% of Canadians regularly used the Internet. That was up from 67.5% in 2005. Have you noticed that the phone directories are starting to get thinner, and the phone directory companies have started to publish on line? In fact, they want to charge you more to put the same ad on line as you have in the book. As our population ages, the Internet is becoming a basic necessity as people are more willing to give up their television before the Internet. After all, you can watch many programs on the Internet anyway. As for the phone book, it is far faster to search for a company that it is to let your fingers... well you know what I mean.

Now, for some companies it is an essential part of doing business. Companies who are trying to reach customers in different locations (hotels, tourist attractions), or companies who ship their product around the world. But what about other companies such as renovation contractors, plumbers, financial ad-visors, or accountants. Do they need a website?

Here are the average month's statistics for the following searches:

A) renovation Calgary = 880 per month

B) Calgary plumbers = 590 per month

C) investment Calgary = 12,100 per month

D) accountants Calgary= 480 per month

Now if you are a renovation company that isn't on the Internet, you are missing 880 opportunities per month. Local businesses (dry cleaners or shoe repair shops, for example) also can benefit from a web site that shows their location, lists their services or offers special promotions.

And woe to those who think they don't need a compelling web site because they serve other businesses rather than retail consumers. Many businesses search for new suppliers online, then order from them that way, too.

Sometimes, if a customer can't find you on the web, they immediately dismiss you as being a reputable business. In short, if you want more customers, you should be online, regardless of your industry.

Your online marketing tool

For most businesses of any size, a web site is rapidly becoming the most basic requirement of a marketing plan. A site can help you reach one or more of the following goals:

• Help customers find you in the offline world – your office, your storefront, your phone number.

• Help persuade customers that you have the right service or product for them

• Help sell products online, even across different marketplaces, to retail customers or other businesses.

A simple site helps customers find you

The simplest possible web presence is a one-page site that tells people how to find your business in the "real" world. It should include:

• A relevant web address that relates to your company name and business.

• Your business address, complete with directions and a reliable map.

• Your business phone number, along with fax numbers if relevant.

• Your hours of operation.

• A clear and enticing description of what your business offers to customers.

This simple Web presence is most appropriate for businesses that serve local customers (a dry cleaner, doctor's office or plumber, for example) and that aren't actively looking to expand their customer base (as with a fully booked dental practice).

For better marketing, create an expansive site

If you're interested in active marketing for your business, you can expand your Web site to make it a more robust online marketing tool.

In this scenario, the Web site's job is to convince customers to take that next step: Buy the product online, call you to place an order or set up an appointment, or drive to your office or storefront. Your site is essentially your online marketing brochure, one that's more effective than a printed marketing piece. Web sites enable customers to dig deep into the information they care about, without overwhelming them with the stuff they don't want or need to know. That's hard to pull off in a paper brochure.

You can approach crafting the Web site as you would any other marketing brochure. Use color, graphics, photos and words to get across four key things about your business:

• What you provide for customers.

• What kind of customers you focus on and can serve best..

• How your business is unique from others who provide the same product or service, so customers can decide if your solution is the right on for them

• The personality or brand essence of your business – what your company stands for.

So yes, for good reasons

Unless you have all the customers you can handle, a web site can be a good marketing investment. At Advertising In Focus, we can help you find a domain name that's appropriate for your business and beef up your marketing arsenal with a compelling web site. Are you ready to start being successful online? The best way is to have a professionally built web site that you can control from Advertising In Focus.