Many small business owners often wonder if their business needs a website. This is a very important decision and can make or break a small business in this competitive digital day and age.

A website is important for all business, whether they sell products online or not. A website adds credibility to a business. Having a well designed professional website for your small business shows that you are committed to your business and creates a professional image for your business. A website can be a great marketing tool and also compliments all other marketing media. Adding your website to your business cards, letterhead and advertisements adds to the effectiveness of your marketing plan.

A website is also a great reference for customers and every time they visit, if the website is professionally designed, you create a positive image and credibility for you business. Note that we mentioned “professionally designed”. This is very important. Some small business websites lack the professional image that a website should deliver. Your website will either scream “we are a professional, committed, high quality business” or it will say “my 12 year old son designed this website and our entire business is run like this”. So please, don’t be the latter. We see unprofessional, do it yourself websites all the time usually because the business owner is trying to save a few bucks. But in the long run, these companies are losing money from lack of a professional image. When potential customers visit these unprofessional websites, customers are driven away, contrary to the purpose of its intent. For those that are considering designing their own site, we suggest that you either have a professional site or none at all.

Having an online presence also expands the reach of your business. For many potential customers, in today’s digital age, a website is practically your business storefront. People search for products and services online, compare each by looking at the info on their websites, get directions, then head down to the brick and mortar shop. If you lack a website, you’re missing out on a whole lot of potential customers. It is important to have a website, but make sure it is professional, as we discussed earlier, so that your competitors online storefront doesn’t blow yours out of the water.

So, does your business need a website? We say YES. A professional website can increase your business image, increase the effectiveness of your marketing, and open up your business to a whole new audience. Also, web design is relatively inexpensive. Unlike most marketing costs, the major cost of a website is the initial design which is a one time cost. If you own a business and are considering a website, please contact us for a free consultation and we’ll be glad to show you what a website can do for your business and how we can make it happen.