If you own or run a business, whether big or small, you should know that not having an online presence can be a downfall to your business. Going online is not just an option these days but rather a must for all businesses that want to succeed. 97% of consumers shop for businesses online. This is because almost everyone now depends on the internet for their needs.
Not convinced you need an online presence? Here are some reasons why you should:
You’re losing out on potential customers – a lot of people now do their searching and buying online. Whether they are looking for products or a specific service, it has become a normal habit for most people to search online for what they need before they use other methods. You’re losing out on the massive online market that you can earn a lot from. More than any other traditional method of attracting customers.
You won’t be able to provide customers with quick information – even when you have on hand exactly what your customer needs for information on your products or services, if they cannot find you online, the chances are, they will go with another company that is. Being accessible to your customers, whether on the world wide web or otherwise, is critical to your company’s success. People have a habit of searching for your company by name online, and they cannot find it, chances are, they will find another company online that has similar offerings to what you have since they were easily found.
Some people may argue that you can use radio and print ads for this, or maybe the good old phone book. How many people can you reach with those at one time and at what cost? Having a website online that you can use to share your information on your business or a social media outlet such as Facebook, Twitter or Linked In will keep your customers and potential clients informed of such developments. You can do sponsored posts in advance for little cost and reach hundreds if not thousands of people over a short span of time.
You’re not able to do business 24/7/365 – online sites that sell products and services 24 hours a day often get more revenues than their competitors that don’t have an online presence. Even when a site is only used to promote products and not to sell them, the potential for more inquiries and revenues is much higher than those businesses that don’t even have a Facebook page that people can look-up. With an online presence, people can inquire about your products and services anytime essentially giving you the opportunity to make money while you sleep.
You can’t extend your reach – thinking of being able to service customers in neighboring cities or national? How about going global? If your ultimate goal, like many business owners is to reach more people with your products and services, you should be doing it online. You can limit the reach of your website or social media page by stating where you want your services and products to be delivered if you are looking for a more local approach to attracting customers.
Your competition is going to get ahead of you – if you are not sold on establishing a strong online business presence, or simply having a social media page that people can find when they need your services or products, you can be absolutely sure that your competition will be there to pick up the business. If you want to get ahead of them, or keep yourself in the running, putting up a social media presence for your company is the least you can do to not let them get ahead of you.
Your business won’t look reputable without an online presence – Think of your online presence as a resume, proof you’re an established business. Many people that shop for products and services online gauge how reputable a company is by how popular they appear online; how much relevant information is available on their company and the ease of finding it.