The Web Site Maid - why does a small business need a web site?

Why does my small business need a web site, anyway?

Nearly 70 percent of small businesses don't have a web site, even though 88 percent believe all businesses should have one*. Why do they hesitate?

They don't know how to set up a site themselves. The only person they know who has built an actual site is Cousin Joe, who did one for the family reunion. It looked like...well, let's just say it did not reflect the professional tone they would like to have for their business.
They read that EnormousCompany, Inc. paid $30,000 to develop a web site, and they know that kind of dough isn't in their budget.
They aren't convinced that a web site will increase their revenue. If it won't bring in money, why have one?

So do you REALLY need a web site? We think so. Here are some reasons why businesses say they don't need a site, and why they might want to reconsider:

A web site is too expensive.

Can you afford $500 to set it up, and $112 a month to keep it current? In the Verizon survey of small businesses, those were the typical costs for small business web sites. Small businesses (usually) don't need the large and complex web sites that large companies have. Small sites generate small costs for development and upkeep.

There are many small businesses that provide web services for other small businesses. (The Web Site Maid is one; click on What We Do to find out more.) Ask around. Your chamber of commerce is probably the best place to start.
We don't advertise, because 99 percent of our business comes from other referrals.

What if one of your satisfied customers says to a prospective customer, "Uh, I don't have their phone number handy; here's their name, just look it up on the Internet." If you don't have at least a simple, informational site with your contact information, you may lose that customer.

These days, people who use computers use the Internet like they used to use the Yellow Pages — to look up phone numbers, addresses and see maps that show where a business is located.
We don't think our product will sell well online.

Who says you have to sell? The top two reasons for using the Internet are email first and information second. If your product is selling quite well in retail stores, provide those end users with information — about your company, about your product, about where they can buy it. See the Maid's tip about how any web site can provide information for more on this topic.

Your informational web site can help to increase sales in stores by providing facts that customers are seeking. Remember, you can add e-commerce later, whenever you like.

*The Maid got these figures from a Verizon Communications survey that was reported in USA Today, December, 2002; and a Network Solutions survey of small businesses, reported on dc.internet.com in January, 2003. Okay, now that you know she didn't just make this up, back to the rest of the article.