The cost of having a website designed may cause a small business to give their online presence a low priority. After all, there are many other expenses that may seem more important. Stock items, equipment, stationery and advertising are the main priorities, but without a website, the business is missing out on the growing number of customers who search online for products and services. New customers may be acquired from a variety of sources, including printed telephone directories, leaflet distribution, newspaper and magazine advertisements, referrals from existing customers, handing out business cards, internet searches and online advertising.
As the number of households with internet access increases, the need for paper business directories is reducing. People of all ages now search online when looking to buy an item or find a tradesman to undertake work in the home. A website can help the small business to attract new customers and increase sales income. Many computer users like to browse online and research items before making a purchase. A website can provide a vast amount of information, much more than could be displayed in a small printed advert. Product information, prices, technical details, stock availability, delivery options and customer reviews could all be included on a company website.
In addition to product and services details, other website features can encourage people to contact a company. A location map will help customers to find business premises. A customer contact form enables people to make an online enquiry 24 hours a day, submitting their email address, phone number and enquiry details. This is of great benefit to people with busy lives who may be online late in the evening when it is not possible to make telephone enquiries.
The added value of having a website means that the web address can be included on all promotional activities. Car or van signage, business cards, printed stationery and newspaper advertisements. This encourages potential customers to visit the website, submit an order online, or gain sufficient information to make an enquiry. Having decided that a website is a good idea, a company could consider if they have the knowledge, skills and time to create their own web pages. If not, they should contact a web designer, and ask the following questions:
• Is the preferred domain name available?
• What are the charges? There may be a set price per page, annual domain registration fees, monthly hosting and management fees.
• Will the web pages be optimised for search engines, and will there be an extra charge for this?
• What are the options for web pages to be updated?
• How many email addresses will be included?
• Will a location map be included?
• Will a customer enquiry form be included?
• How many images may be included?
Giving some thought to what is required in a business website will help to compare prices charged by web designers, and focus a company on maximising the benefits of their online base.
NG9 web pages for small businesses include a location map, customer enquiry form, images, promotional video and search engine optimisation. All these great features are available for a low monthly fee. Visit http://www.ng9.biz for more details and costs.
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