| Do you think having a website is an avoidable cost? | | | | dedicated community of evangelists who would like to |
| Although the Internet no longer remains a "new" | | | | protect your brand and reputation even at the cost of |
| technology there are still many business owners who | | | | putting in extra effort. |
| are averse to the idea of having a business website | | | | The more you interact through your website the more |
| either because they are not comfortable with the new | | | | solid your reputation grows. |
| medium or they simply deem it unnecessary. Now, we | | | | 6. Reach distant markets |
| are not suggesting that the guy selling hotdogs at the | | | | Although ForeScene is a New York based web |
| street corner should definitely have a business | | | | design company we get web design projects from all |
| websites (well, why not?), but if there is business | | | | over the world and from very high-profiled clients. This |
| somewhere and you cannot do it simply because you | | | | becomes possible because our website is easily |
| don't have a website then we will say that you are | | | | accessible to everybody who has an Internet |
| missing a big opportunity by not having a website. | | | | connection. If you provide a service that can be |
| Having a business website immediately propels your | | | | delivered via the Internet or if you have a product that |
| visibility and reach to a higher level. All of a sudden you | | | | can be easily dispatched after taking an online order |
| are accessible to your customers and clients 24x7. | | | | then you should definitely tap into this vast online |
| Both old and new customers find you approachable | | | | market and promote your business in different parts of |
| and progressive. We at ForeScene Creative Solutions | | | | the world. |
| don't mean to proselytize you but here is a list of 12 | | | | 7. Create extra income streams |
| benefits of having a website, whether business or | | | | You can start new business ventures from scratch if |
| personal. | | | | you run them through your website. Unlike starting |
| 1. Instant visual representation | | | | business ventures in the brick-n-mortar world the |
| Just imagine what thrust your business would get if | | | | Internet ventures require very little startup income and |
| people from all over the globe could visually see the | | | | they can be initiated in a matter of few days, or even |
| products or service options you have to offer. All | | | | few hours. In order to start a new business all you |
| information pertaining to your business can be put on | | | | have to do is, have a great idea or product ready, |
| your website so that your prospective customers and | | | | register a domain suitable to your business, obtain a |
| clients can view it at their own convenience and | | | | web hosting account, design the website or get it |
| without you having to be there each time something | | | | designed and voila! You are ready to go. |
| needs to be explained. | | | | 8. Interact with your customers and clients regularly |
| 2. Keep your business open all the time | | | | and obtain their feedback |
| When you decide to offer business through your | | | | Compared to telephonic conversations it is a lot easier |
| website, it is like a store or an office whose doors are | | | | to interact with your customers and clients through |
| never closed; people can come in and review your | | | | e-mails, blog posts and regular updates on your |
| products and services at their convenience. In | | | | website. You can also host a forum where your |
| between if they want to do business with you and if | | | | customers and clients can leave feedback and |
| your website is automated enough they can do even | | | | exchange ideas regarding your service. This will |
| that. This way you can run your business non-stop | | | | improve your goodwill and reputation a lot and will also |
| without having to put in the extra hours. | | | | nurture a sense of trust and transparency. Getting |
| 3. New customers and clients can find you through | | | | good feedback to your website can be extremely |
| search engines | | | | critical to your further product development and |
| Once you have accumulated a decent amount of | | | | service improvement efforts. You won't have to wait |
| information on your website people begin to find you | | | | for months and even years to know how your |
| on the search engines for the keywords and | | | | products and services are being received by your |
| expressions relevant to your website. For instance if | | | | consumers. |
| you sell perfumed candles and if someone searches | | | | 9. Conduct low-cost market research |
| for "sandalwood aroma candles" and if you have | | | | Since it hardly costs your visitors any money to |
| information on "sandalwood aroma candles" then there | | | | participate in quizzes and polls on your website you |
| is a great possibility that people will find you on various | | | | can use these marvelous tools to conduct low-cost |
| search engines, come to your website, and place | | | | market research and launch new products and |
| orders for sandalwood aroma candles. | | | | services or make improvements to existing products |
| 4. Easier and cheaper advertising | | | | and services. |
| Publishing on your website doesn't cost you extra | | | | 10. Save on office space |
| unless you are paying for every new page you create. | | | | If you manage most of your business operations |
| Once you have set up the basic website structure you | | | | through your website then you hardly need office |
| can keep adding new pages without incurring extra | | | | space. There are many online store companies that |
| cost. | | | | conduct millions of dollars of transactions online every |
| You can also complement your advertising efforts | | | | month and still don't need a place to stock their |
| with your website. There are two ways of doing this. | | | | inventory. Some online companies don't even have |
| Whenever you publish your advertisement you can | | | | regular staff; all they do is take orders from the |
| include your URL so that the information that you | | | | website and then forward those orders to the original |
| cannot include in the advertisement can be easily | | | | manufacturers and suppliers. All they have to do is |
| viewed on your website. Once your online traffic has | | | | maintain and promote a website and this can be done |
| gained momentum you can even run advertisements | | | | from your basement too. |
| directly on your website. The best way of doing this is | | | | 11. Establish your brand |
| developing an online community so that lots of traffic | | | | Many artists, authors and consultants establish and |
| builds up. | | | | promote their brands through their websites and blogs. |
| 5. Highly enhanced public relations | | | | They make use of their authority and knowledge to |
| You might not know that hundreds of or even | | | | create a fan following. Numerous bloggers and |
| thousands of your customers and clients might be | | | | webmasters have got great book writing contracts |
| using the Internet for all their information and research | | | | through their websites. |
| needs. Millions of views are exchanged on the World | | | | 12. A website opens a slew of new opportunities |
| Wide Web. If some disparaging news regarding your | | | | There is a complete new world out there on the |
| organization gets circulated you can easily counter it, or | | | | World Wide Web. Millions of people access the |
| at least present your own side of the story, through | | | | Internet for leisure, communication, education and |
| your website. High-value content and regular interaction | | | | business every day. It is a huge business, marketing |
| with your visitors makes sure that you have a | | | | and promotion potential for your organization. |