Web Sites -
Business Web Sites |
| The Online Advantage |
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A professionally designed web site will start working for you the moment it hits the internet. A good web site
is not just an advertising tool, but it provides a vital connection between you and your customers. It
has many functions like an actual shop but without the costs associated with it.
There are many
reasons for having a web site but most centre on the benefits it provides to the areas of sales and marketing
in your business. Below are some of the advantages and key factors, in no particular order,
as to why having your business online is the right decision!
Always open for business
Information about your business is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and for 365 days a year.
While some businesses are open 24 hours a day, most business hours are limited to a more traditional
workday schedule. With a website, customers can view your products and services long after your normal operating
hours. If you sell products online, you can accept orders while you sleep! So, it's a nice feeling to get to
work in the morning and see that 10 products were sold overnight.
Expand your reach - near or far
With the internet, your web site (and therefore your message) can easily be accessed by anyone in the world,
provided they have access to the internet. They can be someone in your suburb looking up your information or they
can be interstate or halfway around the world considering your products and services. From the moment your site
launches, you can do business all over the globe, any time of day. So, a business in the back blocks of
rural Australia can sell to New York, London or even Alaska.
Communication
Your web site is a great way to keep the communication lines open to your new or existing customers. It's also a
great way to collect feedback from them. The web site can help to create mailing lists for marketing emails such
as newsletters or product specials. Once on your mailing list, your cost to reach them through email is
virtually zero.
The best clients are repeat and referred customers. That said, there's no better way to keep customers coming
back than by keeping in touch with them. Through a website you can interact with clients via online polls,
chat rooms and special deals. When you keep in contact it shows customers you care, one of the best ways
to keep them coming back.
Email - The Ultimate Contact and Networking Tool
Has anyone ever asked for your business email address? Are you currently using a personal email address from your
Internet service provider or a free email account like Hotmail for business contacts? You can raise the level of
prestige and branding for your business with an email address that includes your company name or services.
Personalised email accounts are always included when you set up a website.
Your Competitor Has One
To stay on top of an ever-changing market, most business owners try to keep tabs on their competitors. By
doing so, they gain insight on market trends, come up with new strategies and stay up to date with what others
offer. If your competitors have a website, it's a strong indication that you should too.
Customers Expect It
In today's business world, the internet is the fastest growing source for information. Without a web presence,
your business risks never being found by prospective customers. People expect to be able to find more
information about your business online today because a lot of research is done on the internet. If
they can't find any, your competitors are only a mouse click away.
Instant Validity
As a customer you want to know the person you buy from is legitimate and runs a reputable business. A well
designed website, providing loads of information about your products and services, creates a feeling you're a
valid company with whom they may like to deal.
Attract New Business through Search Engines
A large amount of research today is done online. By having your website listed on the top search engines, it can
be listed under the results for any number of queries. For example, if you're selling ski equipment and someone
searches for "ski boots", your site could be the first selection listed under the results. We build all of our
sites with search in mind.
Look Bigger Than You Really Are!
Even a one-person business can look like a multi-person or multi-department operation through a company website.
A professional, well designed website presents a more appealing image than a larger competitor whose web presence
appears weak or amateur.
Reduce the cost of servicing customers and running your business
Unlike any printed marketing materials or advertisements, a web site offers unparalleled ability to change. This
means it's the best and most cost-effective way to offer the most up to date news on your products and services.
Newsletters, reports, product specifications, customer brochures, employee databases and other important
company information can all be delivered via the web at a much lower cost than by post or fax.
Customer Support
There are many ways that customer support can be provided on a web site. For example, if a list of commonly
asked questions and answers was provided on your web site, some of the load could be taken off telephone support
calls in a DIY fashion, since customers can refer to the web site to answer their questions. Another example might
be the provision of digital copies of documents your customers might require. If they lose it, they know straight
away where they can get another copy without having to call in and ask for one. It's less work for you and more
immediate service for the customer.
Survey Your Audience
When a visitor enters your website, they're expressing an interest in your products, services or information. But
how can you find out exactly why they came or what they're looking for? To gain a better understanding of your
customer base you can set up a survey to figure out exactly what potential customers are most interested in and
also learn what new trends or features are on the horizon.
Sell Your Products and Services Online
You've probably seen or heard about online stores, such as eBay, and most large retail businesses today have an
online purchase facility. While these companies have huge infrastructures and massive marketing programs to
drive their online business, it is possible to set up an online store in much the same way, just more
modestly. There are countless online stores that thrive doing the same type of selling but on a smaller scale.
Orders can be processed online without requiring anyone to handle sales calls or walk-in customers.
They can be taken any time of the day or night, and completed efficiently and securely at your customer's
leisure.
Improve the customer relationship and hence build a more profitable customer base
A good functional website enables a business to capture large amounts of information about customer needs, buying
habits and preferences. This information enables a business to provide better products and services to its
customers in terms of quality, pricing and target segmentation. Some online features that are available today can
even provide a live chat with the website visitors who are currently browsing the website.
Improve your branding
By giving customers reason to return to your web site, whether that be for customer support or information on new
products and services, the act of continuous interaction with your web site gives you a capacity to maintain
strong brand recognition with the customer.
No matter whether you are a small, medium or large business we can create an internet presence for you, that
you will be proud of! Contact us today for an initial appointment and we'll make an accurate assessment of the
process required to reach your goals and help move your business into the digital age. Once you have
the site up and running, what if you have an issue with something or you need to make a change? Simple - we
can maintain it for you. There IS an advantage to having the people who designed it, maintain it. A simple
email or phone call from you and we'll change text, photos, PDFs or anything else that needs to be done.
It really is that simple, and we'll always provide affordable and timely solutions.
You can phone us on 07 3800 1509 to discuss your needs or email us at
sales@virtuosoit.com.au
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