Why Not Having A Website Is A Death Sentence For Your Business
Online marketing is becoming a critical tool for businesses to generate sales. Quite interesting, because just a few decades ago, a lot of companies were quite hesitant putting a lot of money online. The view back then was more, “Why would I need to have a business website when I don’t have any plans selling online?” Back then, that was actually a valid question. However, the times have radically changed.
Google forever altered the game with their sophisticated search engine. Amazon just blew up as an online reseller, and social media got more and more people online. Just think about it, the internet reached its 1 billionth active user in 2005 and is now on track to reach 4.5 billion users.
Way before the boom of social media and online retailers, having a website was your best bet to have an online footprint. The number of online sites has grown by leaps and bounds ever since the internet was made public. Can you imagine that in 1992, there were only 10 websites on the internet and now that number has grown to about 2 billion as of today? That is a truly amazing feat!
However, there is a disconcerting trend about websites that we should discuss. While there are billions of sites nowadays, the number of active websites are just north of 170 million. This means that there is a massive chunk of websites that have no activity or are not even built yet.
A considerable part of this trend could be attributed to the rise of the above mentioned social media and large online resellers. Some companies feel that using these sites kills the purpose of having a business website. So they either stop updating and promoting their websites or not build one at all.
This is a huge mistake as a website is still extremely useful in today’s online market. Let’s explore the various reasons why not having a website can mean a death sentence for your business.
The Dangers of Not Having A Business Website
You Won’t Look Legitimate
Even if you have a social media profile, customers are still going to check if you have a website to just feel comfortable about your brand. This feeling of ease is especially true if you have a great looking site. Customers will just trust you more if you have a fully functioning website complete with updates.
I mean think about it, most consumers would like to know more about your brand before trusting you with their hard earned cash. Without a website, it is going to be difficult for them to check up on you.
You Will Get Left In The Dust When It Comes To Search
Google search is so important when it comes to online marketing. While it is still possible to be seen in Google even if you do not have a website (granted you are part of the local listings) you will really have to ask yourself as to where your customers will go once they click on you?
As I stated above, customers are leery in doing business with you if you do not have a website. Websites act as the main showroom for your business. Without that, your customers might check on your competitors who have a site and looks more credible than you.
Plus, websites with a lot of great content is still the best tool you can have to propel your SEO efforts. If your site has a rich content of blogs, videos, pictures, community, etc. then there is a more significant chance that Google will start ranking you higher. Without a website, it might be a bit tough to get that coveted top page result on Google.
Your Customers Won’t Pay Attention To You
If you have customers going on your website, chances are they are going to stay in there. When it comes to having your own site, other distractions won’t be much of an issue. Compare that to Facebook, where customers might go to your page only to see a paid ad that takes their attention away. Plus with all the games, messages, and updates hovering around, it might be a bit tough for your customer to focus on your brand.
And if you are banking on online retailers, well keep in mind that your competitors are probably there. Customers will see their products right next to yours. They will be able to compare prices, reviews, looks, much more than if they were on your website.
You Will Have A Much Less Effective Email Marketing
So, you do email marketing yet you do not have a website? Well, you better need to rethink that strategy. Because over 50 percent of email campaign responders go to that brand’s website. That’s a massive chunk of wasted customers!
So if you are thinking about doing email marketing, then think about creating a good website first!
You Are Missing a Low-Cost Advertising Opportunity
A website won’t cost you as much as let’s say a billboard or a TV spot. With proper SEO and a treasure trove of site content, having a website is as effective as traditional advertising.
Plus it can be a goldmine of valuable insight on your customers. Just use an analytics tool on your website. Find out what your customer likes, what they don’t, how much they spend on your site, etc.
You Can’t Rely on Social Media That Much
Social media has grown so much that it will be wrong for your brand not to have any presence there. However, relying on social media has its drawbacks. A big one is, what if social media starts changing their algorithms and rules and it directly affects your business? The answer is that there is not much you can do about it.
Remember the website Multiply? Well, it used to be big as an online marketplace. Years ago they shut down and was never seen again. Can you imagine if your whole livelihood was based on that site? You will have to do some massive restructuring, and all your marketing will have to restart somewhere else.
A website protects you from moments like this. When a social media site shuts down or changes some of its policy that affects your page. When that happens, your loyal customers will always have your website to go back to.
Your Online Branding Won’t Be As Effective
Even if you have an presence on all social media platforms, your branding will still seem incomplete without a website. It will be difficult to stand out in the crowd of social media pages as the interface remains the same for everyone.
Standing out is extremely important for businesses. That is why companies like McDonalds and Nike pay a lot to have unique store designs and packaging. A website allows you to show people what your brand is all about.
Don’t Turn Your Back On Your Business Website!
Creating a lasting online footprint for your brand is becoming easier and easier now that there are large platforms like social media and online resellers out there. However, as listed above, having a website is still essential in today’s online marketing landscape.
So don’t forget about your site! Give it some TLC, and fortify your branding on the web!
How to Get Amazing Reviews for Your Business
Nothing can bring a company to its knees than a lot of terrible reviews. Whether you are a small enterprise or a multinational conglomerate, a vast negative reputation will make you fear for your survival. Bad reviews can quickly turn into PR nightmares as well as risk throngs of potential customers turning away from you.
If you need some convincing then here is some food for thought. According to the website Telegraph, one out of every five companies in the UK is losing about 30,000 pounds a year because of bad reviews.
On the flip side, glowing reviews can turn your business into a sales engine. A single good review by the right individual can turn an upstart company into an overnight success. On a more positive note than our last examples, there are a lot of stories out there of great reviews rocketing companies to new heights.
I mean nearly all of us know a story or two about authors getting featured by Oprah, and suddenly their books fly off the shelves the very next day. Or how about those products going on “Shark Tank” and suddenly their websites lock up from all the orders after the episode airs.
Truth be told, old and new businesses strive through great word of mouth. Especially today, where one person’s opinion can be seen throughout the internet. So most companies today are willing to spend a lot just to get generally positive reviews on their websites and other affiliates.
Good reviews are not that hard to achieve if your companies can be consistent on a few things. However, before we go into any of that, it might be a good idea to find out the best places where your company can go to get those great reviews.
The Best Places For Great Business Reviews
Review Buzz– A great reviews resource site where you can post, search, and even get reviews. They also have a tool that allows business to manage their reviews
Yelp– One of the top review sites
Tripadvisor– The top site on reviews about the tourism industry
Amazon– The top site for product reviews
How To Build Amazing Reviews For Your Business
Nothing Beats Great Service
You can do all the tips below, but without great service, there is absolutely no way you will go far. If your customer, both existing and potential, ask you a question or file a complaint, then you should reply as quickly as you can. Why is this important? Well, a study from the website Dialogtech states that a whopping 59 percent of customers are more likely to buy from a company who answers them in under a minute.
But of course, merely answering quick isn’t the only requirement for excellent service. Your staff should be able to answer questions in a courteous, professional, and complete manner. They should also be trained well to answer all the questions about your product or service in a satisfactory way.
Don’t forget the follow-ups. Customers will be delighted to know that you care about them even after you have answered their questions or after they bought something from you.
Last but obviously not the least, deliver on your brand’s promises whether it is about product quality or timely deliveries.
Appreciate your fans
If you have loyal customers who give you great reviews, then don’t forget to provide them with a shout back. Maybe you can thank them through comments or even private messages. From time to time, you can choose random fans to give a small token from your side.
Here is a little nugget. According to Helpscout, feeling unappreciated is the number one reason customers turn away from a brand. So remember, keep buttering up those who are loyal to you!
Take care of the haters
There are always going to be negative reviews especially if your brand and service start reaching out to more and more people. This is attributed to the fact that customers who had bad experiences on a brand are 91 percent more likely to take some sort of action.
So what can you do? Well, for starters you can own up to your own mistakes and say politely on how you can improve on it next time.
If your negative review comes from an unreasonable customer, then politely tell your side of the story. The customer is not always right, but still, try to be respectful each chance that you get.
Lastly, don’t forget to thank your customers for taking the time to comment on your brand whether it is negative or positive.
Be visible across all platforms
If there is something that people hate, it is when stores are just so hard to reach. While a reply is critical, it is equally essential to be seen across multiple platforms. Customers have different ways to contact you, so you need to give them multiple access to your brand.
Make thriving social media pages since most customers will most likely be there. Have a dedicated hotline where customers can air their queries and complaints. Be ready to quickly answer emails and text messages. Put a chat app on your website so customers can interact with you while browsing on your site.
There are other places to be visible that might fit your brand correctly. Search for online communities or even try to create one.
Give Incentives
If you have a lot of loyal customers, then you might need to think more about giving them incentives to keep being loyal. We touched upon this subject a while back, but I feel like we really need to go in depth about this considering how important this is to creating an exceptional customer service experience. So here are some tips for great incentive ideas.
1. Discounts: This is the best way to reward loyal buyers. Try a cumulative discount for those who buy big or a good loyalty card plan. Nothing makes a consumer feel more special than getting something cheaper compared to others.
2. Give something for free: You know something better than discounts? Free items! Look for non or slow moving stocks from your store and think about giving it for free to loyal customers who buy a lot.
3. Invite customers to product trials or focus groups: Make your customer feel like they are part of your brand’s growth by inviting them to various events like product trials. Make them feel that their opinion matters and how highly you value them. Don’t forget to give them a small token of your appreciation on their way out!
Create Contests
Always strive to make your customers feel the fun! Spice up your brand’s image by making contests for your customers from time to time. Keep a few things in mind though like make the prize a little worthwhile and always tie that prize with your brand. I mean don’t use an iPhone as a prize if your brand deals with sporting goods.
Contests are fun, interactive, and can gain you new customers, while making the old ones feel appreciated.
Create Communities
Brands love it if they can create a cult-like following. I mean have you seen how people camp out of Apple stores every time a new phone comes out? Or how about those Harley motorcycle riders who have festivals and fun runs? Brands like those do well because they have incredibly passionate customers.
These phenomenon started by customers building communities. Nowadays, brands can speed this process up by creating online communities where like-minded customers can find each other. They will share tips and secrets as well as their experiences.
Once it gets bigger, you can start organizing location-based events for your customers. However, you must be involved in all of this. Have someone moderate the boards from your side who can personally interact with the community.
If you want a great example of a thriving brand community, check out the Playstation Gamer Community.
Be personal
Negative reviews won’t seem as bad if customers see a brand is humanized and is trying his/her best to give the best service possible. So always try to be personal in your responses rather than sounding like a robot or a bored customer service representative. If you have the staff to do that for you, train them on how to respond appropriately to queries and how to take care of negative feedback.
Not as Simple as Service With a Smile
Today’s customers are as demanding as ever. Creating a well thought out customer service plan can help build you an excellent reputation for your business. Keep in mind that a lot of customers rely on previous reviews when assessing your brand. But do a lot of things right, and your brand will be glowing with amazing reviews in no time!
