What should a website be doing for your business? Here are the top ten functions of a simple website. This list does not expect you to be doing eCommerce, though if you are, these top 10 functions still apply. But even a simple website is valuable to your business, and especially if your website is doing the following for you, it is a good investment for your company. Your website should:
Tell a good tale bout you and your company
Your business has a unique story that needs to be told, and your website is a great place to tell it. What you do, how long you’ve been doing it, why you are good at what you do, how you started doing it, and more about you and your business. Prospects want to know all they can about who they are considering doing business with. When making a buying decision, they like to know something about the business and the people they will be talking to as well as the products they will be using. Tell them your story through your website.
Be your Answer paper.
A website can answer frequently asked questions of your potential customers. Everyone hates to answer the same simple questions over and over. This becomes an annoyance after a while for you and your employees and keeps you from the really important stuff of your business. Answering these simple questions with your website saves both you and your customers time. “What times are you open?” “How long have you been in business?” “What are your credentials?” “What forms of payment do you accept?” All these questions can be easily answered on your website.
Improve your Contact Lists.
Your business is all about your contacts. Grow your contact list with your website. A website can take names and addresses 24 hours a day. Provide an incentive for your website visitors to leave their email or address(or both) and provide a list for your sales people and marketers to work from. Start growing your customer base with your website.
Be your Signboard or business banner.
This is a must for someone trying to locate you. Customers coming in from out of town, people finding you on the web and then wondering how to get to your office or showroom – your website is perfect for providing this information. This info should be easy to find on your website, and be clear and easy to print out for future reference.
Make the best first impression.
A website is many times the first place people will come in contact with your business. You want this first visit to make a good impression. Also, back in the “brick and mortar ” world, when you first meet someone, if you have a website to refer them to, this will add to the first impression you make there as well. Many times prospects will check your card to see if you have a website. If you hand them a card and they see one listed there, this will help with that first impression of your company.
Improve on your clientele base.
With proper search engine optimization, a website can get your business in front of potential customers you might never have been able to reach, except through your presence on the web. This extends your reach. The better job you do at the search engine optimization of your website, the further your reach into the vast potential of the internet.
Provide your company with a clear contact picture.
Your telephone or mobile number should be on each page and your contact information should be easily available from anywhere in your website. Your website visitors’ question, “how do I contact these people?” should be easily answered with easy to find and clear contact information. That is really what you want from your visitors isn’t it? For them to pick up the phone and call you about ordering your product? Make it easy. Save a phone call for your employees to answer – “What’s your fax number?” Your visitors should also be able to easily find your fax number on your website
Make your business more credible globally.
Your website visitors are forming an impression of your business from your website. If they see a professional site, they will be thinking “this is a professional business!” Everyone wants to know if they are dealing with a reputable business, so provide information about your business partnerships on your website as well, such as displaying your BBB membership symbol on your site.
Pre-convince your prospective Clients.
A website should pre-convince your prospects for you. From your website, visitors can decide if what you are offering might be a good “fit” for them. This will save time for your sales people, weeding out the prospects that do not have a use for your product or services. This will allow your staff to focus on genuine sales leads.
Finally and Ultimately, Fill your pocket with Cash.
The bottom line is – a website should make you money. Providing an easy way to order needed parts or services is a given. But doing e-commerce can be a whole other ballgame. However, even if you aren’t taking orders online, if your website is doing all of the above, it is making you money.
