Some of the goals that can be achieved by
launching a website include the following:
1. Far Cheaper and Much More Flexible
Than Print Advertising
The Internet is extremely different from
print advertising in that space is cheap, your
advertisement is accessible for a longer period of time,
the content can be changed without having to ask someone to
do it for you (if you use a content
management system) and you can potentially reach a wider
audience.
This is not to say that you should not use
other forms of advertising at all – You can use it to entice
people to visit your website and find out about your company
and potentially open two-way communication between the potential
customer and a sales person.
2. Market Expansion
The Internet has allowed businesses to
break through the geographical barriers and become accessible,
virtually, from any country in the world by a potential customer
that has Internet access.
3. Diversify Revenue Streams
A website is not just a medium for
representation of your company, it is a form of media from
which everybody can acquire information. You can use this media
to sell advertising space to other businesses.
A recent trend has risen where
businesses feature their very own directory of complimentary
services, where the visitor can search for information on a
business that will enhance the use of your service. The business
sells complimentary businesses a listing in their directory.
A good example is a catering company featuring a directory with
businesses such as event co-ordinators, electronic equipment
rental companies, etc.
4. 24 7 365
No more turning customers away when
its time to close shop, putting up a note saying “closed for
public holiday”, or leaving an irritating message on your
answering service specifying your trading hours – tell them to
visit your website for information they are looking for.
5. Offer Convenience
It is far more convenient for a
person to research a product on the Internet than it is to
get in a car, drive somewhere and look for or ask someone for
information on a product. Also, a potential customer won’t have
to judge a call centre agent to determine whether he/she has their
best interests in mind, or just wants to make a sale.
The potential customer can visit your website whenever they
like in their own privacy and comfort, without the stresses
and distractions that exist in the “real world”.
Your website is a self-service medium
– for example, instead of having to wait in a long cue to pay
your TV Licence, you can now do it electronically through the TV
Licence website.
6. Add Value and Satisfaction
By offering convenience, a point
of reference and that touch of individualised customer
service, you ultimately add value to your offering and your
customers experience a higher level of satisfaction.
Your website can add value in other ways
too, by featuring tips, advice and general interest content you
can “entertain” your customers. This will also help
them remember you better.
7. Standardize Sales Performance
By looking at which approached / pitches
have worked in the past and those which have not, you can produce
the ultimate pitch and use it with your website, so that you
use it on every customer. No more training of sales people and
waiting for them to get a feel for your line of trade.
8. Improve credibility
A website gives you the opportunity to
tell potential customers what you are about and why you
deserve their trust and confidence. In fact, many people use
the internet for pre-purchase research so that they can determine
for themselves whether a particular supplier or brand is worthy of
their patronage, and won’t take them for a ride.
The Internet also allows for Viral
Marketing – where your website visitors spread positive word-of-mouth
about your business - your customers do your marketing!
9. Promote your “Brick ‘n’ Mortar”
Presence
Getting lost trying to find a place can be
frustrating for a potential customer. You can publish what they
call a “dummy map” on your website, which shows
directions and landmarks graphically, and the potential customer
can print it out when looking for your “Brick ‘n’ Mortar”
premises.
You might advertise a promotion on your
website encouraging the visitor to visit your “Brick ‘n’
Mortar” premises (eg. “At a branch near you!”).
Also, if you recently moved to a new
location, you will have to wait for the next 'phone directory to
come out before people figure out where you currently are. Because
a website is flexible – you can change the content as you
like – you can change you contact details instantly and
lower the risk of losing customers when moving to a new location.
10. Growth Opportunity
A website serves as a great place to refer
potential investors to, to show them what your company is
about, what it has achieved and what it can achieve in future.
11. Two-Way Communicative Marketing
Customers can quickly and easily give
feedback on your product and/or marketing approach.
12. Cheap Market Research
You can use features on your website such
as visitor polls, online surveys and your website
statistics to find out what your customers like more
and how they feel about certain aspects of your business to
determine how you can improve your product and the way you do
business.
Website statistics show you how much
traffic your website receives, how the visitor got to your
website and where, geographically, the visitor is from.
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