Small or medium-sized companies that operate mainly regionally often believe that having a company website is not necessary.
After all, a large part of their clientele is derived from neighborhood discussions, recommendations, or thanks to a good location in the city or in the village.
Many hair salons, restaurants, or retail businesses like the nice boutique next door still do not have their own website and thus waste a great deal of potential to attract new customers. We tell you the top reasons why you should have your own website, even if you only have a small business.
The essentials in brief
- A website helps regional businesses to be found better and faster.
- A website ensures accessibility at all times.
- Important information such as contact details can be easily viewed.
- Current offers or innovations keep your customers up to date.
- You raise stand out from the competition and present yourself as a modern company.
- The creation of the website does not have to be complicated.
1. Notoriety
Not so long ago, people who were looking for a specific company were digging through the thick tomes of telephone directories. At first, books got thinner and today hardly anyone uses them. The fact is: If you are looking for something, you will find it on the Internet. A regional small business without a website does not exist. It’s not quite like that, of course, but this statement still has a core of truth.
A restaurant nearby including reviews, a hairdressing salon whose opening hours are given immediately, an optician who takes the time to give advice – no matter what products or services your regional company offers: With your own website you increase the number of visitors to your store.
Recommendations from friends and family are still very important, but acquaintances can easily forward the link to your company with their smartphone so that new potential customers land directly on your homepage.
2. Accessibility
All of us prefer to take the easiest route when we want something. That is human nature. The simplicity of something makes it easier to access. This also applies to the availability of your product or service.
A website is accessible at all times, no matter what the time. This means that your customers can still find out when your shop is open, even in the middle of the night.
This also makes you and your company more accessible. Important Information that is essential for your product or service can be easily researched on the website. Questions about opening hours or long directions on the phone are no longer necessary.
Relevant questions or direct appointment bookings are therefore more likely to be received via the telephone or contact form. This saves you a lot of time and reduces the inhibition threshold for callers.
This content will make your business much more accessible:
- Opening hours
- Address
- Phone number
- Services
- Contact form
3. Information
There is a lot of other information on your website that ensures that potential customers are interested in your company or that regular customers are retained. Think of your business website as a digital storefront that instantly grabs more attention than if you didn’t have one or covered it with dark curtains.
There are numerous ways you can decorate your digital storefront. You can decorate it with your products and services, with company impressions, with reference images, or just for entertainment to get closer to your customers.
4. News
Also, current information plays an important place on your website for communicating with customers. If you have special offers, a special dish of the day, follow a trend or are planning a summer party, you can place this information prominently so that your customers know about it immediately. Easily keep your opening hours up to date or inform them about the status of the renovation of your business premises.
5. Competition
Meanwhile, far more than half of all companies have their own website. This quickly sidelines the companies that don’t own one.
Not only are businesses with a website easier to find, but they also build significantly more trust than those without. In the worst case, your company is considered dubious if you don’t have a website since many people assume that you work professionally from a professional appearance – you appear more transparent, smarter, and more modern with one than a company without a website.
Also, most people find it easier to use a contact form or phone number that is quick and easy to access rather than the hassle of digging out or researching. This lowers the inhibition threshold to actually get in touch with you.
Conclusion
A local business benefits from a website, no matter how small or big it is. It doesn’t have to be complicated at all! Depending on the size of your company, a one-page website is sufficient to convey all important information to your customers.
