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Podcast Show Notes
I hear it all the time. “I have a Facebook and Instagram account – do I really need a website too?” The answer is YES 100x over. I don’t care if you sell toilet paper, socks, or skincare… you need a website. And when I say website – I mean an online platform that you own where you host content. A social media platform cannot provide that for you no matter how much you love to use your social sharing apps. Most likely, this is a website home page with an attached blog.
Search Behaviors have changed
To find an answer to your question or help with a problem, where do you go first? Most likely, you ask Alexa or hop online to a search engine for help. If you want to find a local retailer or dentist, or oil change location – again, you go to your search browser for assistance.
People aren’t getting their yellow pages books out to find a local doctor’s office phone number. They simply type their search online. Heck, we received a phone book in the mail last week, and it took me 30 minutes to explain to our kids what it was and why my cell phone number wasn’t inside it.
Our searching and buying habits have changed tremendously over the last decade. Even if a friend refers you, you still hop on a website first to look around before contacting the business. You’re looking for validity that they can help you before you waste your time reaching out to them for guidance.
Most businesses think they need a logo as their first business expense – I say get a website and email list!
10 Reasons Why Your Small Business Needs A Website Immediately
This leads me to share today 10 Reasons Why Your Business Needs A Website Immediately. Even if you are only a direct sales rep or influencer and have nothing else to offer besides someone else’s products, this applies to you!
Reason #1: Offers a quick way for you to stand out
I have clients coming to me for help with their sales process every day because the actions or non-actions they are doing now isn’t working for lead generation. And 90% of them don’t have a website. This is problem #1. Besides setting up a Core Foundation – building a website is the second thing that goes on all proposals I send out. To stand out, you must showcase what your brand represents. And where better to do that than on a platform and website that you own and control. You can show off your specialty, skills, and brand identity on a website. Even it’s a one-page website with a blog. It’s yours, and you control it.
Reason #2: Your Customers Expect It
Not only do your customers assume you have a website because everyone else they come in contact with has one – they want to get on your website and do some learning before calling you to make an appointment or purchase your products or service. And even the least tech-savvy customers still know how to use their Safari browser to type in a domain address. If you don’t have a website, guess who will get the sales? Definitely, not you! But a competitor who has an attractive search-optimized website.
Reason #3: To Qualify Leads
Your website can help you generate leads when used inside a sales process since your content marketing always points people to it. But when you write your niche statement effectively and place it inside your main image area, it will immediately qualify your website visitors. Not only does this save website visitors time if you aren’t the right person to help them find a solution to their problem. They can then go somewhere else. But it also saves you a ton of time being in communication with a general lead before knowing if you are the right fit for them or not.
For help on your what to include on the home page, refer to Episode 41. It explains how to best grab a user’s attention in under 12 seconds when they land on your website.
Ep 50: The Simplistic 5 Step Sales Process To Running An Automated Business
Reason #4: Connect on a deeper level with your audience
Since you own your website and space on the world wide web and control every aspect of it – you can make sure every image and word inside it communicates effectively and reinforces your brand and who you stand for. You can house your brand story on your site and other stories your ideal client can relate to. All of this leads to a deeper connection with that prospect. I know right away whether I’ll ever do business with a company or person based on the feeling I get from their website. And if they have no website. I’m certainly not doing business with them.
PIN THIS IMAGE!
Reason #5: It validates your business
If a company or person doesn’t invest in a website – they aren’t investing in their service or products. That may seem harsh, but it’s how I feel. The expense of having a website is so minimal that everyone can afford one. Anyone can start a small business or join a direct sales business. But if you want me to support you – show me you are committed to what you are doing. People can do business with anyone – Why should they do business with you? Why should they trust you? Your website is a stepping stone to building that relationship and validating your business and brand.
Reason #6: It Saves You Time
This is a big one that many people overlook. How many times do you find yourself replying to the same basic questions over and over again in DM’s, live discovery calls, or inside social media post comments?
- Maybe someone wants you to explain your online course in more detail.
- A customer has a question about an ingredient list.
- Or a referral wants to know what services you offer for weight management.
If you don’t have a landing page to send them to that can answer their questions, you are wasting time and money replying extensively to every question when you could quickly be sending them to a landing page that will answer their questions!
And don’t discount that some people visit your website to seek answers to essential questions like what you do, who you help, the products or services you offer, where you are located, and how they can get ahold of you.
Episode 57: How To Start Writing An SEO-Friendly Blog Post To Boost Your Visibility
Reason #7: Offers Social Proof
Let’s face it – anyone can get on Canva and create cute graphics to promote quotes and offers. But if you don’t have a method, testimonials, client work, and examples to back up your social messaging, you could be entirely fluff. When I ask my clients why they chose to work with me over others, they mention that they connect with my style and confidence. They state how they enjoy my content, and my website has clean lines and value. This feedback means if your website delivers strong marketing messages, it works for you 24 hours, 365 days a year.
Reason #8: Maximize Your ROI
Investing in a website provides more bang for your buck than any social media profile ever will, in my opinion. Everyone thinks that starting an Instagram account for your business is a top priority, but if you have no sales process to back up your posting strategy, where will you send your followers? How will you close your sale? Insert – why you need a website.
More and more people are spending less time on social media. Facebook claims that people in 2018 spent 50 million fewer hours on Facebook than they did the year before. That equates to fewer chances of people seeing or reading your social media content.
Businesses are now switching up their marketing strategy. They are building websites and blogs to house their content instead of relying on a platform they can’t control or own, such as social media. While Instagram and Facebook do have the potential to increase your reach, this strategy alone can hurt you in the years to come. Website content lives forever and can be shared repeatedly on search engine sites like Pinterest, compared to social media content valid for 24 hours to a week max.
Ep 68: 5 Reasons You Need A Blog With Pinterest Marketing
Reason #9: Houses your offers
Of course, with Instagram shopping advancements, you can take payments directly from a social media post. But most of the time, that’s not how loyal fans are built. Your website is usually the first interaction your ideal client has with your brand.
So if this is the case, what do you want to show them? Think of it as you opening your door to your home. How do you want your ideal client to feel? What do you want them to look at first? Showing them an award, a PDF download, telling a story, or playing video is how you can have total control over the buyer’s experience and their perception of your brand.
It’s a spot to house your content that you own!! (social media owns your brand if all your content sits on it!)
Reason #10: A way for you to Pandemic-Proof and Recession-Proof Your Business
I know some instances in the last year businesses would’ve closed even with an online presence. But I genuinely believe that a brick and mortar store with a website and sales process can be Pandemic-Proof and Recession-Proof more times than not. This claim is because of the reach you can have with a website for your business. You don’t have to limit your business to a local community or region when you have a website. Jennifer Burkhart and I covered this in Episode 68 when we discussed using Pinterest Marketing for a Business.
On the other hand, even if you are an online-based business or have the capacity to gain clients across the United States or globe – some people love to support local businesses. “Where to buy” + “near me” mobile queries have grown by over 200% in the past two years. This stat means by having an SEO-optimized website; you can also be located locally.
To recap – A Website: 10 Reasons Why Your Business Needs One Immediately
- Reason #1: Offers a quick way for you to stand out.
- Reason #2: Your Customers Expect It
- Reason #3: It Qualifies Leads
- Reason #4: Connect on a deeper level with your audience
- Reason #5: It validates your business
- Reason #6: Saves You Time
- Reason #7: Offers Social Proof
- Reason #8: Maximize Your ROI
- Reason #9: Houses your offers
- Reason #10: A way for you to Pandemic-Proof and Recession-Proof Your Business
In the end, customer behavior is driven by what others have to say about your brand.
Your brand is the intangible assets and emotional relationship between customers and your business.
The thing you must understand is people need emotional navigation. People want connections, relationships, and something new to get behind and inspire them.
My brand is how you landed here today, listening to this podcast episode. Someone referred me to you. Or you found my website, Pinterest account, or social media profile, and that brand identity and tangible pieces of my branding influenced your perception of me. At some point, you liked what you saw, and you choose to listen today.
I can’t build a brand – but I can create a brand strategy to influence a person’s perception of a brand. And I start doing that with a website; Not a social media profile or a logo.
Instead of asking, “Why my business needs a website?” I think it’s time to ask, “How do I build a website?”
My company can help you! Please go to corebrandmarketing.com to fill out an application. Our team would be happy to assist you with your brand strategy! While there, you can also view some of our past projects. 🙂
Since I share awe-inspiring resources and must-have products for business builders like you who want to streamline their business – my content may contain affiliate links for products I use and love. If you take action (i.e. subscribe, make a purchase) after clicking one of these links, I’ll earn a small commission. While it has no effect on your pricing, it’s my responsibility to let you know that an income (however small or large it may be) is made from recommending products I love, use, and share with other awesome people like yourself. With your support, I’m able to commit time to this blog and to each of you on your journey!
