Computers

[escapeplan]

To thrive, most businesses these days require a website...

Discuss!

[st33med]

Well yeah. You want businesses to have better access, you set up a website for your products and services.

[SnerpGoodWord]

Originally Posted by escapeplan

To thrive, most businesses these days require a website...

Discuss!

I would say the opposite and suggest that many thriving businesses are doing themselves a disservice by having a web site.

Discuss!

[Mounds]

Lol, fun.

Depends on the business. Were wholesale produce suppliers so a website would be of no benefit to us. We have our customers and were at max capacity.
For many other businesses, it makes perfect sense. If I have wares to sell and I want to expand beyond the local market, a website is a good place to start.
However, a website should not act as padding between you and the consumer. I would be contacting prospects way before I set up a website, not the other way around. Same goes for Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, even blogs. Contact some prospects, sell something, then get going on your online presence.

-Tim

[SatvikBeri]

I tend to agree with Snerp. Some businesses benefit a lot from a website, but for a lot of them the return on investment is just not worth it. The assumption that "Website = necessary" is a bad one, similar to "Social Media = necessary" (although more businesses benefit from websites than Twitter).

[escapeplan]

So do MOST businesses these days require a website to thrive?

[Angela]

How many thriving businesses do you personally know that don't have a website?

For those that don't, do you believe that a website would not increase business at all?

[LostMyMap]

Originally Posted by escapeplan

To thrive, most businesses these days require a website...

Discuss!

Every legitimate business can benefit from a web site. You at least want a corporate identity site. Who we are, what we do, where we are, how to contact us. My observation is that people use the Internet like they used the phone book a few years ago. So you want to be there so you can be found.

A simple web site is not expensive, so the ROI is easy to achieve quickly.

So 'required to thrive'? No. I know thriving businesses that don't have a site (yet). Useful, beneficial, yes.

I do think Twitter is a complete waste of time.

[LostMyMap]

Originally Posted by Angela

How many thriving businesses do you personally know that don't have a website?

For those that don't, do you believe that a website would not increase business at all?

My brother has a concrete contracting business, with no web site. They thrive on doing great work and having a good reputation (shocking isn't it?).

I do think if they had a site, they would be found by more potential customers who don't know them yet. And if the site had testimonials/recommendations from existing clients, so much the better.

[escapeplan]

So does a website always add value to the consumer?

[SnerpGoodWord]

Originally Posted by Angela

How many thriving businesses do you personally know that don't have a website?

For those that don't, do you believe that a website would not increase business at all?

I know of plenty - certainly 20+. Probably far more than that if I started making a list.

Unless you have something to sell online, a need to present bulk text information (like manuals or investor relations info), or a desire to be found by a particular type of searcher a website probably isn't going to do you any good. I suppose a page that's an online business card - simply the company's name and contact info - can be useful in case people lose track of how to contact you.

But there are many, many private businesses that would get no benefit whatsoever from a website.

[SnerpGoodWord]

Originally Posted by LostMyMap

I do think if they had a site, they would be found by more potential customers who don't know them yet. And if the site had testimonials/recommendations from existing clients, so much the better.

I have a hard time imagining very many people find a contractor based on searching for their website. Everyone I know asks around since you need to get some idea of the quality of work you can expect expect. Testimonials are a waste - in fact, most people are intensely allergic to them in my experience.

[moonrambler]

I've noticed a lot of restaurants don't have a website. They might attract more business by putting a menu online, which is what I tend to look for.

[Angela]

As LostMyMap noted, I use the Internet like a yellowpages, if I'm interested in a service or product I'd like to investigate online. If they're not online, they won't be in my awareness as viable providers unless they're so incredibly awesome that they've got ultra-dynamic word of mouth. And someone who is generous enough to provide online information, pricing, free stuff, telling me about who the people are and what their mission is (that can influence me tremendously), etc., is going to be higher in my estimation of initial value provided, so they have a big edge in getting my business -- again, unless they've got ultra-dynamic word of mouth.

I think there's a tendency, too, for non-web-present businesses, generally, to be seen as out of touch.

[James81]

It's not a requirement, but it's damn smart of you to have a webpage if you're in business.

I literally cannot see how HAVING a web page could hurt a business in any way, but I can see how not having one could potentially hurt it. Note, a business doesn't need a webpage to thrive, but why the heck wouldn't you make *something* for your business when you know that pretty much only positive benefits can come from doing so?

[escapeplan]

So should a website present your company/ business in the best light possible? If making a website has the potenial to add value, does it make sense to provide your clients with the best site yo can?

[Angela]

Originally Posted by escapeplan

So should a website present your company/ business in the best light possible? If making a website has the potenial to add value, does it make sense to provide your clients with the best site yo can?

I think there may be a point of diminishing returns. With a restaurant, I just want to see menus and get an idea of the style/ambience. With a service provider or non-profit, I'd like to see a little more about who they are. From a manufacturer or retailer, I want to know more about the product. And from an artist or craftsman, I would want to see creativity shine through.

[escapeplan]

Originally Posted by Angela

I think there may be a point of diminishing returns. With a restaurant, I just want to see menus and get an idea of the style/ambience. With a service provider or non-profit, I'd like to see a little more about who they are. From a manufacturer or retailer, I want to know more about the product. And from an artist or craftsman, I would want to see creativity shine through.

Sure, I think a lot of people use a website for this. But advertisers often know the right buttons to press when it comes to selling (like just where to place that cake picture on the menu!)

[Angela]

Originally Posted by escapeplan

Sure, I think a lot of people use a website for this. But advertisers often know the right buttons to press when it comes to selling (like just where to place that cake picture on the menu!)

I'm not sure how this "but" relates to what I was saying.

[escapeplan]

Originally Posted by Angela

I'm not sure how this "but" relates to what I was saying.

Neither do I really! I think I'm just asking whether a website should be the best "shop window display" that you can create for a business (which is after all trying to sell things)

[moonrambler]

Originally Posted by James81

I literally cannot see how HAVING a web page could hurt a business in any way, but I can see how not having one could potentially hurt it.

If the website's really horrible, that could hurt the business.

I can give all kinds of examples of something a restaurant could do wrong on its website that might stop me from going there

[Angela]

Originally Posted by moonrambler

If the website's really horrible, that could hurt the business.

I can give all kinds of examples of something a restaurant could do wrong on its website that might stop me from going there

Like these?

10 Menu Mistakes that Will Crack You Up | Travel Blog - Tripbase

[James81]

BTW, I thought I'd throw this out there. I have become quite adept at building websites using wordpress. (I have some experience with Frontpage and Dreamweaver as well)

I've done so damn many of them for myself (uninstalling and reinstalling and creating different webiste pages with separate installations of wordpress) that I've gotten pretty good at throwing together those kind of sites. I also have some experience with phpbb and vbulletin (installing and maintaining them).

So, if any of you fine people who are resisting building a webpage for your business want to outsource that idea to someone else, shoot me a PM and we'll set up a price and I'll go to work for you.

(See the website in my sig for an example of a website that I've put together...mine. )

[escapeplan]

Good one James- in case you're wondering - no I don't want one.

I started this thread after a conversation with Angela and am trying to figure out three things...

1) SBI- why is it so popular if one should aim for the best shop window they can get?

2) (and more importantly) - how does spending time building any site or doing anything that takes time like accounting benefit your business when, like you said it can be outsourced? There just seems a conflict between the concept of building a website and following a passion. Both ideas seem popular on the forum.

3) We talk about providing value- is a website a necessary requirement for that value delivery and if so how? Is it as simple as providing value or are other factors at play in building a business. (I sometimes get frustrated at how simple business is made to sound on this forum)

[moonrambler]

Originally Posted by Angela

Like these?

10 Menu Mistakes that Will Crack You Up | Travel Blog - Tripbase

Yep, there ya go!

Even before I clicked on it, I was thinking how it's always Asian menus that have seriously goofy spellings and weird errors.

What I was originally thinking about in regard to imaginary restaurant websites that could be a potential turn-off, would be one of those ads that appears and obscures the web copy, that you have to click off before you can see the website, or maybe some religious or political commentary (particularly if I disagree with it).

[SnerpGoodWord]

Originally Posted by James81

I literally cannot see how HAVING a web page could hurt a business in any way...

Have you considered time, hosting costs, domain registration hassles, spam targeted at the email addresses provided, weak leads generated by the site etc?

[James81]

Originally Posted by escapeplan

Good one James- in case you're wondering - no I don't want one.

I started this thread after a conversation with Angela and am trying to figure out three things...

1) SBI- why is it so popular if one should aim for the best shop window they can get?

2) (and more importantly) - how does spending time building any site or doing anything that takes time like accounting benefit your business when, like you said it can be outsourced? There just seems a conflict between the concept of building a website and following a passion. Both ideas seem popular on the forum.

3) We talk about providing value- is a website a necessary requirement for that value delivery and if so how? Is it as simple as providing value or are other factors at play in building a business. (I sometimes get frustrated at how simple business is made to sound on this forum)

The thing that might help you here is that the tendency on these forums is to manage things at their basest state...that is, in root form...(I'm talking about beliefs here, in case you are wondering)

So, instead of looking at a problem and giving a more practical solution and just fixing that one problem, we like to move up the chain to find the limiting belief that's behind the problem and, when resolved, shakes down and fixes more than just the problem at hand, but a whole host of other problems that that limiting belief has had it's hand in.

In other words...if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him to be a fisherman, you feed him for a lifetime.

What you view as "simple," I view as extremely valuable because it's teaching people how to create for themselves, rather than rely on mere practicality for one specific issue.

That being said:

1. SBI is popular around here because Steve highly recommends it, and Steve has developed a certain amount of trust from his readers in that he has provided them with incredible amounts of value. So, if someone who can provide that value recommends something, it holds weight. Plus, it's a great starter tool for the absolute beginner. Not just in building a website, but marketing it and monetizing it as well.

2. To me it depends on how much enjoyment I get out of a particular job. For example, building a website (the mechanics of putting a website together) is something I really enjoy, so I do all that work myself. If I didn't enjoy it, I would outsource it.

3. It's not necessary...no. But it's kind of a no-brainer because there is very little downside to having a website, but there are many downsides to NOT having a website (see Angela's replies for some examples).

[stewartM]

Hosting cost are negligable for a small business, domain registration hastles I don't know what you mean by that, it is a very easy thing to register a domain, spam is easily handled, time is an issue (and getting it right), as for weak leads...non of these leads will be available if one don't have a website..

[SnerpGoodWord]

Originally Posted by stewartM

Hosting cost are negligable for a small business, domain registration hastles I don't know what you mean by that, it is a very easy thing to register a domain, spam is easily handled, time is an issue (and getting it right), as for weak leads...non of these leads will be available if one don't have a website..

You're missing the point. I guess that's not surprising, since this site seems to view e-books as the pinnacle of business. But consider this scenario:

Suppose I'm a concrete paving firm - I pave concrete roads. I get my work by tracking the municipal and state contract/bid process and submitting bids. I don't do driveways, patios, parking lots, basketball courts or any other type of concrete work - my machines are designed for roads, and there isn't so much as a single mile of private concrete road in the entire state.

Now, what's a website going to do for me? Nada. The people who need to contact me have my number and email address from my bid or the state contractor DB. Any private "lead" that finds me via the web will have a job I don't want. All a website can do is cost me money and waste my time and direct spam my way.

[Angela]

Of course there are exceptions, Snerp, and perhaps your business is one of them. Generally, I think, the people who participate here in the forums have businesses or desire income streams that involve attracting customers in less specialized ways -- ways that would mostly benefit from having a web presence.