What is a Website? And why do I need one?
For the last several years, you business owners have been hearing a near constant refrain: "Do you have a website? Why don't you have a website? You really need a website." And however long you've been in business, if you've lasted over ten years, you many find yourself wondering what the big deal is and why you should care. New business owners know the value of an online presence so this is aimed specifically at you - the seasoned business owner who believes that they have managed to do well enough without all this "new fangled" technology stuff.
What I've come to realize if that most small business owners are afraid of technology and for very good reasons: 1) they know that technology is expensive, 2) they know technolgy takes up time, and 3) they know they need staff to maintain it - especially if they aren't willing to learn it themselves. And they are right - tehcnology is a wonderful tool to use to help your business but it CAN be all those things: very expensive, time consuming, and a drain on staff resources. But if you stick with me a while longer - we'll figure out how to get around all those things and still get your business up and running on the web. But what is a website? And why are they so important now?
In short, a website can be thought of a sort of like a book - about your business - that people can look at and read on the internet (the world wide web). This book tells people very important information about your business like how you got started, what's important to you, where you're located, what products and services you offer, your prices, and how you can be contacted. Think of the internet as the world's largest yellow pages and your business as one of the entries. You know how the yellow pages work - a business takes out an ad so they can attract new customers by being in a central location that is easily accessible. And every person with a copy of the yellow pages can find you because you have paid to be in the book. When you put your website on the internet - you are making sure that anyone who uses the internet will be able to find you if they're looking for you.
Traditionally websites were created and updated by professional designers, managers, and techicians. All at great expense to the business owners. Even today, professionally developed websites can cost tens of thousands of dollars. And there was no middle ground - you either had to pay or you didn't have a website. Thyose who had websites got more exposure, more customers, and more credibility. Then midrange players started to come in with packaged deals that took away the expense of custom designs in favor of professional, generic ones and the prices dropped dramtically so that a business owner could spend only several hundred dollars and get a decent website. But this was a challenge still - especially for small business owners who often didn't have $500-$1000 to spare for a basic website. Eventually, thank goodness, the technology playing field was basically leveled when some companies started offering websites FOR FREE. The only deal was YOU had to create you website yourself. But - they would give you all the tools to design a functional website. It would look as professional as you could make it. This is where we are right now today.
Technology makes the world closer, more intimate, more accessible. And that means it makes your business closer, more intimate, and more accessible. You cannot reach the same customer today the way you might have reached them 30 years ago. Because people are so connected online through their desktops, laptops, tablets, gaming consoles, and phones - information is just a click away. Decisions are just a click away. Purchases are just a click away. Marketing is just a click away. And if your business is online - you are just a click away. And it costs you nothing.
There are some benefits to having a professionally designed website, of course. The look is sleek and polished and someone else is responsible for upkeep, but if you can't afford that - that doesn't mean you don't go online. You do the best you can with what you have (that takes care of the cost. You can't go lower than $0). And when you create your own website using a free web builder and host - you get the best website you can create. And you control your image. And you get to add your special touch. You can tailor your wesbite to suit your needs. When you create your own website you are basically creating an "information" website where people get to learn about your story, your products, and your services. Your website tells your story - so you don't have to. In reality - it will takes you 9 hrs to learn how to create your own website if you take the "Create Your Own Website - FOR FREE) class offered as part of the RedLINE CTC Business University course offerings starting in April. The class is also free (double benefit). And it will probably take you another week or two to actually build out your site, add content, upload photos, etc. So within a month you can have a functional information website (that takes care of the time and maintenance!). And once you have your content up - you basically don't have to touch it again unless you move or change your number. And it's your website so, of course, you have a month to invest in something that's going to help you. Your website, once complete, will be accessible 24/7 on the web and will work for you all day every day (no employee could do that). You can then link your shiny new website to other websites and social networks (we'll talk about those later).
Every business owner can benefit from having a website whether you pay for it or create it yourself for free. It's a way to market your business every day all day and has the potential to connect your customers to you in ways traditional marketing (flyers) and word of mouth can't. But a website is just ONE technology tool. It's a big one - but it's the first, basic step to navigating the new world.
If you are a licensed, small business and you are interested in learning how to create your own website for free - please contact 773 483 3696. Classes will be starting up soon. Don't wait.
SAMPLE WEBSITES TO LOOK AT:
Italian Fiesta Pizzeria
Kidz Korna
SSA#32