Why You NEED a Website

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Having a website is a huge deal. Its typically the first contact potential clients/prospects will have with your business, products, or services.

Question…When was the last time you picked up the phone book or the yellow pages, or even the local newspaper and perused the classified section for a product or service you were looking for? My guess, in the past year, may be once…twice is pushing it. Or how about this answer…NEVER! Why, because its just not convenient to do so any more. We are so fixed on using the blazing fast information resource known as the internet, that we often discard the traditional print method as a means for searching for products and services of interest.

Don’t get me wrong, there still is a place for traditional print media. Business cards, posters, flyers, brochures, etc… all these things are still very important, and are used in various ways to get results, but the internet has taken over our culture in such a big way that it would be ridiculous not to take advantage of the power of the internet.

If you want to get ahead with your business you need an online presence. Its that simple. Having a website automatically gives you a legitimate business image. And more, having a well designed website, with helpful functions and features legitimizes you even more as a well oiled business machine. If you are like me, and have at one point or another search the internet for a particular product or service, you will more likely come across several websites claiming to do the same thing as the next company, which is OK. However, let’s look at this example: Company A’s website looks amateur-ish, with poorly designed graphics, and maybe even a few broken links, while Company B’s website looks amazing with fantastic web graphics, and beautifully laid out web pages. Who would you more likely go to to make your inquiry…Let me guess…Company B, right. Of course you would.

But here’s the twist. Company A has a superior product line and better service than Company B. But because Company B has a much better looking website, you will more likely choose them…why?…because they have that professional online image that Company A obviously lacks. Now, let me say that you may not need all the excess features and bells and whistles, but the point remains the same.You will attract more potential clients if your website looks professionally designed.

You see, a website is so much more than just a place to put up information about your company, who you are, and what you do. Your website should be an extension of yourself, or your business. A certain level of personality should be expressed in your website that reflects a bit about who you/your business.

Too often business professionals, entrepreneurs, and businesses neglect their website, and have a “friend” or just any “Joe Schmoe”, to do their website, believing it doesn’t matter how the websitelooks, that “the clients will come anyways”…This is a huge misstep on their part. Having a goodwebsite that is done right, and designed for what it is that you need, will attract even more prospects to your business, end point.

Please do keep in mind the print aspect. It is my humble opinion that the marriage of offline and online promotion is the key. All you really need is yourself, some business cards, and you telling everybody you come in contact with about who you are and what you do; then pass them off a business card that will obviously have your website visibly printed on it, and you’re off to the races. This is clearly a simplified example, but I think you get the point.