I love when business owners come to me excited to create a new website for their company. They ask me to help get their business noticed more often and by a wider audience. I design and develop a piece of Internet for them that can be shared worldwide 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Websites are an essential part of running a business these days. Every company should have a strong, cohesive website to introduce them to the market and allow customers to find them easily. While most business owners understand the importance of having a website, they may not be willing to make the investment to have their website professionally designed.

Here are a few reasons to make this important investment:

• 24/7 customer communication: Your website is available around the clock representing your business. Customers who are searching for your product or service after hours and on weekends can find answers to their questions through your website while you are unavailable. Your website teaches customers about your company and what you offer, making it your most cost-effective sales member. Customers can find information about your business online, reducing the number of phone calls and emails you or your staff receive.
• Establish credibility: 58% of global online consumers said they are more likely to trust a company with “owned media” such as a website versus one that does not (Nielsen Advertising Survey, 2012). A professionally designed website allows you to gain trust and make a stellar first impression.
• People are online: Google logs over 2 billion searches a day! People use the Internet to find what they want, whether it’s a new monitor or a local fitness class. If your company does not have a dedicated website, you are losing business.
• Word of mouth: Your website makes referring friends and family to your business easy. People love to share a good experience they’ve had with a company, and allowing them to link directly to your website gains you great exposure and goodwill—not to mention a wealth of potential customers. Your website can be shared easily through email, Facebook, Twitter, text messages, Google+, etc.
• Reduce outside advertising costs: A professionally designed website should be optimized for search engines, allowing your business to climb the ranks of Google without additional advertising costs.

Your website serves as the first impression for many potential customers. A cohesive, professional website is extremely important for every business, large or small. The initial investment you put toward your company’s website will not only save you money but help you earn sales. With more than 2.7 billion people searching online daily for products, services, and information, how much revenue are you losing each day that you do not have a website?

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