In these days of intense competition, if you haven't got a website for your business, have you really got a business?

It's increasingly becoming the case that whatever business you happen to be in, you really do need a website to be able to stay ahead of your competition, or at least to be able to compete on a level playing field with them.

Many business owners still suffer from what I call 'Stone Age Thinking' whenever the topic of having a website to promote their business is mentioned. "Why do I need a website?" they ask, " How will it help my business?"

Perhaps a more realistic question would be, "What if I don't have a website for my business?"

The best way to answer that may be to show you why your competitors who DO own a website will be stealing your business right from under your nose!

*Potential customers are searching for local businesses and services online.

That may be a a hairdressing salon, a butcher, an accountant, a local bar, a restaurant, a nightclub, a a plumber, a carpenter, an electrician, a swimming pool maintenance firm, a shoe shop, a jewellers, a furniture store, a dress shop, etc. The list goes on and on and if you don't have a website for your business and your competitors do have one, guess where the money is going to be spent?

**When you have a website for your business, you are open even when you are closed!

Whilst your actual business opening hours may only be 9-5 let's say, your website continues working for you 24 hours a day. It's like having your very own salesman working around the clock for you! Remember, just because you are closed doesn't mean that people aren't going online and trying to find a business or service just like yours. They can often be searching after they have finished work for the day, or late at night or on a weekend. They are deciding who to shop with, whose service to use and they are deciding where to spend their money. They are making that buying decision by visiting your competitors website, because you don't have one yet!

***All businesses need to promote themselves by advertising. Correct or not?

Their are two types of business, those that invest in advertising to promote their business and those that lose potential business to their competitors!

Well, here's the rub. Your competitors who DO have a website for their business are grabbing double the benefit from every cent they spend on their advertising. Why? Because every time they place an advertisement in a local newspaper, or magazine or yellow pages etc they can mention their website right there in every ad they place!

That obviously means that readers can read the advert and then go and visit your competitors website and get all the extra information they need. So your competitors get two shots at the same target audience, once from the newspaper or magazine ad and then again from their website, while you're left trailing in their dust because you didn't have a website where you could answer all your buyers questions, show them pictures etc.

****Your competitors are putting forward a professional front.

Potential customers will have more confidence in and will prefer doing business with companies that they feel comfortable with. In other words, those companies that present a professional image are likely to come pretty high on a customers list.

With your own website you can keep potential customers informed about the latest products and services you offer, the new menu you have, the latest discount you are offering, your newest line, or just explain to them in as much detail as you want why they should do business with you and not your competitor. You can show them pictures or even talk to them via a video on your site!

As I said at the beginning of this article, "In these days of fierce competition, if you haven't got a website for your business, you haven't really got a business!" - So get your business out of the dark ages and stop letting your competitors steal your potential customers right from under your nose!