Why Do I Need a Web Site?

Because People Won't Buy without Checking You Out Online First!

Jay Conrad Levinson is an expert at marketing small businesses. He is the author of the famous "Guerilla Marketing" series of books where he teaches small businesses how to compete and win against big business with big marketing budgets.

In his latest book "Guerilla Marketing for Consultants" he emphasizes the importance of a Web site as a low cost, effective marketing tool. After the initial chapters (on developing a marketing plan) the first chapter is about the company web site. The chapter is entitled "Beyond Web Sites: Create a Client-Centered Web Presence" where he stresses creating a great Web as the first step in any marketing plan.

"Clients use the information on the Web to make preliminary assessments of consultants' talents and to gauge how well they would fit with their organizations. Nearly 75 per cent of buyers find consultants through their own research, not through contacts initiated by consultants.

Without a great Web site, you will not be considered a serious player, and the most desirable potential clients won't invite you to the game. As technological breakthroughs emerge, it will become even more important for consultants to establish an outstanding presence on the Web."

So many times business owners treat their site as an afterthought. Great businesses have great marketing plans. At the hub of those plans is a great site. When the site is great, good things happen. All marketing activity - trade shows, advertising, chamber marketing, referrals - is set up by the site. Without the site you don't have the magic.

"Having a great Web site is no longer a matter of choice, it is a matter of survival. A study by the Information Technology Services Marketing Association (ITSMA) found that seventy seven percent of decision makers now find service providers, including consultants, using the Web, even after they received referrals."

Great sites are worth a fortune but they take time to develop. The serious marketer will re-visit their site every six months. They add new information, tighten up existing copy, and further tailor the site to their client's needs. Today's clients are Internet savvy and demanding. They want solid information, not marketing babble. Be sure to tell them who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. Treat the Web seriously. It is your one chance at worldwide exposure. There are a lot of great Web sites and competition is stiff. However, with a great Web site you can outshine even the largest companies. It is a goal worth aspiring to. And with the backing and support of a company like ours there is no reason why that can't happen!