It is the 5-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and just a few weeks since the BP well stopped spewing oil into the Gulf. We are still at war in Iraq, in the midst of a recession, and this morning, my son’s Scientific American caught my eye with the words “the end” on the cover. Trying to shake off a slight bout of depression, I opened my emails to find one from a well-meaning friend stating how bottled water, that had warmed in the car, would give me breast cancer. It’s enough to make you take to your bed.
But the majority of us do not. The people of New Orleans continue to rebuild with conviction and strength that rivals superheroes. Gulf fishermen are back on the water hard at work despite months of missed pay. Our young people remain fighting overseas with the dream of restoring peace. We work to pay the bills, create new business, invent the next great thing and continue striving to find “the cure”. Scientific American’s learned authors may tell us that the world will inevitably come to an end but their staff is smart enough to use catchy headlines and anything else in their bag of marketing tricks to sell their publication until that day comes.
And I sit at my desk, writing my Free Range Friday blog. One of my particular favorites because instead of writing about the importance of websites and corporate branding, Friday blogs are about whatever subject I choose. (100% ego driven and quite possibly only interesting to me.) But with every entry, there is the hope that someone out in cyberspace will find it worth the read.
We are pretty amazing animals. Despite our inescapable demise, we keep pushing forward, whether it takes faith, a competitive nature or even a healthy dose of delusion.
The End?
Should Every Business Have A Website?
For months I’ve been blogging about how all businesses, large or small, needs a website. I’ve written it so often; I was starting to annoy myself. Recently I’ve had a change of heart. I see allot of websites in this business and it has become painfully clear that many companies would be better off without them.
What I’m trying to say is if you don’t recognize the importance of a website as a major marketing tool and the effects of what it projects to site visitors, maybe you shouldn’t have one. Business websites should be done well or not at all.
Most people are beginning their search for products and services on the Internet. My 76-year-old father is far from web savvy but when he needs a plumber, he finds it easier to punch “plumbers” and his zip code into a Google search than to look through the phone book. Even if a business is referred by word of mouth from a satisfied customer, most consumers will check the companies website to do a bit of research of their own before initial contact.
The ultimate goal of a website is to attract customers, not to fend them off. Having your business information and/or products on the Internet is imperative but how is it presented could mean the difference between gaining or losing new customers. The best websites are, visually attractive, clear in statement and purpose, uncomplicated navigation, and have a call to action. They also need to be found easily in Internet searches. It may not be brain surgery but it’s no simple task all the same. Hire a specialist. It is a small investment that can have huge returns.
You cannot represent yourself as a serious professional with an unprofessional website. Business sites should not look like a home crafts project and do not need to be flashy or noisy. These qualities may cause site visitors to stop and stare in horror; they might even be amused for a moment, but as far as them choosing to do business with such a company, probably not.