Do you have all the customers and all the profit you desire? For many businesses, the answer to this question is a resounding “NO”! There are several reasons a website may help you bring in those clients or customers you are currently missing.
The hours of a website are a full 24/7, 365 days a year, never a holiday or vacation included. You can’t run your business on that basis, unless, of course, you are Wal-Mart or some such large business and then you already have all the customers and profits you need.
Most small businesses are open 8 a.m. to 6 or 7 p.m. at most. Many working people can’t come in during those hours. Most professional services businesses aren’t open all day Saturday and never on Sunday. So, many workers never find the time to make use of your services, even if they badly need the service!
By maintaining a web presence presenting your wares, services, and information about your business, people can find you when THEY have time, not when YOU can be available! You can even have an e-commerce site where products are purchased online and shipped to people all over the world. Some of those customers certainly are never going to walk into your business!
There are keys to making the idea of a business web presence work to make those sales for you and make your site profitable, rather than a burden on your business budget.
First, your website must be attractive and informative. an unattractive website will turn people off and they will go to another location. also, if they can’t find information easily, they will go somewhere that information is easy to find. Investment in a professional web developer who has graphics expertise can provide you with a lot of exposure for a relatively small investment!
Second, your website must be maintained so that information remains current. No one wants to look at a website in late 2005 and see “this item coming in June, 2004”. Right then and there, you lost the complete trust of the potential customer!
Third, any orders or inquiries coming in from your website must be serviced promptly. Orders can’t sit around awaiting confirmation via email; shipping must occur immediately after payment. after all, today’s world is one of instant gratification. The buyer wants to hold the product or obtain the service in the shortest time possible.
Fourth, local people can find out more about your service or products and determine if they wish to take time at lunch, or even take off work a bit early one day, in order to catch you during business hours for one-on-one contact or telephone contact. It’s must easier to sit back at their computer and find the product or service options before coming to your office or storefront. Many potential clients go to another business that DOES have a website if you are not providing this visibility to those potential clients!
When correctly developed, a web presence can be one of the most effective investments you will ever make. Your client or customer base will expand from local to global. Your visibility will rise significantly. When correctly maintained with the most current information, sales or specials, and other incentives, you can affordably obtain an edge over the competition – and we all have competition!
Use the web to your advantage. Once your initial web site is developed and online, small updates are inexpensive and should be done often. Occasionally, a major update may be desired. While a bit more costly, it still will not require a large investment. any business failing to have a web presence today is missing the boat!
Last Reviewed
This article was last reviewed on May 2, 2026 for accuracy and relevance.
