Small Business

If you're an existing brick and mortar store, you might think that you don't need a website. After all, you've got an established customer base, a presence in the neighbourhood, and having a street address is a lot more impressive than having an URL, isn't it?

But the truth is, business without an online presence may be losing potential customers or even missing out on those who had come to them before. Online listings are all well and good for getting your name online, but there's still nothing that compares to having your own bona fide website.

The internet has taught people to expect instant information and instant gratification. Before, if I wanted to know your store hours, well, I'd have to get all bundled up, hop in the car, drive over and take a look at the sign in the window. Maybe, if I was really thinking, I might look your business up in the phone book and call ahead, hoping your store clerk would actually answer.

But now I expect to be able to type your business name into my search bar (heck, gone already are the days of actually having to search from Google's homepage) and come across a site that will tell me your business hours without even having to get up from my chair.

A web presence gives customers a way of getting to know you, quickly and efficiently and on their own terms. They can get a feel for your store and compare it to several others in the neighbourhood before they even get dressed in the morning. They want to know where you're located, what services you offer, what your hours are, and what specials are on this week. If they can't find that, they might just move on to the next store.

Websites in this day and age also lend an air of legitimacy to the traditional brick and mortar store. It shows you care enough about your customers to spend the money and get your information out there for them.

And, of course, there's that huge potential customer base out there waiting. This is especially important if you're a specialized store selling unique items. Someone searching for those items now comes across your site, when they never would have known you existed. No matter how big or small your presence in the real world, your online presence can make you a real star.

And if directing a few more people to your existing store isn't enough of a reason, you can always open yourself up to the option of selling your goods online as well. Now you're not longer limited to people in your neighbourhood but can sell to as wide a market as you like, even across the globe.

With many cheap and even free web hosting solutions out there, there's really no reason for a business not to get online. Set up a site, as simple or complicated as you like, and watch your customers come to you.