10 Reasons your Business needs a Professional Website Right Now
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It’s 2019. The Digital Age. Most people are online these days, and will use the internet to find information they need to solve a problem they have. Are you taking advantage of this potential for your business?
If you’re on the fence about having a website, let me tell you this – You need one. And it needs to be a great one! Even Forbes agrees that businesses need a website, so clearly it’s important!
Not convinced you need a website for your business? Read on to see why it can benefit you and why it really does matter! Ready to get started?
Why you need a great Website
Your customer’s expect it
Think about this – Millennials have the most spending power of any generation. They are tech savvy and online, so they expect the companies they deal with to be online to, and more importantly, have a great mobile friendly website.
Most people these days expect to be able to find information about a business online. If you want to know what time a restaurant is open or what they have on their menu, where do you look? If you don’t have a website, you limit how people can find you and get the information they need to lead to a purchase.
By not having a website, you are sending a message that you don’t value technology or you’re stuck in the Dark Ages. Even worse, it could send a signal that you’re not taking new clients, and no one wants that!
If you are a local business, having a website is even more important since 97% of consumers find local businesses online.
You control it
First impressions count, and finding your website is often someone’s first impression of your business, so you want to put your best foot forward.
Having your own website allows you to create a home on the internet where you can show off your business. You can share your message, your mission and your personality, and really customize it to reflect your brand and help you attract your dream clients. No other online platform will let you have the same level of control over how it looks or what is shared!
Your website should act like an online hub, connecting your social media platforms and everything you share in one place. And unlike social media or review websites, you choose what message you want to send, which can help you shape the perception of your business.
Credibility
It is said that 56% of people won’t trust a business if they don’t have a website, so having a website makes you look more legit to your potential client.
Further to that, about 75% of consumers admit to judging a business’s credibility based on their website design, so having a bad one will really impact whether people trust you. If you are not proud to show off your website, it’s time for it to have a face lift!
You only have about 5 seconds to win someone over when they land on your website, so you want to make sure it is well designed, professional and is easy to navigate so that your viewer will take you seriously.
If you’re not sure how to make your website look professional and polished, it may be time to look for a website designer to help you out. Here is a list of questions to ask a potential website designer, or if you want me help, you can find out more and book a free consultation call here.
Remember, you’re website not only shows you exist, but that you take your business seriously and are here for the long haul.
Your reach
The internet allows you to reach more people than ever before possible. We are no longer confined to people in our local area, and with the advances in communication, if we want to work with someone on the other side of the world, it’s never been easier!
Your website is like an online brochure that allows you to reach more people than by traditional marketing, and you can attract targeted traffic if you focus on SEO and designing your website for your dream clients, which leads to much higher email sign ups or sales.
About 72% of people turn to Google for research before making a purchase, so if you don’t have a website but your competition does, then you’re missing out on all of the potential business!
To really optimize your reach, you want to set up a great SEO foundation on your website that you can build on over time. This will give you a better chance of showing at the top of Google search results. Only about 6% of viewers will click through to page 2 of a search, so being on page 1 will really help your business to be more visible and puts you in front of the largest audience possible.
Your hardest working employee
Just because you can’t work 24/7, doesn’t mean your website shouldn’t do the work for you! A well designed website will help you collect leads, book inquiry calls and sell your products online even while you sleep.
How great would it be to wake up in the morning to find out you’ve made sales in your sleep from someone on the other side of the world?
Whatever your business goals are, your website can help you meet them. Growing an email list? You’re website can have sections for people to sign up for a freebie. Want people to book a consultation call with you? You’re website can have a booking form such as Acuity or Calendly. Want to show yourself as an expert in what you do? You’re website can include a blog where you share tips and tricks. Want people to buy from you? Yep, your website can help people make purchases too!
Sharing marketing campaigns, connecting with your dream clients, building up trust, displaying your portfolio, showing off your brand, keeping your customers informed... You’re website can do it all for you!
The best part about your hardest working employee is that they don’t require hourly pay and don’t take breaks or holidays!
Saves you time
The world is already fast paced enough and we’re all super busy. Who wants to be spending extra time answering unnecessary phone calls or emails? I don’t know about you, but any way I can save time on email is a winner in my books!
A well designed website can save you time on communication since everything your viewer needs it at their fingertips on your website! They can book appointments with you online, you can have a FAQ or blog post that answers common questions you receive, you don’t have to spend as much time designing, printing or distributing printed marketing materials, and it’s super fast to update since you can log in and make changes straight away!
In this digital age where we’re all busy, we tend to want instant gratification. Not only are we saving this time for ourselves, but we are giving our viewer that instant gratification by helping save them time too, so really, it’s a big win all around!
Saves you money
Having a great website you can save money long term, especially since website platforms are becoming more affordable over time. You no longer have to have printed marketing materials designed and distributed, pay for advertising in newspapers, magazines or radio, or spend money on going to networking events, all of which can add up quickly!
While you don’t have to hire a website designer to bring your website to life, it is often well worth it. A good website designer will understand the best ways to design your website so it not only looks great, but the settings are optimized so it attracts more viewers and helps you close more sales with your dream clients, making you more money long term!
A couple of other perks of hiring a website designer include the time you save trying to figure everything out and the fact that it’s a business expense so you claim it at tax time! You may even find a designer that includes a lesson on how to update your website in the future, so you can save money by making ongoing changes yourself.
You can showcase your work
Social media moves quickly, so when you post something, it tends to lose steam within a few hours. Plus, social platforms will often reduce the quality of the photos and graphics you share so they may not look as great. This means social media should not be the only way you showcase your work or demonstrate your skill.
Having your own website solves that problem! You can showcase a portfolio of your work, a gallery of your photos, videos of what you do and testimonials that show how great you are to work with. This makes it easy for potential clients to see what it would be like to work with you and how you can help them directly.
Another added benefit of showcasing your work on your website is that you can change out some projects to really highlight your best work that you’ve done for your dream clients, which helps you attract more of that type of work.
Showcasing your work can really help you to position your business so you can stand out in a crowd, and supporting it with amazing testimonials adds a level of social proof that can help build trust and close sales.
Social media is getting harder
Social media reach is reducing and it’s getting harder for people to find you and for your followers to see what you share. After all, these platforms are meant as a means of being social with family and friends.
You’re website should be the online home for your business that connects everything in one place. This way you own it and you don’t have to compete with algorithms to have your content seen. Anyone can easily find it all in the one place, plus, it’s easier to search for information on your website than it is on your social media accounts and your viewer can actually make purchases.
Another thing to consider – what happens if the social media platform goes down or disappears? Look at MySpace. It was the world’s largest social media platform from 2004-2010, and it seemed to disappear overnight! You risk losing your following and having no contact with your audience if you rely solely on social media.
Please don’t think for a moment that I’m dissing social media! I think it’s a great way to drive traffic to your website, build awareness of your business, attract new clients and engage with potential clients, but it shouldn’t be the only platform you use for your business.
Improves your customer service
As you can see above, having a well designed website will help your business immensely, but think about it from a customer’s perspective for a second...
They’re able to find the information they are looking for without having to call, email or drop in, which saves them time. They get amazing value and learn a lot from the amazing posts you share online. They can make a purchase or book a consultation call with your without having to get out of their pajamas.
If you want to create an amazing customer experience, having a website that focuses on your dream clients needs is a must!
Common Objections Busted
It costs too much – Website platforms like Squarespace are very affordable, with plans starting at $12 a month. Considering what a great marketing asset a well designed website can be, and how affordable it is compared to traditional marketing, it’s well worth the investment!
I already have enough business – You’re website doesn’t need to be attracting new customers. You could use it to help your existing customers to find information and make bookings with you. You could also use it to prepare for possible quiet times in the future by collecting new leads, or your could start selling some products that align with the service you offer. Plus, if your already too busy, it could be a sign that there is enough demand to raise your prices so you can make more profit
It’s too complicated – With a platform like Squarespace, you don’t need to have lots of tech skill or coding knowledge to design an amazing website. You can drag and drop your content into the templates and be up and running quickly and easily. You don’t need to have a million pages on your website when starting out either, just a few that state who you are, what you do and how to contact you may be enough. Just make sure the details are accurate and kept up to date and you’re good. And if you still think it’s complicated, you can always hire a designer to do it for you
I’m already on social media – What happens if Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest disappear tomorrow? Where will your customers come from then? And if the algorithm changes and your followers aren’t seeing what you share, what would happen? You’re website can help you avoid these issues
I’m not online, so I don’t need a website – You may not be online, but it’s highly likely your dream clients are! Especially these days when anyone with a smart phone can access the internet and potentially find your business
I don’t have an online store – You don’t need to be selling products to have a website. You can use your website to promote your services and collect leads. Your dream clients still need a way to find you, learn about you and trust you so they can book your service, and a website gives them the opportunity
Still not convinced?
Did you know that digitally advanced small businesses earn 2 times more revenue per employee, grow their revenue over previous years by nearly 4 times, and are 3 times more likely to create jobs than the previous year than larger businesses? You’re amazing new website can help you become more digitally advanced!
About 50% of small businesses still don’t have a website, even though it can help your business grow. If people can have websites for sharing photos of their pets or their current house projects, you should really be part of the 50% of small businesses that has a well designed website!
Looking for help to launch a website you love? Find out more about how we can work together and book a free consultation call below
