What Can a Website Do?

I had a meeting with a company that doesn’t have a website. Yes, businesses like that do still exist. Even in a day where it seems like you can get a website just about anywhere. They believed that they had to sell online in order to justify the investment in a website. I’m here to tell you there are many, many things a website can do for every business.

It’s usually one of two reasons you won’t invest in a “new” website, or you don’t have one at all. That’s because you don’t see the value in it (or the companies you’ve talked to) or you’re not sure what a website can do for you.

Here are 8 things that your website can do for you.

1. Build credibility and prove that you exist. Everyone goes online to research companies. Would you rather they find your website, even a basic website, or nothing at all?
2. Answer customer questions. Look at the questions you get over and over from customers and potential customers. Thinking about an FAQ area yet? You should.
3. Create efficiencies. Answering those questions and providing product/service information on the website allows your staff more time to focus on other revenue generating tasks.
4. Provide an intranet for employees. Whether you have 1 location or several, having an area for employees to see a calendar, download forms or contact HR is helpful to them.
5. Measure direct mail effectiveness by using landing pages. Provide a landing page url on your direct mail piece that encourages recipients to go to that page for more information, for a special offer, or added bonus. I’ll get into more details about this in another post.
6. Share more details & measure trade shows. Create landing pages specific to the show, have video presentations or recaps from the show. Encourage email sign ups and other ways to engage visitors. And your handouts can be simple, with the reminder url to sent them to.
7. Replace PowerPoint’s for presentations. Do you have sales reps in the field or out meeting with customers? The content and videos used in the website are great materials for them to use in presentations as well.
8. Drive leads and additional sales. Through successful search engine optimization (SEO) and other web marketing work your website can bring in targeted traffic, allow visitors to learn more about you and lead them to take action (call, email, submit a form, etc.)