There’s no straight answer to this one. In this article, we’ll have a look at the advantages of having a website. With clear understanding on what a website could do, you will know whether or not you need a website.
Personal Websites
Personal websites are not a necessity but by having a website, you have a place to advertise your products, skills or services. You could also have a website just to share your experiences in life. Websites are a good way to reach a wider audience.
Corporate Websites
I’ve come by businessmen who refuse to have a website because they don’t see the need for it, after all their business is running well without a website – why do they even need one? On the other hand I do come by others who had decided not to continue with their website as it didn’t generate sales. Is there all there is to a website? No it isn’t.
Just like personal websites, corporate website is also a great way to showcase your company’s products and / or services. And yes, it also helps you reach a wider audience.
So when businessmen say they do not need a corporate website, Do they REALLY know what they’re missing? Let’s have a look ….
What Do People Miss When They Don’t Have A Website (a.k.a The Advantages of Having A Website)
Impression
If you were comparing 2 companies, one has a website and the other doesn’t – which one would you rate better? The one with a website would definitely leave a better impression. It’s just human, we tend to compare and in this case, the one with a website and corporate e-mail address does look more impressive. It shows that the company is aware of the power of the Internet and took a step to utilize it for their advancement in business.
Information
As you know printing brochures and various marketing documents could be costly, your space is limited, you can’t update them and you can’t guarantee that people won’t turn your beautifully decorated document into wrapping material.
A website breaks the limitation of printed material by providing you have practically limitless space for text and images, you could even place sound and video if you think it helps. And best of all, you could update them any time you deem necessary.
Your only limitation would be whether there’s sufficient space at your web host to place your content and whether sufficient allocated data transfer bandwidth.
Practicality
Picture this, you’re staying in Kepong and someone in Putrajaya is interested in your products and services but he is not certain on how exactly your company can help him.
So how should you go about this matter?
– Explain on the phone? It might not be the best way, words couldn’t pain your products properly.
– Send your brochures over? It takes time, it’ll incur some cost too. Documents are pretty limited, and what if your last printed document was outdated?
– Drive over to his place and meet up? That’s a costly affair, considering the travel time and cost on petrol and toll. Furthermore, you have no idea whether the meet up would be fruitful.
If you have a website, you could just inform him of the website address and instead of incurring unnecessary costs. Sure, you’ll eventually have to meet up with him but at least you are sure that he’s pretty clear on how you can help him and you can cut the meeting short by not having to preach your company information and jump straight to the more important details.
I met a nice gentleman just the other day, he told me that the reason he wanted a website as he found very tiring to travel around just to meet potential clients and show them brochures. It’s true, for someone around his 50s, it’s not an easy task considering the traffic jam and other potential hazards like flash floods and all.
By having a website with all his products and services stated clearly means he could allocate the time saved to focus on the more important aspects of business, and of course less stress to his health. Wise decision!
Environment
Let’s not forget that it’s generally better for the environment.
Less printing, means less paper wasted (like people throwing your printed documents away). Think about it, have you attended Fairs and Exhibitions? How many brochures do you take? And how many did you throw?
Less travelling, less petrol consumed, less pollution as well.
See? You’re doing your part to help the environment.
Cost Effective
It’s cheaper than printing. You don’t need envelopes, stamps and delivery people to bring it places. It contains much more information that paper could ever hold and yet it has such huge potential to reach a much wider audience. You’re essentially helping the environment while getting the for your buck. Cost effective, isn’t it?
Summary
I sincerely hope this article has enlightened you more about what a website can do for you and your business. So do you need a website? Contact me and let’s work something out. 🙂
Old 50 year old man should already have people working for him. 😛
But I do get your points.
Besides the points above, the number one reason why a company needs a website to me is if they’re thinking of expanding or reaching a wider market then the Internet is the number one cost efficient way.
Hehehe, depends on whether than man runs his own business or works for people, which he would most probably have subordinates 😀
And yup, it’s Cost-Effective! I thought people would’ve understood that it’s cost-effective by the end of the articles but hey, I think I should make it clear.
By the way ladies and gents, do pay a visit to Danny’s blog too (click on his name) for tonnes of information about Websites and Blogging. 😀
Anyway Danny and I are fellow Web Designers in Malaysia. Being in the same industry but with a common goal – promoting Web Standards!
I have a similar post on namecards in my blogs as well. Erm…not similar lah, but I wanted to go into the same direction as your article.
Anyway, I agree on everything you said about websites. To me, a company website is one of the main corporate image of an organization. I usually don’t go to suppliers without a webpage because if they don’t even have a website to show their products and services, they are not profesional enough because this is the IT age.
On a more individual note, a website/domain name shows that you are within the “in” crowd. For example, if people asking for your email, and you tell them “My mail is [email protected].” That’ll look impressive to whoever you are dealing with.
Just my RM0.02.
Precisely Justin,
It’s like being Sir Edward Jonathan III, CEO of Firebird Solutions International but having an E-mail address [email protected] and having a banner-ad plastered website at http://firebirdsolutionsint.freewebhost.com
It just doesn’t leave an impression. It isn’t friendly either, you can’t remember his email off-hand, and even if you do you still have to remember his URL – which is a sub-domain!
Compare that to having E-mail like [email protected] and having a website using that domain. 🙂 Same company but worlds apart in terms of impression.
Cost? Less than paying for a notebook computer perhaps but the impression? PRICELESS!
Thanks for the mention. 🙂
The one thing I still find intriguing at the moment is how businesses try to con their way true in having a website.
They’ve a [email protected] or bla.com.my but basically that’s it. No website presence.
I guess if more business people wisen up to how an email can relate to a web presence they’ll pop the question, “So your website is…bla.com?”
That’ll definetely catch them off guard.
As to namecards and blogs, I did churn out an article on it. It’s called, Should Bloggers have Business Cards?
And from the post written by Justin, it looks as though it’s happening.
Everyone is becoming a professional blogger in their own way now. 🙂
I absolutely agree to the statement that having a domain name is essential to make an impression on the Internet. That’s the cause we advise users to start on a proper footage by having a domain name of their own.
Hehe. Domain is just 1 part of it but it definitely a step forward. 🙂
Danny, I didn’t know you have an entry on namecards ad bloggers. IMO, it is slightly related to this article.
And yeah, I have plenty of namecards with proper domains and email addresses, but the website is forever in construction.
I am getting dizzie here..hahaha
Yes, true..
website is a supporting element to biz.
is similar to this article. Australian article.
check it out. read it, if you clicks your interest.
its about “Building your sales in the online arena”
I find it to have similar points of potential “characteristics” of having a website
http://www.mybusiness.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=411&Itemid=44
Having your website is like opening your business to the whole world. Now everybody is talking about globalization, your website is your brand.
it depends on types of business you’re conducting and the target consumer for your products/services.
If after a website has been started and the business doesn’t expend, there’s no point keeping the website as it’s a burden.
sorry…tumpang lalu. I got no idea how to make a website but hor…
I’m a customer whom likes to view ppl’s website, see their product…. and if this is a shoping website hor. I think i will dizzy. I use more than half n hour finding how to use this web….then i give up. Sdnly receive an email reply from this web then i come back.
Mayb the person whom create this web hor try think of ppl like me who is so stupid with IT…. Wana find a button also susah =.=” ….
The only thing i like at this moment is the background is in black colour. If its colourful im sure +++ headache keep scrooling around with my mouse….
sekian terima kasih….
by the way im femaleeee…..
welcome ryejoe, as you can see, the neediness of a website does actually depends on the target consumers. consumers like you who aren’t good at IT(which i’m sure there are many more out there), find it hard to use the website therefore they would like printed brochure, go to the shop, see and then only decide whether to buy the product.