Why Does Your Company Need a Website?
1. Establish a Presence
No matter what your business is, you can’t ignore the 400 million people who have access to the Internet and growing everyday! To be a part of that community (potential clients), you need to be on the Internet… your competitors will be.
2. Network
As every smart business person knows, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. It is difficult to reach decision-makers….if you are approached by that person it is infinitely easier to tell your sales story. The Internet lets potential clients find you… “This is what I do, where I am, and if you are ever in need of my services, this is how to reach me”.
3. Provide Business Information
Think of the Yellow Pages. What are your hours? What do you do (or not do)? How can someone contact you? Where are you located? What is today’s special? You can keep your customers informed of every (changing) reason to do business with you on the Internet!
4. Serve Your Customers
Providing business information to your customers is one of the most important ways to serve them. Allow your customer to find what is in stock at your store, what options are available and how to get them. All this can be done quickly and simply on the Internet!
5. Heighten Public Interest
You won’t get The New York Times to write up your store opening, but you might get them to print your Internet address if you are doing something new and special. Even if you could get the publicity, it wouldn’t do you any good if a potential customer is across the country and could not visit your store…which they can do if you are on the Internet!
6. Release Time Sensitive Material
What if your materials need to be released no earlier than midnight next Tuesday? With the Internet, the release is up to you. Imagine the “hype” and anticipation one gets from the announcement… “all materials will be made available on our Internet site at 12:01AM Tuesday”.
7. Sell Things
Did you notice that this is not number one? Before people become your customers they want to know about you, what you do, and what you can do for them… which you can do quickly and inexpensively on the Internet!
8. Make Picture, Sound, and Video Files Available
What if your product is great but people would really love it if they could see it in action? Or they could see it in different colors or frames? On the Internet, you can add sound and video to your company’s customer information. … no brochure will do that.
9.To Reach a Highly Desirable Demographic Market
If you want to target the college educated, and high income people that use the Internet on a regular basis for their needs, the Internet can definitely do that for your company.
10. To Answer Frequently Asked Questions
To save the time of your customers and yourself, post these questions and answers on the Internet and you will present your company as the reliable source of industry information.
11. To Stay in Contact with Sales People
Whether you’re on-the-road or at home, you can stay in touch and provide to your sales people any important memos or meetings……..and not get charged on your phone!
12. To Open International Markets
You may not understand the mail, phone, or regulation systems in overseas markets, but with an Internet Home Page you can open a dialogue with anyone anywhere as easily as someone across the street…without the overseas postage or phone charges!
13. To Create a 24 Hour Service
Because we’re not all on the same schedule, you can solve this problem with the Internet which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can collect important information that will put you ahead of your competition before they get to the office.
14.To Make Changing Information Available Quickly
Sometimes, information changes even before it comes off the press. Electronic publishing changes with your needs during the day. No printed or media piece can match this flexibility.
15. To Allow Customer Feedback From Customers
With the Internet, you can get instant feedback and requests without the cost and hassle of business reply mail.
16. To Test the Market for New Products and Services
It is very expensive to roll out a new product. Once you have been on the Internet for a while, you will know what works and what doesn’t. You will also realize how inexpensive it is to change your presence to fit your customer’s needs, and to position your products or services in the marketplace. Amazing!
17. To Reach the Media
Media people are the most “wired” professionals today since they can get information more quickly, cheaply and easily on-line. On-line press kits are becoming more common.. digital text can be edited on tight deadlines. All of your company items of interest can be made available to the media on your Internet page.
18. To Reach the Education and Youth Market
Most young people today spend a lot of their time surfing the internet, chat with their friends, and do their shopping online. It is a huge market and continues to grow at a tremendous pace.
19. To Reach the Specialized Market
Sell fish tanks, art reproductions, flying lessons? With 400 million people using the Internet, even the most narrowly defined interest group will be represented in large numbers.
20. To Serve Your Local Market
Whether you are located in a metropolitan area or a rural community, you will be surprised at the potential customers with Internet access.
