New Years Resolution for Business Owners - Get a website already!

So, you own your own business. Good for you. Some say that after owning a home, the next American Dream is owning your own business. Whether you own your own mom and pop resturaunt or you run a chain of multi-million dollar retail stores, I am here to tell you that if you don't have a website or haven't paid much attention to your existing site, make it a resolution in 2006 to either get your business on the web or update your company's current web image.

But I already advertise
If you think a website is just another form of advertising, think again! Unlike most advertising that bombards consumers with a lot of hype, a website gives consumers what they want when they want it. The consumer gets to choose which site they visit, how long they stay, whether or not they want to buy something, etc. When we watch TV or listen to the radio, the only choice we have when an add comes on is to change the channel.

Do I really need a website?
Let me ask you this. Would you run your business without a phone, fax machine, computer, or checking account? No, you wouldn't, and you shouldn't run your business without a website. Today having a website adds credibility to your business. People want to know, "what's your website address?" Isn't it about time you were able to tell them?

But I already have a website.
Great! That's the first step. But, is it working for you? If you don't know, then the answer is a clear "No". Find out how to check on statistics like page hits and most recent visitors. Work with your technology professional to implement meta tags for keywords and get your site submitted to the search engines. That's right, I said professional. Enough of the "Well I have a friend...". Is your friend a professional web builder and can they give you the same amount of time and service you would get from some other company? If not, then simply say "Sorry, but this is my business we are talking about." It is about time you took this portion of your business seriously.

Can it really save me money?
Think about this. Statistics show the 70% of people that see a website address in the yellow pages will visit that site. Now, take into account that a simple yellow page add can cost hundreds of dollars every month! Wow! So, reduce that yellow page add but make sure it includes your website address.

Be open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Have products or services to sell? With a website, you can be open all the time without having to pay to keep the store open. With a website it is now possible to earn money while you sleep. Online shopping statistics are astonoshing as more and more people flock to the web to shop.