Does Having a Website Benefit My Business?
The short answer is yes. Businesses simply get more sales if they’re visible through a website. A well designed, optimised website can be a powerful tool for attracting new customers, increasing brand awareness, and driving sales. Many small businesses start on social media, and whilst this is a great springboard, it’s not a landing platform. A website offers more protection, and can handle more complex structures and apps than social media can. It’s not an expensive tool when used efficiently; this blog will go into some of the benefits of having a website and showcase potential opportunities to increase revenue.
Benefit No. 1: Visible 24/7
Is there anything more frustrating than heading to your local high street, finding the business that has the service or product you need, and then finding it’s closed? A website means that you’re visible and essentially ‘open’ at all hours – potential clients can discover your business, and put through an enquiry at hours which are convenient to them. This doesn’t mean you need to reply to a message sent through at 3am, you can still respond to the enquiry during your standard working hours. However, your website has no closing time, takes no holidays and is always available to your potential clients to source the solution to their problems. And should someone discover your business whilst on the move, they can bookmark it to come back to later.
Benefit No. 2: Increases Credibility
It’s important to remember that potential clients may still check you out online before contacting you, even if they’ve been given a word-of-mouth referral. If you don’t have a website, what message is that giving to them? Could you lose some customers before they even try and contact you?
Your website is a great place to assert your authority in your industry, service, and product, and at the very least will assure (through reviews and insightful content) potential clients that you can provide what they’re looking for. With such a wealth of information available to consumers, an online presence plays a crucial role in increasing your credibility.
Benefit No. 3: Provides Self Sustaining Marketing
How long do you spend each week explaining what you do? It could be minutes or hours, but that time builds up – especially if you’re constantly having to market yourself to new clients individually. A website, if optimised correctly, means you’re not shouting into the void about your business, but discoverable by new clients who are already looking to engage with your service or product. You can feature case studies, testimonials and reviews, news about the company and behind the scenes information, differentiating you from your competitors – all of which can be updated and changed to suit your business.
Benefit No. 4: Control the Communication Avenue
As we said above, you might not want someone sending you a text at 3am, or calling you whilst you’re with family – so controlling the means of communication can be key, not only to building revenue, but ensuring a work/life balance. Your website gives you the opportunity to be approached by potential clients on your terms. There are many ways you can allow potential customers to contact you:
- Phone – adding your work phone number instead of your mobile
- Email – we live in an era where people don’t like picking up the phone, give the potential customer the option to email.
- Contact Forms – as above, give them the option to fill in a form and contact you easily with no resistance.
- Direct bookings such as Calendly – booking a call directly into your diary.
Time to get a website?
No two websites are the same; it’s essential to note that the success of a website depends on the quality, user experience, and efficiency of the website. However, the benefits of having a website far outshine the effort needed to maintain one. If you’re considering building your own website, contact us here.
If you would like to know more about our free set up service, check out our Free Website Setup post for more information.
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