Are you aware that small businesses made up a staggering 99% of all UK businesses in 2014? An even more surprising statistic from government research is the fact that nearly 2 million of these didn’t have an internet presence in 2014. I don’t know about you but my instant reaction to these figures was….’are these right?’ They seemed a bit far-fetched when I first saw them but after looking into it thoroughly, I can assure you that they are in fact correct.
With customers nowadays researching the products and services of even the smallest of businesses online, expectations are that all businesses will have a website and without it, you are effectively making yourself invisible. How many times have you gone online to research a company and been shocked and slightly disappointed when you’ve been unable to find their website?
The perceived issues of time, cost and lack of skills in marketing are putting people off letting the world know they are here, however a website is an integral tool to be used in marketing to get more profits from your business. Properly designed, your website can generate more leads for you, increase your customer numbers, as well as increase the number of times and how much people are buying from you.
Your website is an extension of your place of business
When looking for something specific, people often log onto the internet. Being online connects what your business is selling with what people are searching for it. Therefore, everyone who visits your website has an interest in what you are selling which means they are a potential customer. To capture your visitors when they view your website, you need to work out what your customers want. Think hard about what products and services your customers are most enthusiastic about and what you can do better than your competitors with an original twist.
Just getting visitors to your website doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get more leads. Unlike when a customer phones in or visits you at your workplace, there is no one to talk to online (although those live chat boxes are popping up more and more). So you need to put a strategy in place to get the prospect’s details. Allowing a visitor to ‘surf’ right by without tempting them with an offer in exchange for their contact details will result in you losing a qualified lead and money for your business.
Ensure your website stimulates interaction
Promotional incentives will encourage your visitors to give up their email address, phone numbers, home and work addresses. An example of this is Qantas who promote the opportunity to win a business class trip to New York in return for email numbers and permission to send travel information. Any visitor details collected on your website can be put directly into your contact database and you can then start the process of converting leads into customers.
Converting leads into customers is a lot simpler than you probably think. It can all be done automatically and at little or no cost. You can use software programs to send out your newsletters, blogs, special offers and any other useful information at pre-determined intervals. Ongoing contact with potential customers gives you the opportunity to provide links back to your website to sell and promote your products and services.
We all know that building and maintaining relationships with your customers is an essential part of growing your business. There are lots of ways you can convert your website visitors into customers; just put on your creative hat! A website is an important part of your marketing and when well designed and thought-out, you’ll start generating more profits from your business.
