The Website Dilemma: Do You Even Need One?
The Website Dilemma
In my experience, most companies, new or old, know they need a website. I mean, come on, it’s 2018.
A lot of people say the reason they don’t have a website is that they just haven’t had the time to sit down and make one or sit down with a web designer to talk about making one or they don’t have thousands of dollars to pay a web designer.
While these are all justifiable reasons, I think it goes beyond money, time, or effort.
I think the problem is not that people and businesses in 2018 don’t realize they need a website. No, MOST of the time, the problem is that they don’t know what all a website is good for. They can’t see the benefits of having one and don’t realize what all it could do for their personal brand, company, project, organization, etc. Therefore, they aren’t willing to put forth the time, effort, money to create one.
But let me propose something.
It’s 2018, if anyone needs to figure something out about a company or service, they look for (google) their website. if they can’t find your website, they more than likely will click on the next best google search item which is most likely a competitor.
Americans are on the internet an average of ten hours a day. TEN!
You need to be where people are looking. You need to be able to be found and researched. If your company is as amazing as you believe it to be, then carrying that story, those reviews, case studies, white papers, etc. online where folks can find them, will allow you to freely market what all you do without lifting a finger.
At the very least, a website provides an online home where your story can be read, seen, experienced, etc. And this all is housed on a GLOBAL network. Anyone around the world can have access to your story and how best you can help them achieve a fix for that pain point.
So, when you start to realize that websites can only help you or your business (unless they are terribly made which we will discuss at a later date), you can start to ask the right question:
It’s not a question of “do I need a website?”. It’s a question of “how can I set up my website to tell my story and help potential and current clients/customers?”
In order to properly answer that question and design your website to do just that — for any and all companies out there — you need to know three things:
- Know your audience
- Know your audience’s pain points
- Know what you can offer your audience to fill their needs
If you already know these things, or at least have a good idea on how your products, services, or even knowledge can help potential or current clients in their hunt to fulfill a need, then you’re ready to start using that to your advantage online.
Conclusion
In summation, yes, you need a website. Now, for what purpose? That is up to the three things we looked at above.
You may need your site to simply be a portfolio of all the work you have done for past clients.
You may need your site to be the forefront of your entire business, drawing in clients and providing value to them right off the bat so that they reach out with information so you can start working together.
You may need your site to act as your storefront where you make all sales for that online craft or clothing brand.
Heck, you may need your site to be a biography of who you are and what your story is, so when you hand that new acquaintance a business card they can go home and look up your website and just learn a little more about your journey and how they can help or use your help.
Either way, it’s a necessity in this digital age and though there is a bit of work up front to get the thing up a running, it’s all worth the amount of new business potential that it can bring. It’s your new hired salesmen that works 24/7 that you pay relatively nothing for. Now, that’s pretty awesome.
Discussion
What’s holding you up from creating or updating your fancy new website? Time? Money? Resources? Something else?
Let me know in the comments or feel free to reach out via email, social media, or book some time on my schedule here. I’d love to hear any and all questions or thoughts!
