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As the world inches closer and closer to an exclusively online economic experience, you may be wondering if it's time for your small business to have a website. Many small businesses have relied on word of mouth for decades to grow their customer base. But, in a time when small-towns are no longer so small, development and growth are bringing more and more potential clients into your area. How will they find you if they are new to town and don't necessarily have local connections? The answer is Google.
There are numerous benefits to having a website to represent your small business. We will break down the top five benefits for you here. We hope that by the end of this blog, you will fully understand the importance of establishing an online presence, the key components a website provides to your potential customers, and how a small business website is paramount for future success.
5 Benefits Of A Small-Business Website
You Increase Your Visibility
A small-business website allows you to be visible to potential customers. Think about this: when you want to know about a product or service, what's the very first thing you do? If you're like 99.9% of the population, you reach for your smartphone, laptop, or tablet and go straight to Google. Did you know that SEO (search engine optimization) can enrich your website so that when potential customers search for "(insert your product/industry) near me," your website will pop up for them?! That's the power of visibility! Billboards are great, leaving business cards around is okay, and word of mouth is beneficial, but none of those marketing tactics are trackable. They also rely on potential customers being in the right place at the right time to see or hear about your product or service. Websites offer direct access to your small business 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You Can Control Your Efforts
As mentioned before, passive marketing, like billboards and business cards, is just that - PASSIVE. You have no control over whether people will notice them. You can place marketing materials on a busy highway, put up flyers around town, or drop business cards into plastic trays on a restaurant counter, but do you know how many people saw them? The answer is NO. With a small-business website, you are in the pilot's seat! Your targeted efforts can catapult you to higher rankings among search engines, and you can track where your leads are coming in. Trackability in marketing is SO important. You can adjust your strategy accordingly to see what IS or isn't working. If you can't track your marketing investments, you're wasting money and missing out on potential leads - BIG TIME.
You Create A Digital Salesman
Most small-business owners are busy with the day-to-day operations of maintaining their business. You take calls and respond to emails because you HAVE to. You don't have someone who can speak to your potential clients on your behalf, but a website CAN. A small-business website, when appropriately designed, will showcase your knowledge, skills, and abilities while also professionally highlighting your work. Consider it a door-to-door salesman for your brand, except it can meet people ANYWHERE they are. If they're in the market for your specific product or service, your virtual salesman is right there waiting to greet them. Imagine having your business name, contact information, project or product photos, and customer testimonials effortlessly delivered to them while you focus on your daily to-do's? If you're looking to grow your business, now's the time to implement a profitable digital sales assistant (aka website).
You Build Authority
Consumers trust Google, and other search engines, to guide them to reputable businesses in their area. A professionally designed website builds trust with the public. No longer are potential clients calling cell phone numbers, handwritten on wooden signs, nailed to trees on their drive home. They want something tangible to prove you are who you say you are, and you can do what you claim you can do. A small-business website allows clients to check you out before they contact you, building confidence in their minds. Not only does your website incorporate your expertise, but it will also provide valuable feedback from other customers through reviews and success stories. Third-party validation is HUGE for small-business success!
You Build A Contact List
A small-business website should always include a lead capture system. Whether you're asking viewers to sign up for your email list, place an order, or request quotes or appointments - a robust CRM (Customer Records Management) system is the cherry-on-top for a small-business website. Frequently, consumers may look months in advance at a product or service. If you can capture their information, you can utilize that to your advantage. Drip campaigns entice potential customers to return to your website again and again. You can send out weekly or monthly newsletters, quarterly special offers, or just follow-up conversations to seal the deal. Lead capture is also helpful if you decide to go into the realm of Google Ads. A small business that is constantly connecting with its target audience is a small business that is continuously growing.
A small-business website provides you with five essential things you need to help your small business grow: visibility, controlled marketing efforts, a digital salesman, more industry authority, and a lead capture system. As the world of technology continues to take over, the longer you wait to establish your small business online presence, the further you may fall behind. Technology may not be your forte or even your favorite thing, but it IS beneficial for your small business to continue to grow and thrive. If you're ready to learn more about how a website can improve the outlook of your small business, it's time to contact the Wakulla Marketing Group. Connect with us to discuss your small-business goals and allow us to bring your future success one step closer with a small-business website custom designed just for you.
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