Why do you need a website?

There are really four reasons to have a website for your business:

• informational or content
• lead generation
• self service or support
• eCommerce

The main objective of any of these is the same - to increase sales in your business.

The first step in our process is to determine what kind of website is right for your business.

Informational or Content sites can range from a single page that acts as an online business card to an entire catalog of all the products and services you offer. Most small businesses use their website to inform customers about the latest new products, events and sales. Additional you can provide articles and information on how to best use your products.

A lead generation site is your online networking tool. You can use these sites to gather prospects for your sales team. There are several ways to develop a lead generation site and they all involve an exchange of information. Usually your viewers will sign up to receive a newsletter or an eBook. You provide these in exchange for their email address.

If you offer a product that requires support you could consider the creation of a self service support site. These sites allow users to find specific information on how to use or fix a product. Most manufacturers offer some level of self support on their websites to help answer users questions. Self service sites can range from a page of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to a full database of problem resolutions.

eCommerce sites are designed to extend your business onto the internet and expose your products and services to a global market. For many businesses this is the ultimate goal of their website. eCommerce sites can also range from a full shopping cart implementation with an online merchant account to a simple order placed via email.