Why Have a Website?
There is no doubt that the world is changing at a pace heretofore unknown. One of the most impactful changes has most certainly been the Internet and all the gadgets and gizmos that go along with it.
At first, the average home user used the Internet to locate information for a variety of purposes. Even in the early days, it put information that would at one time have been very difficult to track down let alone access, literally at one’s fingertips. A key stroke or 2 and you would likely find what you were looking for. As users grew and more and more computers with Internet access blossomed in homes, this concept quickly evolved from simple information gathering, to an information explosion.
Let’s face it, the Internet today had become one of life’s necessities. You simply cannot escape it. It’s in every store, at every check?out counter, not to mention that most everyone you know has their own personal email address. Like it or not, it’s what makes our world go around these days.
As the consumer interest in the power and convenience of the Internet grew, so did the interest of the commercial world. Not long ago, if you were looking for a store or service to provide a particular function, you would grab the Yellow Pages and find someone local to deliver what you needed. You would usually have 2 or 3 choices, often with colorful ads to attract your attention. You couldn’t help but feel that the most professional looking ad would likely provide you with the most professional level of service. This concept was not lost on the more forward thinking entrepreneurs who quickly realized the power of the Internet.
This led to what is likely the most dramatic change in the world of information and marketing that the world has ever seen. Today, by far the majority of people looking for a product or service are more likely to “Google” what they want using their home computers, laptops, net?books or for that matter, their cell phones. Even the faithful old “Yellow Pages” have jumped enthusiastically into the age of the Internet, with their own websites that offer the user almost instant access to the information they are searching for.
This puts the typical store, manufacturer or service provider at a serious disadvantage if they do not have a good website of their own. The percentage of people who will find them via the Yellow Pages has now dropped below the 50% mark, and continues to fall.
Suppose for example you live in Albany, New York. You have just come home from work with a problem. On the way, your muffler decided it had lived long enough, and was now trying hard to let everyone in the neighborhood know it. You know you must get the car fixed and quickly. Chances are, in today’s world, you would commandeer the family computer and type… “muffler repair Albany” into the search bar. Instantly you would be blessed with a list of muffler shops, garages, dealerships etc., that say they can help you. You need only click on the listing of choice to access the website of the business where you are likely to find everything you need to know, including the phone number and a map of how to get there. Some may even give you the opportunity of booking an appointment right then and there with just a few key strokes.
Take that Yellow Pages!
So here’s the answer to the question… “Why have a website?” If you operated a muffler repair shop in Albany and didn’t have a website, well over half of the population of the city who wanted to get their muffler fixed would never know you existed. Simply put, no website may mean no business.
Here’s something else to consider… cost effectiveness. Advertising was always one of the major expenses of any business. It was necessary to spend considerable amounts of money simply to let people know who you are, what you do and where to find you. Television, radio, print and signage ads were all available, but generally very expensive.
Internet websites offer all the advantages of the “traditional” forms of advertising, but often with far less expense involved. It’s not uncommon to have a well designed website that is very effective and yet costs less than a one?time print ad.
Much time can be saved as well, when your website qualifies your customers long before they pick up the phone. Your site will give them a list of your services and product offerings, hours of operation, sales, specials and so on. A good website will answer most of their questions ahead of time, leaving you to answer just a few, such as “when can I bring it in?”
These are indeed difficult economic times, and any business needs to take advantage of every affordable tool they can use. Remember, if you don’t have a website, your competition will most assuredly have one, and that puts you at a decided disadvantage.
Recent reports indicate that there are over 100,000 new websites added to the Internet each and every day. Most of these are for businesses who want to be found by prospective buyers.
Conclusion? You need a website, and you need to find the best company to provide you with the tools you need. The explosion in website popularity has unfortunately produced a plethora of unskilled and even unscrupulous individuals who profess to be able to design a successful website for their clients, often promising them amazing success in the search engine wars.
The main purpose of this book therefore, is to give you all the tools you need well in advance so you know what to look for, what to ask for and what to buy to get the biggest bang for your advertising dollar.
We will attempt to answer all your questions before you pick up the phone or respond to an ad for web design. This is the “Information Age” and our mission statement for this book is to give you all the information you need in order to make an informed decision.
It will also point out areas where caution is needed so that you can more easily recognize the best person or company to provide the solutions you need and make your search for a good web site designer as successful as possible.
You will notice that each chapter deals with specific elements that comprise the construction of a good website. We recommend that you make yourself a nice cup of coffee, (or scotch and soda if you are so inclined) sit back and read the entire book. Even the stuff you already know will tie in nicely as you move through the natural progression of the process.
The ultimate goal of this book will be realized if it helps YOU to get the best website possible up and running.
