Apparently, there are still a lot of businesses out there who, for one reason or another, don’t have a website.
The reason for this comes in different forms:
- I don’t have any money
- I hate technology
- I don’t have time
And so on and so forth.
By not having a website established for your business, you are missing out on some valuable resources for your business. This post was inspired by a great post by Lisa Barone titled Why Your Small Business Needs a Website in 2010.
So here are a few of the things that you are missing out on by not having a website:
1. Differentiation– This is such an important part of building a business platform. Take the branding and marketing disciplines for instance. There are tons of people who have blogs and are experts in this field. The difference is that each expert has differentiated themselves with how they are communicating with people. They do this through content, personality, how content is presented and also by their niche.
2. Credibility– I have had clients say to me that they don’t trust working a particular firm or individual because they couldn’t find them when they Googled them. I have said in the past that your web presence is today’s store front. Most people use the internet for verification. If you don’t have a web presence, it’s seen as a lack of professionalism.
3. Platform for your content– When you have a site you can host your audios, videos and written content. This content can be free podcasts, blog posts, articles, white papers, user guides, video blogs etc. Your content can and should also include the content you are selling.
4. Being social– In case you missed it (and if you don’t have a website, this is a legit statement) there is a whole social world that exists online. This comes in the form of social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter etc.) and blogging. You can also start building a following through the building of lists as well as give yourself the ability to create your own social network if you so desire. Regular and meaningful communication with your following is essential to building a great relationship through online channels.
5. Save money– You want to qualify clients and reduce the amount of wasted time on people who don’t want or can’t afford what you have? A website is a great way to qualify your potential clients. Are you tired of trading time for dollars in your business? Automate some of your revenue streams with online outlets.
These are 5 pretty darn good reasons to have a website. Also, if you have a website and you are not doing one of these 5 things as effective as you could be, start putting a plan in place to correct this.
Websites are cheaper and easier than ever before to set up and maintain. The only thing standing in your way is most likely you.
If you are a first timer and looking for a way to get started on the web simple and easy, there are a lot of great tools to help you manage this process. Here’s a process you can check out by firstsiteguide.com to get you on your way to building your online platform.