7 Signs Your Business Needs A Website
Did you know that 86% of people prefer a business to have a website instead of a social media page?
Or how about 97% of small businesses would recommend having a website to other small businesses?
A website not only aids in bringing in new clients but also helps a business expand. In fact, the majority of small business owners claim that their website is vital or essential to their business.
But the big question is, how do you know your business is ready for a website?
When is the right time to admit that you are ready to expand and start treating your company with the seriousness it deserves, with a fabulous website to help your small business succeed?
Below are some signs that your business may be ready for a website! As always, if you want a website, get in touch!.
1- Your business exists!
Seems like a joke but honestly, if you have a business that you are serious about, want to attract bigger audiences and continue to grow, your business is ready for a website. How many customers have you lost because your business was virtually unfindable when they searched online for what you have to offer?
2- You’re spending too much time on admin
When it seems like you’re spending hours on administrative tasks, client scheduling, marketing, and sales… It’s time to automate these processes with a website.
A website has functions like contact forms that gather leads and online scheduling that makes it simple for customers to make appointments with you. It is your most powerful digital marketing tool, using great branding and persuasive writing to sell your products.
Your workflow will be streamlined as a result, offering you more time and efficiency in your business.
3- Customers ask where they can find out more information about your company or how to get in touch with you.
People now anticipate that any business will have an online presence. Even if they are aware of your company, a website makes it simple for them to look up your address or check your opening hours before visiting your location.
Nowadays, customers hardly ever want to dial a number to get that kind of information! They want something that is easily accessible at any time. While you can post some of this information on your Google business listing or Yelp, people are more likely to believe what they see on your own company website.
If at least one customer has asked where to find more information about your business online, it’s time to start thinking about building a website.
4- You want to be seen as a professional instead of a hobbyist.
Many people who have a side hustle or hobby and want to sell on the side do so on social media and platforms like Etsy, which are great if you’re just starting out and growing your business from scratch. But if you want your business to be taken seriously and grow, you want to have that website URL linked to your profile.
A website can have all the important information your potential client needs. It can provide pricing for services, let clients schedule sessions or appointments, take payments for products and so much more.
Let’s not forget that appearing as a professional in your field rather than just a hobbyist can also attract higher-paying clientele – making you more money.
5- You want your business to work for you outside of working hours.
Picture this, you finish at 5pm on Friday then don’t work again until 9am Monday or you take a week’s holiday and aren’t around, what happens with your business at this time?
Every week has 168 hours… if you’re working 40 hours a week, that’s 128 hours each week that people can’t contact you, book appointments, buy products, sign up for a membership or look at what services you offer.
It’s not that waiting until opening hours to call is impossible but it’s harder and more inconvenient which means fewer people will do it. From a business perspective making things as simple as possible for your customer to buy, book or sign up for your product or service is essential as the easier it is, the more people that do it.
6- You keep reading about web-only marketing tactics.
If you spend any time at all reading articles for entrepreneurs and small business owners, you’ve seen lots of talk about the value of social media marketing, content marketing, and SEO. Those are all tactics your competitors are probably already benefitting from, but that you can’t even try until you have a website to promote.
Even more importantly, they tend to be more effective and provide a better ROI than other types of advertising. If you’re currently putting all your ad spend toward billboards and radio ads, you’re not getting the biggest bang for your buck.
7- You realize your grandkids don’t think your business really exists.
Kids these days, right? Their whole life is on the internet. As far as they’re concerned, if it’s not online, it can’t be real. If you overheard them at Thanksgiving this year discussing a complicated conspiracy theory they’ve developed that you’re actually a spy and the business you claim you have is a front, it probably means they’re watching too much TV, but it also definitely means it’s time for you to build a website for your business.
Kids show us where the future’s going. If your family’s youngest generation thinks it’s weird that your business doesn’t have a website, you should concede that they just might have a point.
Really the thing is…
If gotten this far you’ve probably realised that your business is ready for a website. How you go about that is up to you.
