There was a time not so long ago when having a website was indeed a matter of personal choice for some businesses, and especially for local tradesmen who would rather be on the job than in the office creating an online presence.
Times have rapidly and irreversibly changed however and today, no matter how averse you may be to the increase in use of the internet, you simply must have a website if you are in business. If you are still not fully convinced, then read on for four reasons why you not only want to get a website but also simply need to have one.
Online is king when it comes to research
If a person wants to find a tradesman, a company, a product, or an event, they will no longer look to the yellow pages. Instead they will jump on their laptops, tablets, or smart phones and flick through all of the available options with minimal effort and without moving from their armchair. Even if potential customers do find your business in the local newspaper, or hear about you through other means, the likelihood is that they will still go online to find out more.
If you are not one of those options available to them, by dint of not having a website or online presence, customers will simply not consider using your services. Either they have no idea that you even exist or can’t find out more about your business before they contact you.
Ability to showcase and promote your services
Another massive advantage of having a website when it comes to promoting your company and services is the widened variety of ways in which you can demonstrate your wares to prospective customers.
Having your own website allows you to promote your positive customer reviews and testimonies, and even offer special online offers to entice new customers.
All of these options are things which are simply impossible for you to achieve if you do not have a website and choose instead to rely on word of mouth marketing or old-fashioned channels like newspapers or posters.
Case studies and experience
If you are a tradesman or workman who routinely produces work that customers are delighted with, then wouldn’t it be good if you could show prospective customers examples of this work to persuade them to use your services?
The answer to that is undoubtedly yes, and having your own website allows you to do just that as you can dedicate a section of it to case studies and photographs of your previous work, which show beyond question the level of your skill. This is a depth of promotion and marketing which tradesmen simply could not achieve without a website.
A website is equated with professionalism
Such is the importance and perceived reliability of the internet nowadays, that many people view a company which doesn’t have a website as being at best unprofessional or small-fry. Worse still, some people may even come to the conclusion that a company without a website might be less than trustworthy or above board.
No business or tradesman wants prospective customers to get any of these impressions of their operation, so it is simply a must that you get yourselves a website. There are many ways you can go about this, you could even build a simple online presence yourself. It just depends on the time and budget that you have available.