Does Your Business Really Need A Website?

Website, website, website, everyone says you need one. Butdo you really? It all depends. It depends on your market,business objectives, and even your comfort level and if youare willing to step outside of it.

If your customers live and work within a few miles of yourbrick and mortar business or home based business, you mightnot need one.

If you don"t have any plans to grow your business, you mightnot need one.

If you"re in denial and choose not to see that change isgoing to occur with or without you, then you might not needone.

If your community is small enough that you know everyone bytheir first name or can pass through the town in 30 secondsand you have enough business, then you might not need awebsite.

If you"re comfortable where you are and don"t want to changeanything, maybe you might not need one.

Fact: Change is inevitable. It is the only certainty,besides death, we all know is going to occur.

Fact: The Internet, as a communication media, is here tostay - at least throughout the next few generations. Yes, itwill evolve, just like televisions went from black and whiteto color, and now to flat screen. Just as dial up went toDSL and now wireless.

Fact: If you aren"t spending any money to advertise yourbusiness, it"s going to cost you to have a website. How muchdepends on your needs, skills, and other "who"s and "what"s.

There are more pros than cons when it comes to having awebsite. Below is a quick list of some of those truths. Butbefore I present them, let me mention there are three basicsto creating a business presence, whether handing out flyers,posting ads, turning on your neon light, or setting up awebsite. They are: (1) patience, (2) baby steps, and (3)having a plan even if it only includes the first few steps.

Truth: An Internet business presence allows small businessesto compete with the big guys.

Truth: A website is the most cost-effective way to advertiseyour services or products.

Truth: Every year there is a huge increase in the number ofpeople fulfilling their needs with information from theInternet.

Truth: The Net is open 24/7, 365 days a year to match

consumer"s schedules. Millions of people turn on theircomputer every day to find thousands of dollars transferredto their bank account from orders placed while they wereasleep, at a meeting, or getting a tan in a salon or theBahamas.

There are hundreds of truths on why and how your businesscan expand with a presence on the Internet. However, awebsite boils down to your choice. People can explain thepros and cons until they are blue in the face. You canconjure up tons of excuses, fears, or reasons why not to.The bottom line is, "Are they the truth?" The answer is,"Most likely not."

(c) Copyright 2004, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.

Catherine Franz, a Business Coach, specializes in for-profitnonfiction writing, marketing, and product development.Newsletters, articles, forms, and other information businessdevelopment, marketing success, writing, and laws ofattraction are available at: http://www.abundancecenter.comblog: http://abundance.blogs.com