Simple answer to that..............because your customers expect you to have one!
In today's business world, having a website is as important and necessary as having a phone and even more important than having a listing in the Yellow Pages.
Often I see vans, trucks and cars with company logos and phone numbers promoting the business they belong to. But, even just one phone number is too long and difficult to memorize in a couple of seconds.
It is much easier to memorize a name, and append .com.au to the end. For instance, Bob's Plumbing - bobsplumbing.com.au is easier to remember than Bob's Plumbing Ph: 0419 129 436
(Give this a try - look away right now and I bet you will recall the website address but maybe only the first 4 or 5 digits of the phone number - am I right)?
There is absolutely no reason why a business should not have a WebSite. There are however, virtually hundreds of reasons why you should have one and here is what we consider to be the Top Five;
1. Continuous Business Exposure
A website enables your business to remain open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year! It reaches out to prospective customers who are actually trying to reach your business. Your site will educate, inform, attract new customers and even generate revenue while you sleep. Australia already has 28 million registered email addresses and 6 million WebSite addresses. A great potential customer base just sitting there.
2. It's Your Online Brochure / Catalog That Can Be Changed at Anytime
A website is easier, cheaper and quicker to update than print material. Its' capacities are almost limitless which allow you to provide users with more comprehensive information. This will save you money on printing as well as distribution costs.
3. Websites are affordable and cost effective
Annually your cost of having a website may be less than the cost of a small one-time print ad. The information on your site can save you time and money. For example, you can save time by reducing the number of informational phone calls that you receive such as “what are your business hours” and save money on printed promotional literature.
4. Present a Professional Image
For a small business, a well-designed web site is a great way of instilling confidence and looking bigger than you actually are. The world is at a point whereby customers assume that you already have a website. By now, your primary competitors probably already have a presence on the Internet. If they do, keep up with them and find ways to make yours better. If they don’t, this is a perfect opportunity for you to differentiate your business from your competition.
5. Promote Your Services
Lawyers, doctors, financial consultants, entertainers, realtors and all service oriented businesses should let customers know that they have a choice. Millions of users are referring to the web and are using company's websites to make major decisions when they need a specialized service.