13 Reasons Why You Still Need A Website

"I have a Places Page, I don't need a site anymore."

 13 Reasons Why You Still Need A Website

Here is a list of reasons why a website is more than needed in today's business world considering a strong turn toward Social Media and Business Directory Listings.

 Here we go...

13. Control Your Stuff!

Build relationships harnessing only the Social Medias and put yourself on the map with Google Places. Cut out anything in your marketing plan that costs money and connect with thousands for free to spread your business message.  It sounds like a great idea.  What could possibly go wrong, right? The fact is, you only have as much control as what companies like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn allow you.  For example, Facebook could decided to opt-out of their Business Fan Pages altogether, Google's Business Listings could decide to shut down completely and LinkedIn could retool in the form of a Craig's List site.  Now where is your strategy?  Having a website means you can control what happens to it and in it, and you own it (in most cases).

12. Brand Yourself

Though Facebook, Twitter and to some extent LinkedIn allow some form of customization to their pages, none allow you to fully break the cookie cutter template to look different from "the other guys".  With your own site, you can have a website designer customize it to match your brand to a T.  Tell your story about who you are and what you do.  Stand Out!

11. Competitive

Sure, you're competition is more than likely on Facebook and has a Google Business Listing page but more than likely they also have a website as part of their marketing strategy, to help complete the sales cycle (more on sales later).  Not having a website is like wining and dining your client but stopping short of actually getting the business out of it!

10. About the Company, the Full Story

We wont get the big picture reading about your company's brief history on LinkedIn.  That's what your website is for, fleshing out the whole picture and presenting it as you intended.  Don't let the cookie cutter forms control what you're supposed to say or how much.  Put your full story out there.

9. Something to Point To

How professional do you look pointing prospects to a Fan Page?  Not very.  Wow us by pointing to that sleek website of yours that will blow our minds.  Look legit, creditable and official.

8. Somewhere For Others to Link To

Build on those links. Let your fans bookmark your website then they can forward without cringing at a mile long LinkedIn address. Truth is, people are more likely click on a address if it is short and concise.

7. Email Collecting

Your site is probably the best mechanism to collect emails for marketing purposes.  Email marketing is a personal form of contact with your customers.  Provide opt-ins for E-newsletters and other promotions.

6. Put Out Those Fires

Have a customer from hell who seems to spend every waking hour flaming your reputation?  Set the record straight via your website's news or blog.  Twitter's 140 characters just won't cut it and I would hate to see you try to cram all that in.

5. Relationship Builder

Social Media is a great tool to start new relationships, nurture them and move them to your community on your  web site.  Without a website, you're simply stirring things up with nowhere to transplant your followers to.

4. What They Want

Your website should be the answer to all your customer questions, a one-stop-shop for all things you and the place where you address your customers directly.  Spoil us.

3. Establish Yourself as the Pro

Social Media is great for spreading tidbits of information but the whole point again is to convert your followers over to your real community, the one on your website.

2. Analyze This

While there are analytics for the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Merchant Circle, they pale in comparison to Google's Analytic service.  Draw people back to your website to get the clear picture what they're doing and how they are reacting.  This can help fine tune how you are communicating with them.

1. Sell

On Social Media and Business Listing pages you wine and dine your viewers but on your website is where they'll find the dotted line.  Social Media is a great tool for marketing but by not having a site you have no way to fully convert your followers into customers.

 

I hope this helps shed some light on why your website is relevant and why Social Media and Business Listings should be considered a tool to help drive business your way.  Social Media and Business Listings are very important but don't neglect the most important piece of the sales cycle, your website.

Thank you for your time!