Reason # 1 – 80% of your new business comes from marketing

Very few products & services sell themselves. Typically 80% of a company’s sales come from it’s marketing efforts and only 20% can be attributed to the actual product or service itself. Marketing is crucial to the growth of any business, and having a website adds an important marketing tool to your marketing arsenal. It allows your business to reach a large local audience on a daily basis.

Reason # 2 – Your business is open 24/7/365

Your website is available to your clients 24 hrs/day, 7 days/week, 365 days/year. Communicate all your company information including services, products, special offers, work portfolio, FAQ’s, contact info, location maps, etc. Use your after-hours voicemail or answering service to direct callers to your website and never miss another sales opportunity. Your website will educate, inform, and attract new customers. It will be your hardest working employee, never sick or on holiday. You’ll be surprised how much a website will take off your shoulders while simultaneously driving new business your way.

Reason #3 – A website is a great lead generation tool

Once you have all of your company information on your website it’s time to start driving traffic to it. Put your website address everywhere. On your business cards, letterhead, email signatures, work uniforms, work vehicle(s), brochures, all print ads, directory ads, site signs, radio ads, EVERYWHERE! Start marketing your website using internet marketing tools such as SEO (Google rankings), email marketing, Social media marketing, and blogs. Remember that the more people that know your in business, the more business you will likely do!

Reason #4 – Don’t miss out on word-of-mouth referrals

If your business offers great products and services many of your customers will likely refer you to others, and having a website makes it simple for them to do so. All they need to do is relay your website name, and your website does the rest. Your website eliminates the need for your customers having to explain what your business is all about, and insures your important business information is properly conveyed. Don’t miss out on any potential referral business, which for many businesses is an easy and inexpensive way to gain new customers.

Reason #5 – Get ahead of your competition with a website

Does your competition have a website? If they do, you might want one too. If they don’t, this is a perfect opportunity for you to stand out from your competition. A website can help you separate your business and be seen as a leader in your professional field. When comparing similar businesses consumers will likely steer towards the business that has a website versus the one that doesn’t. Don’t be part of the pack, especially in slower economic times. There is less competition at the top.

Reason #6 – Existence is everything

In today’s marketplace customers expect a business to have a website, and without one you simply don’t exist to the average customer. The majority of the Canadian population now uses the internet, and those people are spending billions of dollars online every year. If your company doesn’t have a website on the internet, your competitor may be the only visible business for prospects to choose from. Make sure your business is available online for the millions of shopping consumers to see.

Reason #7 – A website can reduce your print advertising costs

The cost of an ad in a newspaper, magazine, print directory, radio or TV ad is proportionate to the size or length of the ad, which of course is determined by the amount of information you put in the ad. Having a website that includes all of your important information can allow you to shrink the size of your print ads, and simply promote your website address in the ad! Give just enough information in the ad to drive traffic to your website and save on print costs by using less ad space. Prospects that go to your website will now be able to learn everything about your business, making them more informed and prepared to make a buying decision.

Reason #8 – Consumers prefer to browse online before they buy

A most interesting phenomenon is that the internet has put the potential customers in the drivers seat. Many people like to do their research anonymously online before they’re ready to contact a business directly. Checking out a company’s website is anonymous; therefore the potential customer can feel comfortable in making their decision prior to calling you. Also, people today are much busier and don’t always have time to call on a business during usual business hours – your website gives them the option to shop your business day or night. Many purchasers prefer this extra flexibility and that can equate into more business for you.

Reason # 9 – A website helps generate a professional image

A website is one of the best ways to instill confidence in new customers who are not already familiar with your company, or increase the confidence of your existing customers. It gives customer the impression that they are dealing with a business they can trust, generating a sense of respectability with your service and/or product. Without a website customers may perceive you as less professional than your competitors that have a website. Remember, your company image is often your first, and sometimes last chance to make a good impression.

Reason #10 – Your website gets top Return on Investment

The number of potential customers that you can reach via your website with relatively modest costs puts the return on investment (ROI) of a website far ahead of many other sales tools, such as paid advertising, promotional campaigns or visits by sales representatives. Your website promotes your business non-stop. When you combine your website with other online marketing tools such as SEO (Google rankings), email marketing and Social media marketing, you will quickly see why more and more businesses are now choosing to market themselves online.

These are only some of the many benefits a professional website can have for a business. To get started today with a website for your business click on the button below.