Why Your Business Needs to be Online

News flash! The internet has permanently changed the business world. Nowadays, it’s an imperative that your business can be found online. Without any web presence, you will miss out on some huge (HUGE) opportunities. Not only will your current customers be perplexed by your unwillingness to go digital but you will lose potential customers. If that’s not enough to harlem shake your world, here are five reasons your business needs to be online:

Expanded Audience

With traditional marketing, reaching a large audience can cost a pretty penny. However, with the internet, you can expand your brand to the farthest reaches in the world. There are an estimated 360 million people with access to the internet; can you name any other marketing techniques that can reach 360 million people?

Constant Availability

How great would it be if you could keep your business open 24/7 and not risk losing money in the process? Well, your in for a surprise, that’s exactly what the internet can do for you! Even if your business doesn’t sell a product, people can always contact you or learn about your services without waiting for normal business hours.

Build a Following

The internet is more than just another place to market your company, it’s a community. The biggest benefit is that you can socialize with your customers as if you are friends. As a result, you connect with your customers on an emotional level, which is more effective than any pamphlet or 30sec commercial. If you don’t take my word for it, the least you can do is listen to Maya Angelou who said “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Gather Information

Online tools make demographics research easy. Instead of fumbling around with questionnaires or some other archaic means of gathering data, the internet can track who your customers are, where they come from, determine your target audience and solidify your place in the market.

Stay Current

With a website you can always keep up-to-date; whether it be updating your inventory, maintaining accurate business information, sharing latest news or answering customer questions. While your business may not be open 24/7, your website is. So take advantage of the opportunity and broaden your business horizon with the internet.