Do I Need A Small Business Website?

I wrote an article this week for the online magazine “Momentum“. It is a monthly publication assembled by the League City Chamber of Commerce. The article is about the importance of having a small business website. The following represents that article with minor changes and additions.

Your small business website is needed for many reasons. In our opinion, these are the top five; • Competition • Credibility • Convenience • Connections or Building Relationships and • Advertising! Here is the best reason! A well built small business website provides information ABOUT your small business that makes folks aware OF your business. Today, a small business website functions like the Yellow Pages of days gone by. However, websites can provide an enormous amount of information that a Yellow Page Ad could never provide.

If you need an attorney and you don’t know one, what do you do? If you need a dentist and you don’t know one, what do you do? If you need a plumber, electrician, accountant, or anyone else, and you don’t know one, what do you do? Most of you will go to the Internet. Most of you will Google for an answer. Most of you will end up on a website of someone you don’t know. That’s why your small business needs a website . . . because everyone doesn’t know you or your business. A website is how people that need your services can find out about your business.

A Small Business Website is a Valuable Marketing Tool:

You may ask mom, or a friend, or someone you trust for a referral. Chances are that person will go to the internet using their computer, tablet, or smart phone to get you the contact info for their referral or recommendation. Either way, you are going to end up on an Internet Website of a person and business that you don’t know.Your website provides creditability. That’s why a small business website is needed and important . . . because everyone doesn’t know you or your business.

Even if you know, or know of a person or business that you need to contact, the chances are great that you will go to the Internet. You are hoping to find their website so you can learn more about their business and/or how to contact them. If they don’t have an Internet Website you are going to find someone else’s website that offers the same or similar products or services, your competition! That’s why your small business needs a website . . . because everyone doesn’t know you or your business.

Finally, you and your business certainly have competition in the marketplace for your products or services. Big or small, close or far, someone else is selling similar products and services as your business does. All Internet visitors searching for those products or services will be exposed to Google’s recommendations. If you don’t have a website Google cannot recommend your business to anyone. Make it convenient for visitors to find your business. That’s why a small business website is needed and important . . . because everyone doesn’t know you or your business.

There are many scenarios to describe why your small business needs a website; however, the answer remains the same . . . . . not everyone knows you or your business.