No Website, no gain

If you don't have a Web site, it's like trying to win a race without any running shoes on.

Most businesses have realized the importance of having a decent Web site at least. It's your online calling card that works for you 24/7. It provides you with reach that other forms of communication cannot match.

Image via Wikipedia

Television might be an exception, but it's too costly for the average small business owner.

And then there's the interactivity! In the future when TV and the Internet meld into one, this difference will become a thing of the past, but for now, a Web site beats television when it comes to engaging customers and providing them with content that they can peruse at a pace of their choosing.

Also, there's that little thing called impulse buying. TV tries to exploit that tendency in us by telling us to "call in the next 5 minutes." But, in my opinion, it's far easier to get your customers to buy if they can click a few buttons on the computer screen.

Perhaps it's a generational thing: Web site purchase vs. phone purchase. You might think Web site purchases are done mostly by younger people, and that may be true ... but older folks are a fast-growing segment of Internet shoppers. And don't forget, they have more purchasing power!

If you haven't seriously thought about a Web site, now is a good time to do so. It is not just great for your business -- it is essential.

Next time: Essential details on what you need to know before going for a Web site.