Fair enough. If you have a well-established business which has worked hard to build up a good reputation in your local area you may think there’s nothing to be gained by having a website to maintain and worry about.
A website with professionally crafted SEO obviously does attract new business, but a digital presence is valuable and a good investment for a variety of other reasons too, and we’ll highlight the most important ones here:
Validation & Credibility
So, you did a good job fixing a client’s roof, and now he’s recommended you to his mate who has a similar problem. What’s the first thing that potential new customer is going to do? Probably “Google” the name of your business to find out more about you. Of course, if you don’t have a website that would-be client won’t find you – but he or she will see a lot of similar companies come up on the search results, offering a good service, and its highly likely he or she will end up taking their custom to one of those competitors instead.
If you have a polished, engaging website that is easily found on the search engine results it can validate a word-of-mouth recommendation, and prove that you have a credible business that is recognised and respected in a competitive local market. That potential client will be pleased to see it, and probably contact you forthwith.
A Showcase & Storefront
No matter what line of business you’re in – selling handcrafts, offering consulting services, running a café or fitting new bathrooms for example – a storefront where you can show off your wares and/or abilities is not only valuable, but vital.
With a website anyone who takes the trouble can see just how cosy your café is, how clever your crafts are, how beautiful your bathrooms.
A brochure website with images of your work or products is a sure-fire winner – throw in some customer testimonials and some interesting biographical information with your “start-up” story and you’ve got it made.
It’s certainly useful – and impressive – if when someone enquires about what you do and what the quality of your work is like, to be able to refer them to your attractive, informative website.
A Digital Business Card
One of the most important sections of your business website is the Contact Page. This is where you prove your trustworthiness by providing a physical address along with a phone number and email contact address. If you’re wise you’ll add a contact form too. Many people may not be inclined to pick up the phone – but they will happily fill in a simple form with a query or to request a price quotation.
When a potential client – or an existing client – wants to get in touch with you but doesn’t have your contact details to hand, your website is the perfect and most obvious place to start. Your site therefore acts as your digital business card – better than an actual business card, in fact, because it won’t get lost or thrown away by accident. It stays there, day and night, always accessible online.
Creating a Customer Community
If you’re lucky enough to have loyal, returning customers your website can be crafted to act as a hub, where they can come to be part of your customer community. You can offer them blogs, videos, newsletters and social media integration, share your company updates, tell them about special promotions or sales. Your website becomes an invaluable way to engage with your customers and keep them on your side, because you can show them that you care.
Customer Support Hub
In similar vein to the point made above, a website can act as a customer support hub. If anyone needs assistance with one of your products or a service you have rendered, wants to praise you or make a complaint, your website can provide the means and opportunity for them to get the support they need. If you’re really on the ball you can pre-empt any problems, by including a “frequently asked questions” section on your website, or even offering a live chat option. It all goes towards the very desirable goal of showing that you are open, available, reliable and trustworthy – essential elements for any type of business to thrive and prosper.
Valuable Data Insights
If you don’t have insight into your customer or client base, you’re pretty much operating in the dark. This can be tricky when it comes to making business decisions. Growing, or even maintaining, a business on guesswork alone is a dangerous way forward. With a website that is hooked up to free analytics tools (like Google Analytics 4) it’s easy to track who is looking at your site, who they are and where they come from, what their preferences are and much more. Analytics tools are heaven-sent for making informed business decisions and understanding customer behaviour – useful in so many ways, from stock control to marketing initiatives.
E-Commerce Opportunity
Online shopping isn’t just for buying physical products. More and more consumers nowadays like the convenience of being able to book for all sorts of services quickly and easily online. A website with ecommerce functionality is appreciated by an ever-growing sector of the market from those wanting hairdressing appointments to those shopping for washing machine repairs. A website with a secure ecommerce component can open new doors for your business.
As you can see from the above points, the significance of a website for any small business goes way beyond just selling your products or services. Without a presence in the digital marketplace your business risks becoming at best neglected, and at worst overlooked or ignored, in your local area, no matter how efficiently and capably you work.
