Web Sites Mean Business

Saturday, March 1, 2003

Web Sites Mean Business by Kim T. Gordon (NAPSA)—Having a company Web site has been found to play a vital role in small-business success. That’s the principal finding of a new study that revealed nearly 80 percent of small businesses with Web sites benefit significantly from an online presence. The biggest boost is to company credibility. An effective Web site levels the playing field for businesses with small staffs and limited budgets by conferring an image of stability and allowing for complete presentation of all products and services. In addition to enhanced credibility, at least a third of the companies surveyed say their Web sites are their single most powerful marketing tools. Small businesses—particularly those that are home-based—often suffer from low visibility and poor name recognition. Their Web sites allow them to target customers nationwide or even around the world. Customers of brick-and-mortar retailers with fully functional e-commercesites actually spend significantly more because they can shop at their convenience online as well as make purchasesin the stores. Companies without a Web presence are often left behind as they remain tied to slower, more costly marketing tools and methods. Small businesses that market online can e-mail solicitations and customer surveys for a fraction of your company’s visibility and credibility. the cost of postal direct mail, and have results in days. A growing percentage of smallbusiness owners rely heavily on their Web sites to make their sales goals. More than a quarter of those who don’t currently sell products online plan to add e-commerce capabilities to their sites within the next two years. Learn more about this study from Interland, a worldwide leader in online services for small- and mid-size businesses, and find howto articles on ways to get the most from your company’s online pres- ence at www.sbsuccess.com. Kim T. Gordon is the author of Bringing Home the Business, a columnist for Entrepreneur magazine and a small-business contributor te www.sbsuccess.com.

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