As a small business owner in today’s web-reliant world, creating an “online presence” is essential to the overall success of your company… this holds true even if you’re operating a brick and mortar business. Surprised? A Forrester Report states that by 2020, 42 percent of in-store sales will be influenced by the internet, and from 2017-2020, web-influenced sales will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6 percent.
Whether your company offers products and services in the traditional manner or not, one point stands evidently clear – not having an online presence can prove disadvantageous to a small business’s overall brand, reputation and revenue, specially today- where 91 percent of consumers look online for local goods and services.
There are five major benefits of establishing an online presence:
1. Increase in Sales
Imagine having someone working for you, around the clock, to answer customer questions and provide information to interested potential customers… Your new website will do this for you! Your website will be an online brochure, giving your customers and potential customers, important information about your products and services 24/7/365 when your customers are learning and making critical buying decisions! If your company has an e-commerce website, your business is essentially open 24 hours a day, allowing existing and prospective customers to shop and make purchases any time of day.
2. Strengthens Your Credibility
Recent surveys reveal that consumers and small business owners believe a website makes a company more credible. Additionally, online reviews on popular review sites and blogs lead to brand reinforcement, which promotes your firm as a trusted professional player. Having a website will ensure that when your customers search for your products and services, they will get the information from YOU (and not your competitors)! All of our websites are optimized to rank highly in Google at no extra charge!
3. More Marketing Opportunities
With the internet, you instantly widen your marketplace with an infinite number of consumers. And you’re able to do so in a more cost-effective manner than traditional means. When you choose online marketing, you get a TARGETED and TRACKABLE way to manage your advertising dollars!
4. Instant Communication
You don’t need to make phone calls, mail out a formal letter or print a glossy brochure to update the world about your company’s latest product release. You can tell your audience about new offers and relevant company news immediately when you’re online. We can also add special options, like live chat, to your new website!
5. Better Customer Service
Getting answers to questions and quick resolutions to issues are paramount to a client’s experience with a company. For example, consumers can easily access pertinent information about your business, retrieve answers from FAQ, or email/contact customer service at any time. Being online allows you to effectively keep in touch with existing customers, which leads to higher client retention.
