04/ 10/ 2008
by Steve Strauss
Q: I know I am supposed to have a Web site, but since I have no plans to sell my product online I just don't see the need for a site. My business has been around forever and we have done just fine without one. Am I wrong?
-Phil
A: I think you are, for reasons both large and small. Let me give you an example:
A few days ago on a busy school night, my wife called and asked me to pick up some dinner on the way home. She mentioned a restaurant we like, even though we go there it often, and asked me to look up their menu online so we could figure out what to get.
Yet try as I might, I couldn't find their Web site. It finally dawned on me that they didn't have one. Since we had not been there in quite a while and could not remember everything on their menu, we decided to get dinner from another place.
Multiply that multi-fold and you'll see why every small business should have a Web site.
Can you do e-commerce if you are not online? Nope. Can customers who hear about your business check it out on the Internet if you don't have a site? No again. Can current customers (like I was) find out about your new offers if you lack a site? Not easily.
And is it hard to get one? Happily, the answer is no again; it's actually easier than ever. (More on that in a moment.)
Here are some amazing statistics:
- According to Jupiter Research, half of all small businesses with fewer than 10 employees do not have a Web site.
- 7 out of 10 solo businesses do not have a Web site.
What is up with that? Americans are spending more and more of their time online. Eighty percent of us spend as much time online as we do watching television, so it's essential that you get your business on the Web. Having a Web site is as important today as having business cards or a telephone number.
So the question really is, how do you make launching a Web site both easy and affordable?
There are three ways, but for most small businesses, the third is almost always the best:
- Hire a Web developer
- Use a software-creation program
- Use an online service
Online services are great because, not only do they point and click you through an easy process, but the best ones will also help you grow your business.
Here's an example: Microsoft just launched a new version of its Web service, Office Live Small Business. For a small business wanting to get or grow online, there is plenty to like about this service. It more powerful than other similar services, and although it used to cost up to $39.95 a month, it is now free. Here are some highlights:
- You can easily design and create an elegant, professional Web site in a few short clicks—or get the help you need to make that possible.
- E-mail marketing is made easy. There is a service that helps you send e-newsletters and other promotions using branded e-mails that match the look of your site.
- There's a tool to help you advertise on search engines.
- The e-commerce tool helps you sell either on your own site or on eBay (this is the only service you would have to pay for).
What I really like about this service is that it allows you to get a Web address, create a site, market that site and even sell your products or services on that site—all in one place. Most similar Web services might offer a couple of these features, but not all of them.
The point is, there is no reason for any small business not to be on the online in a professional and powerful way. That way, when a customer wants to find your menu of products, they won't have any trouble.
If not, they'll go somewhere else.
Steven D. Strauss is one of the world's leading small business experts. A lawyer, author, and USA TODAY columnist, his latest book is the Small Business Bible. Steve has spoken to groups around the world about entrepreneurship and has been on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, The O'Reilly Factor, and many other television and radio shows. If you would like Steve to speak to your group, help your business grow, or if you would like to sign up for his free newsletter, "Small Business Success Secrets!" please visit www.MrAllBiz.com.
