There are almost uncountable reasons why every business needs a website.
” Does my motor spare parts business require a website?”
That question was put forth to me by someone whom I was introduced to by a friend as an IT consultant some time ago.
Mr. John just casually asked me after I met with him “Hello Mr. consultant, I am a dealer on all kinds of motor spare parts and my shop is located at Onyigbo market Lagos Nigeria, do you really think I need a website for this type of business?”
First, I was taken aback because my friend never hinted me he was going to introduce me to a potential client as we just met him while driving out of a shopping mall; neither did I expect any such question because our mood that day wasn’t business-activated rather it was for relaxation.
Also considering the fact that the question was pregnant with a handful of answers I needed to provide, but under a short uncomfortable time.
Oh, yes sir, your business needs a website, I replied smiling., then when I noticed that he was interested in digging deeper to get more details, I requested for his business card offering mine thereafter and politely seek his approval for me to meet him at his convenient time to continue with the discussion so I could have the opportunity to present more detailed information he needed to know about how critically important it was to get his business a website.
Obviously, I am aware of tones of similar articles on this topic however, I will like to be brief on my own experiences while interacting with business owners regarding convincing them to get a website for their businesses.
Who Needs a Website?
A web site is a collection of different documents, arranged in web pages accessed through the internet.
My answer always is, every business needs a website.
For instance let’s look at this scenario where you run a business in a shop on your street and on average you make about N500 a day, maybe this according to you is okay.
But question is, those who patronise you, how do they know you are in that location? From the description of the said business, it appears a greater percentage of your customers are those who live around that neighbourhood or those who pass by seeing your shop and products inside it.
Fine, think about it this way, isn’t it possible to increase your sales from N500 to N1,500 or even more per day?
The fact is that every business breaks forth easily with proper exposure to the right audience and publicity. And no business owner will wish to remain stagnated at one level of progress.
In this present information/net dispensation, people no longer find it funny going out trekking, biking or driving around looking for what they intend to procure, rather they will prefer to from the very comfort of their bedrooms turn on their computers, Google any item, hop on the sites, place orders and get them delivered to their homes while they pay and receive them. By so doing, they save time, energy and other valuable resources.
It will surprise you to know that while you have a shop on your street selling items, someone living behind your street who hardly passes around your spot will be in his house placing order for the same items you sell from a shop located over hundred kilometers way online which will be delivered to him.
This may be because the owner of that shop located hundreds of metres away had the privilege of getting the right information about how helpful a website could be to his business and quickly grabbed the opportunity by obtaining one.
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The truth is that whether your business is small or big, if you do not have a website for it, you are definitely loosing patronage to those who have and may end up folding up with time. You may not have noticed it before now, but follow the trend of events in the business community and you will testify to this.
These are facts that I unfolded to Mr. John the man who asked ” Does my motor spare parts business require website?”
And after I met with him, presented some convincing details on why his spare parts business needed a website, he bought into it and today he is happy he did.
Internet creates a level playing field for all businesses whereby your business does not necessarily need to be a conglomerate before having web presence to be exposed equally to the same market audience that conglomerates are exposed to.
Hence to answer Mr. John clearly, truthfully and practically, I stated a few reasons out of many, explaining the critical importance of getting his business online.
Some reasons for business to have website
- The business will be exposed to wider audience with the tendency of better patronage
- Website is a platform by which his customers, clients, workers , targeted and even untargeted audience and so on, will get to know more and obtain adequate information about his business including but not limited to contact information, business information such as products and services, prizes, F.A.Q, etc.
- Website boost business’s image and makes it gain credibility
- Website helps you get feedback from your customers(both potential and existing customers)
- Website will help to act as customer service even when the business owner is offline customers can get vital information to enable them make informed decision concerning doing business with the organization and even pass feedback to the owner.
- Website stand in for word of mouth for your business.
Etc.
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If you think spending a few hundred s of thousands of Naira or hundreds of dollars to acquire one is huge financial burden, why not analyse in terms of income what you stand to gain and compare with the cost of building one let’s see if you will not have a rethink? Professional websites are no longer much expensive. Give it a thought ones again and try getting a website for your business no matter the type of business then watch and see the level of progress soon.
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