Why Do I Need A Web Site?

Because people check the Internet first, then they buy

The Internet is no joke. Magazines are getting smaller and newspapers are disappearing all together. The yellow pages? The younger generation doesn't even know what that is. It's no longer a matter of if you'd like a Web site or not. Now it's a matter of survival. The masses are moving to the Internet and it's not just the younger generation. With the advent of Google, people can find anything. Anything they want to do, or buy, or see is on the Internet. Since the world is moving that way, you better move with it.

Domain names are getting snapped up. Businesses are putting up sites on keyword domain names. When someone searches at Google they are coming up. People click on what they need and they're there with a competently designed site.

If you're in business you better heed the trend. The opportunity to insert your business into a stream of potential customers is running out. Jay Conrad Levinson is an expert at marketing small businesses. He is the author of the famous "Guerilla Marketing" series of books. He teaches small businesses how to compete and win against big business with big marketing budgets.

In his latest book "Guerilla Marketing for Consultants" he emphasizes the importance of a Web site as an effective marketing tool. After the initial chapters (on developing a marketing plan) the first chapter is about the company web site. The chapter is entitled "Beyond Web Sites: Create a Client-Centered Web Presence" where he stresses creating a great Web as the first step in any marketing plan.

"Clients use the information on the Web to make preliminary assessments of consultants' talents and to gauge how well they would fit with their organizations. Nearly 75 per cent of buyers find consultants through their own research, not through contacts initiated by consultants.

Without a great Web site, you will not be considered a serious player, and the most desirable potential clients won't invite you to the game. As technological breakthroughs emerge, it will become even more important for consultants to establish an outstanding presence on the Web."

Businesses that treat their site as an afterthought are going nowhere. Just because you don't use the Internet doesn't mean everyone feels that way. Some businesses are actually proud of their lack of technical savvy. However some businesses get it. They don't have one web site they have ten. Like Procter and Gamble they've built a dozen Internet brands that are indexed high in Google. Google recognizes them as an authority in their field and rewards them with a high ranking. With a high ranking comes traffic. With traffic comes sales. Because they laid the groundwork on the Web they get rewarded with high sales today and astronomical sales in the future.

The Internet is how the game of business is played now. Traditional advertising (with the possible exception of television) will not yield the results you want. That's because people don't think that way anymore. Why buy a magazine when you can research the Web? It doesn't make sense. Commit your advertising budget to the Web. That's where the action is. It's not in traditional media anymore.

Great businesses have great Internet-centric marketing plans. These are the leaders of tomorrow. The basis of the plans is Internet content, strategically placed where people can find it. Big marketing budgets don't yield what the use to. That's because people actively seek information on the Internet. They're not convinced until they've checked it out for themselves. The question is are you going to be there when they are checking it out? If you're not there, you're out of the game.

When the site is great, good things happen. A great site starts with a great name that gets up high in Google. All marketing activity like trade shows, advertising, chamber marketing, and referrals are set up by the Web site. Without the Web site you don't have the magic or the power.

"Having a great Web site is no longer a matter of choice, it is a matter of survival. A study by the Information Technology Services Marketing Association (ITSMA) found that seventy seven percent of decision makers now find service providers, including consultants, using the Web, even after they received referrals."

Web sites are not afterthoughts. A good Web site that achieves a high ranking will bring you thousands worth of free advertising every month. This isn't the time to get cheap. Get this set up right. Buy a good domain name. Build a separate site for your product. Someone will. Put your money where your future lies. Make sure a percentage of your sales comes in from the Internet. If it doesn't it's not a good sign no matter how successful you are. Start this process now. It takes time to develop.

Great sites can make a business successful single handedly. The serious marketer will re-visit their site every six months. They add new information, tighten up existing copy, and further tailor the site to their client's needs. Today's clients are Internet savvy and demanding. They want solid information, not marketing babble. Be sure to tell them who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. Treat the Web seriously. It is your one chance at worldwide exposure. There are a lot of great Web sites and competition is stiff. A great Web site you can outshine even the largest companies but you've got to get started.