Why Do You Need a Website?

If you have a company that sells goods all over the country, the answer is rather obvious. What if you run a service company? or only sell your goods locally? How about manufacturing? This article will break all three of these down and let you know what to consider.

Service Industry

There's nothing quite like the local service industry. I love using my local electricians, plumbers, mechanics, carpenters, etc. etc. Service with a smile, first name basis, relying on the old fashioned Word-of-Mouth advertising, I know all about service industry, because I am one myself. While it was easy for me to decide to go digital, seeing as I am a site designer, repair technician, etc, but what about you? Have you considered having a web presence for your company? Here's how I look at it, not only is a web site a great advertising method, but I try to make a website try to make at least one facet of your business more automated.

Let's say your business has you on constant service calls. You're out working with a customer and your cell phone rings. You stop and answer the phone only to have the caller ask for your hours, your rates, what you do, some examples of your work, etc. Quite annoying isn't it? Now imagine you have a basic 5 page website with a home page, FAQs, Contact, testimonials, and portfolio. Instead of getting these little calls, they could instead go to your site and get this information.

A website also opens you up to local searches. Here's a test go to Google and search for your industry in your area. How many companies come up? How many of them have web sites? Are you on that list? Where are you on that list? All of these questions really impact your visibility as more and more people are looking for local businesses online as opposed to traditional means, i.e. phone book, 411.

Manufacturing

Your company makes the best widgets you've ever seen. You're proud of your widgets and know they are a hit. They will make the world so much easier and help make whatchacallits run so much smoother and last longer. All of this may be true, but with no website, how will you get the word out about your widgets? I often tell people in every line of business not having a website today is like not having a phone in the 60's. It's the way business is done now.

I maintain a website for a small, local manufacturing company. I knew when we started his product was so specific, that he wouldn't get more than 50 hits per month. So instead I streamlined his ordering and payment process to make it easier for him and his customers. His existing customers love the convenience and as an added bonus, he has entered the market in China, Russia, Brazil, and Canada.

A website also gives you contact information, pricing information, as well as a showcase for your products.

Local Retail

If you own a shop that sells items locally, you may not think that you need a website. Once again, I offer you the phone reference in the above section. Also, what makes a website so great for your business is that it is a great advertising method. Think of it this way; I pay around $60 a month for a business card sized ad in our local paper. Our paper comes out once per week. So I pay $60 for an ad that someone will see once, turn the page and won't see again until next week. The best I can do is hope they have PC problems right then, or that it sets a small seed in their memory for a PC problem in the near future. A website, on the other hand costs a small monthly maintenance fee, (my fee is $40 for a list of services) that keeps your "ad" visible 24/7/365 that also doubles as a catalog. Pretty neat, huh?

A website helps you keep your business on patrons minds. You can spend a few hundred dollars every month to send out a monthly newsletter, or use your website to send out one per week if needed. An e-newsletter costs usually a few dollars per month (the maintenance fee covers one from me) and you can keep your customers up-to-date on sales, coupons, new products, etc.

A website also opens your business up for social networking. No one can deny the power of social networking, but it isn't fully customizable. If you have a website and a social networking page, you can link the two and keep many customers up to date with your company. Anytime you update on your networking site, place a link to your website, esp. the specific page. If you have a sale on product A, update your page to say "Great sale on Product A", then place the link to Product A's page. Place a link to where they can join your network on your website in key locations, so that they can easily join and follow you. A social network also allows you to connect with your customers on a more personal level, which I love about small local shops. If they ask you about a product on your network, go ahead and set it aside for them so that when they get there it's ready to go, it shows you care and listen to your patrons.

This article is only scratching the surface of this important decision for your business. A lot will go into your thought process, as my next few articles will touch on. I open this up for questions or comments and you may use my contact information if you would like to ask questions for a more personal answer.

Justin Lowry
Lowry's PC Services

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How Do You Start A New Small Business ....

This is not meant to be all inclusive advice for how to start a new small business .... but it will definitely get you pointed in the right direction with a practical roadmap to follow.

To illustrate the actions you need to commit to I'm going to use opening a new restaurant as an example. It's easier to relate to a real life tangible example than just a bunch of esoteric thoughts and "tips". You can glean the basic ideas from this real life example and adjust as necessary to fit your chosen specific business .......

First, understand how much money you have to invest .... and assume you are going to need twice as much or more--so aim lower in your initial investment expectations.

As you probably know, the restaurant business is in severe recession right now. Restaurants are closing their doors all over because dining out is considered a luxury and we are in a back-to-basics economy.

That said, how do you get started? Here's what I recommend.

1. With restaurants withering all over, there are many for sale right now. You can get a already running operation with all the equipment on the cheap right now. You might even get landlords to renegotiate rent rather than losing a tenant for 6 months to a year or more. Buying an existing operation gives the advantage of being able to get revenue right away and not spending 3-6+ months on build out, getting permits and licenses, etc. Also, there is existing staff. The downside? If they're failing, you need to fix stuff and grow. If you are buying an existing operation, it's a buyer's market--you are in the drivers seat; don't overpay.

2. Talk to a business broker about what's available in your area. Check businessesforsale.com or bizbuysell.com for listings. Commercial realtors may also have some listings. You might want to check the local classified section too.

3. Spend time with a commercial realtor checking out real estate locations to understand traffic, rent tiers, physical locations, structural design issues, etc.

4. Talk to your local city about licensing and permitting requirements. You may get quite an adventure if you intend to serve alcohol. I have seen restaurants take 6+ months to get occupational or health licenses before opening. That's a lot of rent to pay while waiting for the government.

5. Talk to your bankers and local restaurant supply store management. They can probably tell you who has restaurants with good potential/track record of success but are experiencing difficulty in the current economy.

6. As with any small business, controlling costs is vital to survival. Avoid fixed expenses as much as possible. Negotiate for deals on everything. There is plenty of used restaurant equipment and supplies out there--no need to buy new when you can get stuff for 10/20 cents on the dollar.

7. Read everything you can about marketing and promotion. When you are ready to open, you need to drag people in and let everyone know you're open. Read the articles "How to Advertise Your Small Business on the Internet," "How to Build a Really Good Website for Under $100," and "How to Write and Issue Press Releases for FREE" on smallbiz123.com.

You will also need to establish a compelling brand for your restaurant. Great Name, Logo, signage, business cards, menues, promotional flyers/ ads, website and markeking plan.

The most crucial part of starting a new business is creating an appropriate brand Identity that represents the desired attributes of your company's services .... and puts in play creative initiatives that will attract your target market.

Unfortunately, too many new business owners try to save money and make the mistake of trying to create their own brand ..... which in the end doesn't pay off.

Brand Identity is the foundation of any business or product, and it should always project a highly professional image. I strongly suggest you hire a professional to do it. This will ensure that your business is started the right way with a strong foundation.

Small Business Resource ..... Your Local Library

Here's an easy, simple, and maybe surprising suggestion for a small business resource. I recommend the local library.

Too often we think of the library as a place for books and recreation, but it offers much more than that. Most public libraries have electronic resources available for business patrons - just ask a reference librarian.

For example, in Michigan, where I'm from, the Michigan Electronic Library offers the Business and Company Resource Center, which is accessible online to anyone with a Michigan driver's license (see link below). This database provides industry overviews, company profiles, investment reports, financials, etc. And it's all FREE.

In addition to the public library, I also recommend the local university library, especially if you live near a good business school. Publicly funded university libraries are open to the public; however, not all provide access to their databases. A librarian can advise you. And don't forget about your alma mater! Some alumni associations include online library access privileges as part of alumni membership.

There are also online business libraries that charge a fee for resources.

Lastly, there is an amazing amount of government resources available - for FREE: The Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Patent & Trademark Office, the Securities and Exchange Commission, manufacturing.gov, individual state websites, etc. All available online.

Ask your local librarian about these resources – that’s what the library is for!

Michigan Electronic Library

How To Advertise Your Small Business Website On The Internet

If your object is to serve up your web site to as many viewers as possible, then the recipe is fairly simple -- consider search engines, newsgroups/discussion forums/social networking media, and link exchanges. But before we talk about those, let me just say, you absolutely don't want to spam anyone in the process of building traffic. That'll kill your reputation and doom your business before you even get started.

Now, without knowing what your product is, let's see what's on the menu for building site traffic, without spamming your potential customers.

First Course, Search Engine Marketing ....

You know the big 2 -- Google and Yahoo-- but others are popping up all the time (see Bing). Go to every one you can find and do a search under the key words that would direct someone to your site. See where you show up in the results. You may have to go through 250 or more listings at each site before you find yourself. But it's a necessary evil for getting to know how easy it is (or isn't) for your site to be found via web search engines.

If you haven't registered with these search engine sites, take the time to do so. Most have FAQs sections to help webmasters get their sites listed on each search engine. Some may even help you by suggesting better page titles and page organization. Search engine webmasters are willing to offer any help that'll eventually lead to their own visitors getting better searches.

Second Course, Internet Discussion Forums, News Groups, and Social Networking Media ...

News groups or discussion forums are where the Internet got its real start. With these Usenet postings, people who share a common interest, can exchange information through postings to a news group. (So you're not spamming people, you're just posting information they can use or leave!) So look for the groups whose readers would be interested in what you offer. If you're not sure where to start with news groups, do a little research at dejanews.com.

Don't leave out the social networking sites and medium either. Maybe something like LinkedIn, Sta.rtupbiz.com, Digg, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. You can get some amazing visibility with these if you're creative ... and consistent. Look over each to see how they work ... and how you can best fit in and take advantage.

Again, good table manners are appreciated at these sites. Observe, read, and contribute when you're ready. Make sure your web site address and tag line are on the bottom of every email you send (and I mean every one, not just the ones sent to news groups either) and "post" you share. Invite people to your site with every email or posting you send out.

Third Course, Banner Ads and Link Exchanges ....

If you have a healthy marketing budget, you'll find some tasty options when it comes to banner ads and link exchanges. Exchanges are a great way to get traffic to your door. And getting your banner ad or logo on a related site will get others to click over to you as well.

One option you have is "no-cost link exchanges." Some companies find websites willing to place a banner ad of your site on their site for no charge -- the catch is, you're charged for each link they get for you. The cost comes from them doing all the work, such as finding the sites and arranging the links. To learn more about his, visit ZDClicks. ZDNet is one company that promotes "no-charge link exchanges."

If you'd rather bus your own link exchange tables, no problem. Remember all those searches you did so diligently when trying to get a feel for your site's position on the search engines? Well, this can be the basis of your hit list for emailing related site webmasters with a link exchange request. It's not always easy to find the webmasters. So save yourself some time by preparing, in advance, several short, to-the-point, but friendly emails requesting the exchange. Effective request emails explain the benefit they'll receive from the link.

After your initial request -- and you see no links or response has been made -- follow up with "progressive" emails. For example, the second email could start off by reminding the webmaster you wrote requesting the exchange; the third could ask if they need further info; and the last could inquire if you're reaching the correct person for link exchange requests. Of course, this means some organization on your part. Keep a list of who you contact and which emails they've received. This way, you'll increase your chances for getting your link!

While this full meal takes a long time, you build some good relationships this way.