Five common misconceptions about small business online.
We heard arguments from other web developers and even some small business owners against a web presence and would like to respond on here. We are very enthusiastic in our support of web presence as a potential need for small business. Not only is the public expected from the presence that has the potential for greater alignment media business which produces almost as accessible as Edynamo.com
Here are some of the most backward views.
Mistake # 1 – I believe Hype – not everybody should be on line.
Enthusiasm for taking all the small business online is sometimes seen as involving a snake-oil salemanship or unfair quickly get rich schemes. When the truth in this respect – the belief that companies should be denied internet presence, since they could not succeed there.
Mistake # 2 – Can the business make investments necessary to make effective web site, and existing offline business to benefit from a Web site?
The investment required is negligible, unless the web developer does not want only to create a complete service of high-end site using all the latest bells and whistles – and therefore make financial services available to small businesses. A web site can be compared with all other routinely used business tools. Phone, fax, copier, computer. Tools we expect to have our clients and customers.
If a business does not have what customers expect, they are perceived as less risky than professional and I do village business phone company did not say struggling entrepreneur, “We do not think your company should have a phone because it can not afford full page ad in the yellow pages so that we will not provide you with service! “No, just sometimes registration is required. Some companies will not even blink of spending $ 1000 a month for a quarter page ad or your billing almost as much for local newspaper ads splash they still do not see the benefit of 24 hours a day 365 days a year advertising medium.
Mistake # 3 – If the business will benefit from a Web site, the site must have some benefit for the business. Why make a site that does not offer much value for your business? Why should the local burger joint a site that has its menu on it – the menu did not change from year to year?
Our claim is that the web presence is a benefit for business. If the client expects to call a business, they do not consider there will be no possiblility phone. Our belief is. . If you do not have a website, some potentiial business will simply go elsewhere. It is not a benefit that matters most, but presence. Even if this site only unchanging unchanging menu or services, contact information, business philosophy or bio. Customers will always look on the web site to be there, that change your mind, your products or your hair.
Misconception # 4 – Another question is to examine whether or not the business has the necessary infrastructure for processing the web site. Who will deal with incoming emails? Can someone to dedicate themselves to the market and to take care of administrative matters for the site?
You need infrastructure to decide who will answer the phone, which will open (snail) mail and who will devote themselves to the office doing paperwork and filing. Of course, it is employees work to do specific tasks. This list of tasks will be added over a small enough employee or two, it is also negligible. Answering e-mail takes less time and expense than snail mail reply. Someone has to make sure the submission did not become so obvious that one must be dedicated to the role of web site maintenance and administration, but most small companies that can mean only two hours a week hours (or less ) task.
Misunderstanding # 5 – Some small business owners want to make a site with 3 / 5 products, no minimum order and online promotion. In such a case that what is the point of introduction of the web site?
Because the client expects it!. There can be no finding involved the potential for success of the site. Can be judged that if the company can not be successful, they must stay away from business rather than clutter the landscape. We are only suggesting that the site will soon become expected by society and the business they are trying to cope s. Not that this will make us successful. Use of other commercial tools will not guarantee success – or because you have a phone, it does not mean that you must ring off the hook to be necessary!
We believe that it has become the business is expected to have a web site successful or not. No matter what your company brochure and business cards say about you or your level of professionalism, you are still expected to have them. If a client, you must fax a document, you must change it, sign it, make a copy of it for your files and overnight a signed copy of their back, you had better be able to do all this and call for verify that you are doing. If you do not have a telephone, fax, copier and word processing software for that – you look unprofessional. We believe that web presence has become a part of this mix – and perhaps at some point soon – streamlining the whole process to work online!
Maybe we are dreamers, but it is our sincere belief. We love technology and potential and believe it affects us all in ways we can not even be still. It is necessary or not. Successful or not. Unchanging or not.
by Edynano.com
Many web developers have developed quite relation to who should and who should not be online. I think this stems from the frustration experienced in explaining these new customers to the network, they must take very seriously the responsibility that they are online. This responsibility includes
1. You must answer all e-mail within 24 hours, and preferably earlier. Web savvy customers want answered almost immediately!
2. You must keep your site information current and updated often! There is no excuse for outdated, inaccurate information online!
3. You should make a solid and continuing commitment to your site and assign tasks to the employee or the necessary expenses for their time!
Just as we will by “Do you have a fax machine?” to “What is your fax number?” We are also moving quickly from “Do you have a website? to “What is your address?”. How is it that we accept the need for a fax machine, copy machine, telephone and computer, but not a web site?
I like to compare the case for emerging days of this new-fangled invention of the phone. I can see business owners in the first half of the century grumbling, that do not need phone as their customers have come to buy things anyway. “Why would I want to ring me and talk remotely on this contraption? I can not afford it, however, who will respond to something when I have customers in the store, what happens if she violates down – who will just what happens if I can not get the phone when it rings, because I am busy with work? ”
I know a lawyer with a quarter page ad to appear in yellow pages. She pays $ 1000 a month for that privilege. She has one employee who answered the phone to screen calls and messages for her. We discussed doing a website for your business and is willing to make this move because it means she has to answer emails and maintain your site. I just do not see a difference in having an employee pick up the phone and answer e-mail, maintain client files and maintaining a web site!
These small businesses that exposure to all kinds of web sites and does not support them and do not answer their e-mails are stupid and will hurt their business just like ignoring phone calls and answering machine without doing will hurt their business. But inattention to business will destroy every entrepreneur, no matter what else they do. Web presence has become as common and as expected, as the phone for small business.
As a professional look with interactive pages and fancy graphics are bonuses, not requirements. What is required is that the website maintained email and are treated as equally important as phone calls. Not occur if the phone does not intend to answer it. Do not provide e-mail link if you do not intend to respond to e-mail. DO NOT have a web site if you do not intend to keep it current and are not willing to provide their customers with useful search.
Every business is expected to be online as they are expected to have phone and fax and answering machine. Size will always determine the allocation of resources. Hire a specialist if you can, but online now!
Get your business Online!
The first step for your online business a domain name that is usually the company name or generic term and includes the famous Dot Com, net point i. ORG extensions. Here is the complete management of domain names to help you learn everything about choosing a name for your web site domain names and how to help you navigate the web.