Long before the Internet we had the Yellow Pages. Twenty years ago everyone who started a business always assumed they needed a Yellow Pages ad. The truth was that some did and some didn't. Many an entrepreneur wasted most or even all of their precious marketing dollars on Yellow Page ads that never created a single sale.
The same is true with websites. You only need one if that is where your customers go to get information.
Gene Marks drives this point home at Business Week. Apparently there has been a loud buzz going in the tech world about the large percentage of small business owners who don't have websites and the need to lead these ignorant fools out of the wilderness:
Marketing dollars are limited. There's a recession going on. For many, sinking a bunch of dollars into a Web site may not be the best return on investment.
Oh sure, if you're in the Internet porn business, or sell things online, then this is an entirely different story. Or if you're looking to replace all of your marketing materials and send prospects and customers online to learn in detail about your products and services, then it makes sense to a have a full-fledged site. Or if you're going to use your site to provide customer service, manuals, videos, and a knowledge base, you'll want a vehicle to do this. A Web site's great for you, too.
But gee, many of the business owners I know--those incredible, pathetic, dismal, wretched losers who so shock the turtleneck-and-vest-wearing, greasy-haired crowd--don't necessarily have those needs.
Websites can be expensive to create and take time and money to maintain. Don't let the techies scare you into something you do not really need. Be a good bootstrapper and only develop a website if your customers need one to find you or do business with you.
Come on now, lets be realist. A lot of people these days are using the web to find information about a business or product before purchasing. A website is one of the cheapest ways to talk to new and potential customers.
This article is so timely! I was just discussing marketing with someone and whether a website was "needed". For my target market, a website is a must - and a dynamic website at that; however, the person I was talking to was going after a different market that didn't use the internet as much.
I must disagree with one point - I think a website is must for all businesses. How much time and effort you put into it is the real question. I almost always check out a business's website, even if I didn't find them online. If you are targeting the under 35 crowd at all - offline or online - a website is a must. The difference I see is whether your website is static (i.e. you don't target internet customers) or dynamic (you do).
Another thing that isn't mentioned is time. To have a website that is really utilized, it takes more than money - it takes time. For instance my website takes hours each week to keep updated and current for my clients - if your clients only go to check you out no need to spend time on your site.
Finally - would love to see article on incorporating social media into business that goes beyond whether you just need a site or a whole online plan! Left twitter info below for when social media article is up so I can link to it from my blog!
Elizabeth Lewis
Legal Solutions for Small Businesses
www.eclewis.com
twitter: eclewis
great info at this post... i really like it
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