Even before the Internet became the driving force of modern commerce, appearances could easily make or break a small business. Considerations as simple as font and color were heavily debated before the end results made it to billboards, storefronts, and business cards. Today, that same scrutiny is - and should be - applied to a business’ presence on the web, yet some companies are still making hasty, profit-gutting decisions when it comes to a website. The old adage “penny wise and pound foolish” comes into play with these all-important digital home bases, as many businesses find out the hard way. Here are three reasons why your website should be thought of as an ongoing investment, rather than a low-bid to-do list item:
Good, Fast, Cheap: You Only Get Two
A classic conundrum of creative work, anything “cheap” will typically either take too much time or sacrifice quality along the way. While a bargain site build might sound palatable to a short-term budget, the long-term effects have a hefty price tag. Your site needs to be comprehensive, and that means it will take time and expertise to create. Try and cut corners with a designer or host and you could end up struggling with unexpected crashes, inconvenient site downtime, or challenges when changes or corrections need to be made.
The First Impression: Customer Perception
From misalignments in graphics to broken links, a cheap site is likely to send your customers the wrong message. Every potential customer you coax to your website is one that may choose you over your competitors: give them a reason to. A smooth-running, fast-loading site built by a professional website company communicates that you’ve devoted resources to building and upkeep your brand online. By extension, that communicates that you care about your business reputation, which builds buyer trust, both in your brand as well as in your products or services. But if conversely, your visiting customer needs to hunt down information or needs to reload the page just to read something, they’re likely to get frustrated and head right into the waiting online arms of your competitors.
Your Unpaid, 24/7 Sales Staff
When your potential clients or customers have a question, answering it quickly is the best way to keep those customers engaged and on the purchasing path. While most small to medium businesses don’t have the resources for round-the-clock sales staff, a website makes the ideal stand-in. When a site is well-designed and supported with intelligent content and structure, customer self-service becomes intuitive, rather than feeling like a chore. A cheap website, which may have limited linking ability or less-than-stellar mobile functionality, is an important consideration when you factor in the fact that 94% of business websites are already mobile-friendly. If your customer is already hunting for what you provide on their mobile phone, chances are they’re ready to take the next step by either buying or committing to buy. Don’t give your industry competitors the opportunity to woo your warm sales potentials away - invest in a website designed to meet buyer needs in the first place.
If you’re ready to give your business website the attention and investment it deserves, it’s time to discuss your needs with a website-building professional. Kick Digital Media offers a suite of online solutions ranging from creating your initial website to expert content creation and advertising to support its mission. Contact our customer-focused team today to get your free business website proposal!