Why have a website?

Interestingly I was perusing an online forum on the New Business website, when I came across this strand:

"Everyone raves about the internet, but really how many of us are actually selling our goods / services on-line. Our internet sites are just a window for customers we meet through personal contact or via the telephone.

The internet is becoming a burden to small businesses.

The cost of building a site just to be seen to have one, then maintaining it is getting out of hand and has become an expensive "must have" for small businesses trying to win deals on the road.

Quite honestly I wish I didn't have to have one."

It is significant because the writer is not alone.

A lot of businesses feel the same way - and why shouldn't you. Running a website is hard and very time consuming.

Needless to say the responses were fairly typical, with some companies offering their cheap range of web solutions and others saying they couldn't understand his issues.

The point is, that like a car, a website is an incredibly useful business tool.

You don't have to have one, but in getting one you are opening up business opportunities.

That is not where the similarities end though. There are many people out there who tinker with cars, and could carry out a service for you, but may not be qualified to do so.

Websites are no different - Very few web developers are fully qualified business website solution developers.

The reason for that being that there are no qualifications in this field.

Like the person on the forum, most businessmen and women just want to get their business done. Investing in a website for your business is a way to open up other business opportunities, but finding the right solution is where most fall down.

Choosing a cheap web solution does not guarantee business. In fact for the most part, choosing a cheap web solution is a waste of money. Ultimately you only get out what you put in - and that's content.

We specialise in providing affordable solutions, but the effort has to come from the website owner to make it truly effective.

Websites are a good powerful business investment - but in choosing to go down this route consider the following:

• Market your products and services and not your company
• Shop around to find a website developer who knows what they are doing, better still employ the services of several experts in their fields, copywriters, online marketing, search engine optimisers, business consultants and web developers.
• Look carefully at portfolios
• Make the solution providers justify their costs
• Have a clear idea of what you want from your site
• Have a clearer idea of what your customers would want from the site
• Invest the time and get it right

When you decided to go into business, you hopefully did so with a clear understanding of what you were getting into.

A website is only a burden if you are not in control of it.