First, let's define "small business". Drive down the main street in any town, and you will see everything from taco shops, pizza places, coffee shops to gift shops, travel agencies, and dry cleaners, and the list goes on.
We all know the world is changing, but when it comes to your business, what is changing is the way your customers find your business.
I recently threw my phone book away because I felt as if I didn't really need it anymore. Here's why, let's say you're at the office and your computer printer gives you an error message and quits. You could thumb threw the phone book in search of a repairman, or you could simply type the error message in to your favorite search engine in your computer's browser, and in minutes know the problem, the parts you need, and the business that sells the parts.
Here is another example. You are out of town in your car and would like to locate one a pizza place, but you have no idea were to find one. Simply type in pizza and a city into Google maps, and pick the one you like, with directions. In fact, the new iphone with GPS has software that lets you know all the restaurants around you. That is great, unless your restaurant not on the list.
Yes, the way the world finds your small business is changing. That is why your small business needs a web site. It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. It could be just a single web page with a photo and information about your business. You just need a presence on the web.
You have a couple of options. If you like to do things your self, there are programs available with pre-built templates in which you could have a web site up and running very quickly, and for as little as five to twelve dollars a month. The second option is to have a designer build a professional web site for you. This cost is a little more per month with prices ranging from forty nine to eighty nine dollars.
As you can see it is very inexpensive to have a presence on the internet, but it could be very expensive if new customers don't know you are there.
Small Business Web Sites
Women everywhere deserve a big pat on the back for this amazing accomplishment. But as is always the case for small business owners, there is still a lot of work to be done.
The one thing your small business MUST have is a web site. Sure, ten years ago having a site was an option many small businesses could do without. But that is no longer the case. Here's why:
* These days consumers and business leaders are more likely to use search engines than the Yellow Pages. They'll type the name of your town and your type of business into Google and start their research from there.
* A web site lets you put as MUCH information as you want in a public forum. You no longer have to pay thousands for a big newspaper ad just to let customers know about your prices, new services, or show photos of what you do. Now you can keep all that information available on your web site 24/7 at little or no cost.
* You know as well as I do that most customers are a little shy about asking questions. Often they don't even want you to know they're interested until AFTER they have learned more about your product, service, or idea. A web site allows that vast number of potential customers to privately and anonymously read all about your business. Then, when they're ready to buy, they'll come forward with their questions and orders. This is a MUCH more efficient way to do business, which leads to my next point.
* Web based business operations can be EXTREMELY EFFICIENT. Customers often prefer convenient email over phone or in-person visits. Email encourages customers to organize their ideas, contacting you when they know what they want and are ready to act. You'll find your web site generates many more customers and the customers you get are better organized.
* Finally, women love to buy from women-owned businesses. Women, as a group, tend to be less compulsive shopper than men. While a large segment of men will buy an item on impulse, the vast majority of women prefer to learn about your product or service, getting all the details they can before placing an order. Web sites are perfect for presenting a lot of information at very little cost.
Both Gregg Brown & Nina Menezes are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Gregg Brown has sinced written about articles on various topics from Parenting, Registry Cleaner and Personal Desktop. Gregg Brown is owner of Easy Secure Domains. Where you will be able find Domain names, Web Hosting, have a Custom Web Site or Blog designed. Also the tools to build a Web Site your self.. Gregg Brown's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.
Nina Menezes has sinced written about articles on various topics from Small Business. Nina Menezes is a veteran web designer and successful small business owner known for her fast work and high quality. She will design your web site in 3 weeks, or it's free! See the InterDream Designs site at http://www.interdream-designs.com Reach Nina at. Nina Menezes's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.
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