Is Your Small Business Ready for the Web?
Are you a small business owner? Do you run a local business which services local customers only? Have you wondered what the Web can do for your small business? After all, it is the WORLD Wide Web. That's a big marketplace, and I'm just a little guy, right?
Success on the Internet is not just about "putting up a website". It's about building an effective online marketing solution.
There are millions of commercial websites out there, but in fact a very small percentage of them get found in the search engines and actually achieve their objective, if indeed they had one at all!
If you run a small or local business, or intend to, a website is really nothing more than a sales tool. It either makes the sale or it doesn't.
But have you ever noticed how good sales people don't beat you about the head to get the sale? Instead, they inform and educate you. They get to know your needs and match those needs to their products.They provide solutions to problems. If you want your website to succeed it must do the same.
Are you planning to build your own website or employ a website designer or developer to do it for you?
Why do you want a website?
A lot of business people decide to get themselves a website for all the wrong reasons - it's cool, it's hip, everyone else has one, and they're tired of people asking "what's your Web address?".
They don't ask themselves "what is the real benefit of being on the Web?", and "how will this website contribute to our bottom line?"
What is the real reason for going online?
You Must Have an Objective
Before you start planning your site you must decide what the objective of your site will be. Without an objective, your website will end up being just another me-too "brochure" style site that no-one ever visits. Decide what you want your website to achieve. Is it a direct sale, a sales enquiry, to print a discount coupon to be presented at your bricks & mortar store, or maybe capture an email address with a newsletter subscription?
Once you have set your objective you can go about creating a site that will lead your visitor to achieve that objective. Don't overlook this first step. It's crucial. How many websites have you visited where the only message conveyed was "this is what we do", but you were left wondering "well, that's fine, but how will you help ME?"
Without an objective you can't lead your visitor down your carefully planned path and get them to do what you want them to do. Ken Evoy, in his book Make Your Site Sell, calls this your Most Wanted Response.
Of course there will be secondary, or back-up responses, but your goal is the get your MWR.
Got your objective?
Good! Time to start doing a little research on the marketplace you are about to jump into. Your business may be small, and locally based, but you are about to enter a global marketplace.
And it's HUGE!
You've no doubt read those statistics on how many new websites are created every day.
How will your little site compete?
Start by thinking about what search terms a potential customer would enter into a search engine to find information that is related to your business.
Remember, your potential customers are NOT looking for you. Most of the time they are looking for information, and solutions to problems. You need to get your business in front of these information-seekers, give them the information they are looking for and then offer them your products or services as solutions to their problems.
Occasionally, web users look for very specific products or services. For example, a person who searches for "best deal Nikon Coolpix 3700" knows exactly what she wants and is ready to buy. You can target these potential customers quite easily.
But a search for "product reviews digital cameras" was made by an information-seeker. They are not interested in how great your digital camera store is.... yet. Their mindset is - research. They want answers first.
Got your list of search terms? Go to Google and enter them in the search box.
See up the top where it says "Results 1 - 10 of about..." This is how many web pages matched your search words. How many page matches were there?
How to Create a Small Business Website?
Are you confused about exactly how to create an effective & affordable website for your small business?
Have you been searching for a small business website designer who understands that their job is not just to create a website, but to help you make money?
Would you like to create your own website. One that actually contributes to the bottom line of your small business?
Are you tired of listening to website designers and web hosting providers babble on about HTML, JavaScript, PERL, CGI and other techno mumbo jumbo?
Hey, you just want to create a website that delivers PROFITS, right?
Whether your business is located in Sydney or San Diego, New York or Dallas, Toronto or London, you need to create a website that gets results!
My name is Steve Pronger and I've been helping small business owners and Internet entrepreneurs world wide achieve online success. People just like you!
Create Your Own Small Business Website
And here's the thing, you don't actually need a website designer. That's right, you CAN do this yourself! With the tools and resources on Web Business Solutions I will show you how to create a website that will add value to your business. Not just a web presence, but a complete online marketing solution. You will learn how to:
Steps to do
Research the market you are about to enter.
Find keywords that thousands of people world wide use to find your products or services.
Create a website that ranks highly in the search engines and delivers thousands of targeted visitors to your site.
Then, use affiliate marketing to build your own profitable web business, even if you don't have your own products or services to sell
Promote your site online and offline
Where Do You Start?
On Web Business Solutions you will find tools, resources, articles, reviews and services to get your web business up and running. A great place to start is with my free guide: Put Your Business on the Web - the RIGHT Way!
You can download the guide as a PDF for easy printing or read online. No e-mail address or personal details required!
Start Your Own Online Business
Thinking of starting your own online business but don't know where to start? Perhaps you have your own products or services to sell. Or perhaps not. Did you know a website can make money without ever selling a thing?
Either way, I can show you how thousands and thousands of people around the world build profitable online businesses. It's certainly not easy. It's not GRQ (Get Rich Quick). It doesn't involve schemes, scams, "recruiting" or "down lines". But it does involve passion (yours) and a willingness to learn, work hard and succeed.
Better Search Engine Ranking
A vital aspect of creating a successful web business is mastering the search engines and achieving better search engine rankings.
You might have a great product or service, and a professional, high-converting website, but you'll be spinning your wheels if you don't get found!
SEO or Search Engine Optimisation isn't the great mystery that many would have you believe. It all comes down to creating unique and relevant content and delivering that content the way the search engines prefer.
As a Search Engine Optimisation expert working in the trenches for an SEO Sydney company, I'll help you understand search engine marketing such as hotel online marketing and hotel website design & SEO. I'll also keep you up to date with SEO Google tips & techniques, find the best SEO experts & consultants and other SEO resources.
Web Design, SEO & Online Marketing Resources
My recommended SEO & web design resources is where you will find tools and resources that I have found to be beneficial in my own online business.
You will find resources that I have personally tested and show a positive return on investment. In other words, I use them and they work!
At my Web Business Solutions Blog you'll find news & views, tools & tips on Website builders, SEO and online marketing.
Build Your Own Website
While there are many great website designers and web design companies out there (and some not so great) almost all of them are focused on building you a great looking, perfectly functioning, standards compliant website, NOT helping you build an online business!
Why?
They forget about search engine visibility, traffic and converting visitors to customers. They help you create shopping carts and payment solutions but not how to get lots of targeted visitors to your site and get them to buy! Their job is to build you a website, not build your business.
Create a Website that Gets Results
Perhaps you've decided to create a website using an online website builder or WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) website design software. These DIY website builders require no programming skills and are quick and easy to use. Unfortunately most of the sites built with them suffer the same affliction as those built by many web designers and web design companies. They produce a great looking website, but...
No Traffic - No Sales!
But, don't despair. I have some good news!
There are some website builders that I'm proud to use and recommend. Why?
They are based on the philosophy of building a business, not just a website
They have built-in traffic generating tools and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
You do not need any programming skills to use them - no HTML coding required - no website designer or web development company required
You build and manage the site yourself - trust me, there is a great deal of satisfaction in building your own successful web business
End of "business hosting small web" guide
About Me
Before we get started you're probably saying to yourself "who is this clown and does he really know what he is talking about?" Fair question. Since leaving my full-time job around 9 years ago I have been working from home building websites for clients around the world, as well as my own income-producing sites.My business is helping small and local business owners build profitable web businesses. In other words, help small business owners make money, not just make a website.
You should read this "business hosting small web" guide also.
