There is one question we frequently asked when discussing branding possibilities with new clients – does my small business need a website or a brand?
There really is only one response to this question. The answer is simply – YES!
So, in answer to the question ‘Does my small business need a website or brand?’ here are some reasons why:
Introduce your products and services to the world
These are the days of ‘Enquiry Marketing’. Make your business available to everyone, every hour of every day, and let your customers be in control. More and more people use the internet for searching for the most competitive deal for their requirements. Make sure that you reach millions of potential customers rather than the thousands a printed directory may reach.
Become Recognised
Differentiate yourself from your competitors with clear, recognisable branding while showcasing your products and services to the world. People become familiar with a brand and in turn, a brand name can become recognised and trusted. Not only should your printed advertising reflect your brand but imagine the infinite space your website gives you to advertise your products or services.
Boost Sales
Explain benefits, compare products, and publish testimonials from happy customers.
Earn More
Subsidise income and demonstrate knowledge by selling e-books for people to learn from.
Professionalism
A letter from ‘you@yourbusiness.co.uk’ will open more doors than an email from a Hotmail, yahoo or btinternet account.
Be Found
People use locally defined keywords in the search engines, ‘Logo Designers in West Sussex‘, for example. This will lead them to your place of business, your opening times, contact information, location and more.
Collate Valuable Information
Some small businesses can be a single person working hard to make ‘their dream’ happen. The problem is that you can’t take every call or be in two places at the same time! An enquiry form on a website will often provide you with very valuable information from customers and other interested individuals if you are unable to talk with them directly.
Marketing & Advertising
Newspapers and Magazines have 2 significant disadvantages when advertising.
- Once printed updating them is time-consuming and expensive
- The information you can print is limited. A website can be updated instantly with little or no cost involved.
Promote
Do you promote your business at networking groups, workshops or trade shows? Increase awareness and advertise the event on your website. You could also start to build links with other websites and get them to advertise on your behalf too.
People Buy People
A well-developed website displays a viable business, conveying trust and credibility while gaining loyal customers through good customer service.
So, you see that having a website can be very beneficial to a small business. It needn’t be a multitude of pages with text that would rival the length of ‘war and peace’ either. A successful website may only need to be a couple of pages long, explaining the nature of your business, what products or services you offer and details on your location along with your contact information.
If you are looking for assistance in building a strong and powerful brand both on and offline for your business, then contact BlueFlameDesign today.