Why your business needs a website, even if you've never left town.

Many business owners think that they don't need a website because they are a local business and have no plans to sell anything online, or even just a couple of towns over. They think this because they don't understand how people use the internet and what they do with it.

Let me enlighten you a little bit.

Google is used mainly as a research tool, not a shopping tool.

Yes, many people use Google to find products to buy. But this doesn't mean they are buying these products online. Many people use Google to gather information. The large majority of people still prefer to touch something before they buy it and simply use Google to research the product or service before they make a purchase. They also use it to find where to purchase what they are looking for.

It takes much more time and effort to flip through hundreds of pages in the phone book than it does to type 3 words in Google. People decide they want something, go to Google to see where to get it, and end up in your shop or office later that day to get what they want. If you are not on Google then this extremely large segment of internet savvy users are much more likely to end up as one of your competitors clients who does have a web presence.

Google is the new yellow pages, the yellow pages is the new door stop.

Google has gone and surpassed the yellow pages so fast it'll make your head spin. The yellow pages are on their death bed. How many phone books do you have sitting at your house? I have at least 3 and I can't even remember the last time I used them. The only reason I still have them is because I am too lazy to take them to the dumpster, that and they weigh 20lbs a piece.

So if the yellow pages worked well for you in the past, then you should probably get ready to make the switch online. Before you know it the yellow pages will cease to exist and your business may be right along side it.

It's not called the information superhighway for nothing.

The internet did not get its nickname for no reason. It really is the information superhighway, as cheesy as that sounds. As I said, people use the internet to gather information. It is a place where thousands of potential customers can go at anytime of the day and learn about you and your business. You don't have to call them, write them, talk to them or anything.

Potential clients go to Google and get information about your business. If you have a great website then the chances are that you will be seeing them in your place of business sometime soon. If you have no website or a bad website, then chances are the business across town will be seeing them very soon.

There are literally hundreds of ways to use your website to promote your business. Getting a great website is just the start, but it is a start that can go a long ways