Business, An online presence - why it's important


by DAVE CURRAN - Date: 2009-01-04 - Word Count: 520 Share This!

An online presence - why it's important?

Although the traditional shop front will never die, there is an undisputed trend towards shopping or browsing online. Around 70% of US households have internet connectivity and in 2004, the worldwide online population was around 750 million. And so it is no wonder that so many of us use the magic of the internet to research products and services, and eventually buy online. The popularity of sites such as ebay has ensured a whole new generation of online shoppers.

So, it seems that in today's market, it makes sense to advertise your product or service online, particularly if you wish to sell to a market outside your local area (how many of us have used the net to search for our next holiday location?).

If you live in the US, by not having your details on the Internet, you effectively miss a market of around 90 million consumers, who each spend an average of 3 hours per day on the net or email.

From a consumers viewpoint, the benefits of shopping online are obvious. You can survey a wide range of products and services from the comfort of your home, you don't need to pack up the kids, you can look in your own time and outside normal business hours if you like. The internet is here to stay, and if you want to compete in today's market, then an online presence for your business is almost a must have. With our increasingly busy lifestyles, the net will become even more important, and consumers will be looking for more and more ways to save time. Think about banks, insurance companies, travel agencies, real estate agents, and the many other businesses that now use the net as a source of strong business contacts. Perhaps a world where almost anything can be done with a mouse click is not that far away.

Why do you need a website? Maybe you already have a nice brochure, or a regular newspaper advertisement. These days, those methods of advertising should form part, and not all, of your marketing strategy. The net is available well outside your normal business hours and is visible to people worldwide, so why limit your potential to your local area. With the net, the world is your market, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Some advantages of having your own web site are:

1. You can publicise your business to a much larger audience. 2. You can keep your website current with your latest products, services, and prices. 3. You can promote your business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year. The net never sleeps. 4. Your business will offer a more professional image with a website. 5. You will increase your ability to compete with others in the marketplace. You can use your website to link to other like businesses around the world.

The author, Dave Curran, has over 25 years management and marketing experience, and has successfully run his own small business for several years.

For more business related information please see Dave's website:

http://www.accountingtipsforbusiness.com


Related Tags: marketing, internet marketing, website, online marketing, online presence

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