 1.
To Be or Not To Be
Approximately 40 million people utilize World Wide Web (WWW), and
the number of Web users has doubled since 1995. Even more impressive,
the amount of Internet Traffic doubled in the 3rd qurater of 1997.
More than 65,000 new internet users everyday. That means that the
Web is rapidly becoming a "normal" way of life for millions. You
have the ability to make your presence known to these people for a cost
of next to nothing. Not only is this a way to reach millions of potential
customers, but if you're not on the Web, chances are that you will not
be found, no matter how you may try to reach them and no matter how much
you may spend. If you're not on the Web, people simply will not try
to contact you with other traditional methods. This is a trend that
is becoming more apparent every day. So the question is, To be (on
the web) or Not to be (at all).
2.
To Reach Desirable Clientele
The persons using the Web are by far the most educated and wealthiest
of any demographic market available. They earn more money, spend
more money, and communicate better than other groups. These are the
kind of people you want talking about your business, and more important,
being your customers. Don't forget, these demographics are not just
about where you live, but include the entire world. Your potential
customer base is no longer limited to people you can reach through traditional
means, such as local newspaper, radio, or even television. You have
access to international markets immediately.
3.
To Communicate
The Web allows you to communicate with people around the world, whether
they are your employees, your customers, potential customers, friends,
or people who are just curious about your presence on the Web. You
can let them know all of your business information at a glance. What
products or services you offer; your hours of operation;
how long does it take to ....; how much does it cost; can I
see more detail about...? The Web allows you to present all of this
information and more to a world wide audience, 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, 365 days a year. They can ask you questions, purchase products
and services, get answers to questions they may have, make payments, make
suggestions, and conduct all of these services at no additional cost to
them or you. Email allows people to communicate instantly, worldwide,
without any additional cost to you or them.
4.
To Make Your Company's Image More Professional
By having your company on the Web, you have the same ability to reach
the world, and make a professional impression as any business, regardless
of size. People visiting your Web site have no idea if your company
has 1 or 100,000 employees. Your site, if properly designed and constructed,
will attract even the largest of clients to visit it, and potentially they
may become your customers. You will have the ability to conduct business
and service your accounts with a professional image created by your Web
site.
5.
To Automate Your Operation
You can have people who visit your site fill our applications, make
payments, search your inventory, buy products and services online, and
much more without any human intervention. This allows you to have
more time to focus on the direction of your business, rather than get caught
up in the day to day operation. You can even have time sensitive
material, such as "Sale" items, or "Specials" online instantly and for
the duration of the event. Your Web site can be dynamic and grow
as your business grows, making your best and newest ideas available to
over 40 million people, day or night.
6.
To Answer Questions
How much time is spent on the telephone telling people the same thing
over and over. Sure, there are lots of times when a unique question
is asked about your business or a product or service you provide, but there
are hundreds of questions asked by people that fall into a category known
as Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). You know what these questions
are relating to your business. You could build a list of FAQ and
provide answers to them online, so that people could get the answers without
having to tie up your phone lines and your employees. It's easy.
Just think of creating an index (as in a book) of the questions people
ask most, and allowing the readers to get answers immediately to all of
those questions. Save time, save money, provide customer satisfaction,
and be more productive with the time you've saved.
7.
To Save on Telephone bills
If you have people in your organization who often work away from their
office, the Web allows them to stay in touch with all of the up to date
detailed information available to them with a quick local phone call.
If you have more than one office location, you can use the Internet to
transfer information among the offices, without having to make a long distance
telephone calls. Don't forget, the Web is World Wide, and there are
no long distances charges, no matter if you're connected to Europe, Asia,
Africa, Australia, South America, or North America. I'm not sure
if there are any Web sites in Antarctica.
8.
To Keep Your Information Current
If something about your business or a product or service you provide
changes, you can make this new information available to the world immediately.
You don't have to wait for the U.S. mail, UPS, Fed-X, newspaper deadlines,
radio ad scripting and recording, or anything else. Simply publish
your new information to your Web site, and it's changed immediately, world
wide.
9.
To Get Feedback
Mailers are expensive, bulky, costly, and usually get little or no
response. At $0.32 per stamp, plus the cost of an envelope, plus
the cost of your information, traditional methods of getting feedback from
your customers and/or potential customers is very expensive, and often
provides little information for you to use to improve your business.
On the Web, customers can fill out a questionnaire of your design (keep
it short for best responses) and submit it to you instantly, without cost
to you or them. They can tell you what they like, what they don't
like, make suggestions, all of which provide current information instantly
about your business. It's up to you what you do with it, but
the Web is a host of tools to be used by those who would rather Be than
Not Be.
10.
To Reach Your Market: Local, Specialized, Worldwide
More and more, people are getting on the Web. The number of Web
users has doubled since 1995. In your local community, I'm sure you
meet people every day who are excited about "getting on the Web".
More and more, it's becoming a way of life. People shop of the Web,
they play on the Web, the learn on the Web, and they spend hours reading
about everything from ants to atomic bombs. They get spoiled by the
information provided them. If they want to dine out, they look up
local restaurants, browse the menus, and make a choice and even a reservation
online. If you're in the restaurant business, you'd better be listed
on the Web with local businesses, or you may find your clientele going
where they know the menu and can make reservations online.
If you have a specialized product or service, that's all the more reason
to be on the Web. Your local market may be small and somewhat saturated,
but no one yet has been able to saturate the entire world market (maybe
with the exception of Microsoft). You may be surprised where you
find your best new customers.
If your market is already worldwide, then you will relish the thought
of simplifying all of your worldwide communications, not to mention the
cost savings and other benefits, some of which have been addressed in this
article. Whatever your business, it's impossible to neglect the World
Wide Web. That's why our number one reason to be on the Web is To
Be or Not To Be.
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