Internet Help for Small Business

How a Website Can Benefit Your Business

However, it's important to understand that a website can benefit any business and not only those that sell goods or services over the Internet.

In fact the majority of businesses provide services or products that can't be sold online - for example gas stations, auto repair shops, electricians and plumbers, hairdressers, restaurants, cafes, cleaning services, consultants, doctors, engineers - the list goes on.

Their products or services are not suitable for selling over the Internet, yet for most of them a website will still be an important marketing tool and can help:

1. cut costs
2. increase sales
3. improve customer service
4. enhance productivity.

1. Cutting Costs

A website can dramatically cut costs on printed material like brochures and catalogues.

Customers wanting product information can be pointed to your website. Compare this to the cost of mailing expensive printed brochures, both locally and overseas.

It's also much cheaper to update a web page than print new material each time you introduce fresh products, change prices or move premises.

Here's a real example: Groundcover Leather Company is a small business producing hand-made leather footwear and other leather products. New products are regularly designed and included in their range, after which they're loaded on to the website. The cost of updating the website with new products is minimal compared to printing new hard-copy brochures on a regular basis.

Another cost-cutting benefit of the Internet is email. Using email to communicate will reduce expenditure on:

• stationery
• postage
• fax
• phone

2. Increasing Sales

A website gives you global exposure, all the time, to a potential market of millions. This is particularly beneficial to businesses in smaller towns, especially if they deal in a niche product, as does Groundcover Leather Company.

Obviously, customers have to find your site - but this can be achieved with intelligent marketing.

Bottom line: one good order from a new customer who found you through the Internet can return your investment in a website many times over.

3. Improving Customer Service

• photographs of your products
• product specs
• prices and ordering information
• answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Potential customers, after reading your website, will have a much better idea of what you offer.

When they contact you, by phone or email, they can get straight to the point instead of wasting everyone's time with vague, off-the-point questions.

Your website can also generate valuable feedback from customers about your products or service. Once you know where you're going wrong, you can take action and make the necessary improvements.

4. Enhancing Productivity

Compared to other sales and marketing channels, the Internet is extremely efficient, allowing businesses to benefit from increased productivity.

Once your website is up and running, it requires minimal supervision, allowing you to focus your time on the essential day-to-day running of your business.

Potential customers requiring product information can be referred to the appropriate section of your website, instead of you wasting valuable time trying to find relevant and up-to-date printed material for mailing or faxing.

It costs less than $10 a month in hosting fees to keep your website live, so each visitor who is converted to a customer represents a significant return on investment. Compare this to the time and cost involved in running an ad campaign in a glossy magazine or by direct mail.

The Web can also be a great tool for finding new sources of raw materials or information about competitors' products and prices.

Next ... Planning Your Business Website

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