| Advantages & Benefits Of Having A Website |
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Consumers search for products and services online before making purchases. Being found on the Internet will give you an advantage over your competition when they call you instead of the competition. You are able to conduct business when it is convenient for your client whether it be during the day or in the middle of the night. You are never actually closed. If you choose an e-commerce website, your customers can shop with you 24 hours. Consumers can become educated about your business and get answers to many of their questions which will help to cut back on the number of phone calls you receive with this information on your website.. Your website can provide further support to existing customers by offering information such as troubleshooting procedures, product specification and parts list, how-to procedures, diagrams, and special help lines. By having this help available 24 hours a day you will be able to decrease the number of customer service employees you have on staff. There is potential for your website to become a resource of information for the public. By supplying helpful tips and articles that are relevant to your industry, you will give visitors a reason to come back to your website.. Consumers have more confidence in and prefer doing business with companies that they know something about. Inform visitors about the structure of your company, of your community involvement, the products and services you offer, awards, and employment opportunities. Far Cheaper and Much More Flexible Than Print Advertising The Internet is extremely different from print advertising in that space is cheap, your advertisement is accessible for a longer period of time, the content can be changed without having to ask someone to do it for you (if you use a content management system) and you can potentially reach a wider audience. This is not to say that you should not use other forms of advertising at all You can use it to entice people to visit your website and find out about your company and potentially open two-way communication between the potential customer and a sales person. Market Expansion The Internet has allowed businesses to break through the geographical barriers and become accessible, virtually, from any country in the world by a potential customer that has Internet access. Diversify Revenue Streams A website is not just a medium for representation of your company, it is a form of media from which everybody can acquire information. You can use this media to sell advertising space to other businesses. OPEN 24-7 No more turning customers away when its time to close shop, putting up a note saying closed for public holiday , or leaving an irritating message on your answering service specifying your trading hours tell them to visit your website for information they are looking for. Improve credibility A website gives you the opportunity to tell potential customers what you are about and why you deserve their trust and confidence. In fact, many people use the internet for pre-purchase research so that they can determine for themselves whether a particular supplier or brand is worthy of their patronage, and won t take them for a ride. The Internet also allows for Viral Marketing where your website visitors spread positive word-of-mouth about your business - your customers do your marketing! Promote your Brick and Mortar Presence Getting lost trying to find a place can be frustrating for a potential customer. You can publish what they call a dummy map on your website, which shows directions and landmarks graphically, and the potential customer can print it out when looking for your Brick and Mortar premises. You might advertise a promotion on your website encouraging the visitor to visit your Brick n Mortar premises (e.g.. At a branch near you! ). Also, if you recently moved to a new location, you will have to wait for the next ‘phone directory to come out before people figure out where you currently are. Because a website is flexible you can change the content as you like you can change you contact details instantly and lower the risk of losing customers when moving to a new location. Growth Opportunity A website serves as a great place to refer potential investors to, to show them what your company is about, what it has achieved and what it can achieve in future. Two-Way Communicative Marketing Customers can quickly and easily give feedback on your product and/or marketing approach. Cheap Market Research You can use features on your website such as visitor polls, online surveys and your website statistics to find out what your customers like more and how they feel about certain aspects of your business to determine how you can improve your product and the way you do business. |
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