justgreatwebsites.com

Do you need a website? This first question appears simple enough to answer. I wouldn't have a business if I flat out told you 'No', so the answer will always be 'Yes'. The important question is do you need to have your own site? If you are trying to just get an opinion out to a mass audience, I would suggest you take advantage of the many free website offerings on the internet. If you have a product or service I would at least suggest owning your own domain name (www.yourname.com).

How do you market your business? If you currently advertise in newspapers, radio, mail or billboards and have not supplemented those ads with a website you are potentially losing customers. People are more likely to research what they want on the internet without wanting to talk to a CSR(customer service representative) on another continent or trying to navigate through phone prompts. The goal is to provide your customer base with easy access to the information they need so they can make the right choice. Having a website also allows your customers to get the answers they need without taking precious man-hours away from your sales staff. Let your Sales department focus on their task at hand, sales! 

How to get the market's attention? The attention span of your potential customers has consistantly diminished ever since we started receiving junk mail and Chinese food menus stuck in our front door. More and more people look for what they want on the internet than in the local phone book. When was the last time you saw a Sears catalog dropped off at your door. Take the hint and get your advertising where it belongs, on the websites and search engines that your customers are likely to visit.

If you do not have budget for advertising and you generally generate work by word of mouth, I suggest you start a Facebook, Twitter and MySpace page. They are all free and through simple networking you can build a group that you can constantly generate leads and business relationships. If you are not familiar with these sites, I can provide this type of networking management, but I think if you spend 10-15 minutes a day on these sites you will see how user friendly and beneficial they can be.

My philosophy is to always teach my customers how to fish if they want to learn. I also happen to have the fishing rods and bait available for sale.

Does your site reflect your business? There are thousands of incredible sites that have all the 'Bells & Whistles' to wow the visitor but does it match what you are trying to get across to your perspective and existing customers?

For example, If you have a company that has service vehicles travelling in the area, does the logo on the truck match the the logo on your site? Does the food you display on your site match what you will be serving? We all know that those images of the big burger chains don't match what you unwrapped after you purchased the item. If you set expectations too high or too little for your product or service then the end result could be a loss of a customer or no customers at all. We all want to be enticed to make a purchase so you need to show why you are what a customer wants.

Quick Thoughts:

Let your professional site be professional and maybe have a section about the fun sites you have found on the internet. You could create a Facebook or MySpace page to show what you are like after office hours. These types of sites help with networking and also help personalize you and your business by allowing the customer to get to know you. You may find that because you like Texas hold'em and so do your customers you could host a tournament creating better networking and building your business relationships.

Bottom Line:

What can your site offer that others won't? Show that there is no one better at being you than you. Display every little-league team you sponsor, every charity you and your employees are involved in and let everyone know that you are not just a company but a vital part of the community that makes you special. Bottom line is put some faces behind your site and let visitors know you

Do you already have a website? Are you using a pay-per-click advertising through Google, Yahoo, MSN or other promoter like Linkshare or ClickBank? I suggest before you do take a look at what is on the right hand side and bottom of this page. You will see ads for companies that offer services similar to mine. "Who in their right mind would allow a competitor to advertise in their own territory?" Well for one, I would, just so I can show you why my service is better.

I also want to show you the power these ads have. Advertising in this format is like bidding at an auction, the highest bidder gets the ad placement so it may in your best interest to allow these ads to come in to your own site and make a profit from them. Is your product that great that your competitor is willing to advertise on your site? Knowing that there are ads for other web services on my site challenges you to find a better, more attention to detail, more interested in the prosperity of your business over collecting a huge check. This is why the businesses that I host are leaders in the fields of expertise. They have confidence the customer relationship they desired from a webhost and designer.

After I consult with you about what web services would best fit your business, I recommend you ask other companies what they can do and what they charge. If you take my estimate and double it and you will still find my cost are half of the other service providers and that I offer twice as much for the price.

Don't pay for more than what you need and spend your advertising dollars wisely and always ask too many questions. It's your money until it's in someone elses hands.