5 Reasons Small Businesses Need a Website

     Statistics by Google indicate that more than half of America’s small businesses don’t have a business website.  In some states, in fact, almost 70 percent of small businesses are not online.  These businesses are losing opportunities to market their business as well as to interact and educate consumers on their product or service.  If you haven’t made the leap to build a website for your business, here are 5 reasons you should get your small business website up and running.   

1) A website is a long-term marketing piece.  A website has many purposes.  One of which is to act as an online brochure that presents the business to consumers.  Unlike print pieces such as printed brochures or direct mail pieces which are frequently received and thrown away, a website stays online, drawing traffic for as long as it’s up.

2)  Building a website is a good investment. Like all things, you can spend as much or as little as you want on getting a website up and running.  Unlike print pieces, it can easily be updated and changed.   You can announce special offers, sales, and more without having to pay for print and mail costs. 

3) Your competition has a website.  If about half of small businesses don’t have a website, that means that about half of them do.  Do some research.  Is your competition online?  If they are, then they are drawing traffic and customers that you are not getting.  Customers are finding them instead of you.  That can’t be good for your bottom line. 

4) Your customers are searching online. If your business isn’t online, then these customers can’t find you and can’t do business with you.  If you’ve been using the excuse that you’re a local business so having an online presence isn’t important, think again.  One study found that ninety-seven percent of consumers search online for local products and services. 

5) A website has multiple uses.  This makes it an even better investment.  There are many things you can do with a website beyond information about your products, services and company.   You can collect e-mail addresses and use that list to send newsletters, update customers about changes and special offers.  You can also sell your goods through your website.  Or, if your business is more about services, you can use your website to book appointments with consumers and to get feedback from them.  

     If you don’t have a website for your small business, what are you waiting for?  It’s time to build your website and build your future business marketing strategy.