Take your business to the web: The bitter truth

Supposing you have a successful offline business, but no website to support it, you have probably considered building one. Some people may even be chiding you because you have not done so. Despite what you may have heard or others tell you, there is only one valid reason for building a website and that is to increase profits.

To build a site simply to have one, to be able to add name.com to the bottom of your stationery and business cards has a big potential for disaster. I know of two men who went into negotiations: $500/hour types. Successful by any definition you care to apply.

 They decided they needed a web presence. Well, they have one now. And they have name.com written every place they can find to put it. One page contains dynamite links, but they are not annotated, so most visitors won't know where they lead. Another page contains an excellent article; others were planned but never finished. The home page is a disaster because it lacks any kind of impact.

The site is static; there have been no changes in many months. Email is not answered. These men are not only kidding themselves about having a web presence, they are literally killing off potential business. Clearly they know nothing of the Web.

The catch is, some of their potential clients do. If one such person stumbles onto this site, these fellows will be totally written off. The same will happen if someone types in the URL from one of their embossed business cards. Alright you say, but I would take a better approach.

 Even so, you cannot improve your offline business with a website unless it adds to profits. No matter how beautiful the art work, how great the content, the site will be useless unless its purpose is to expand your business. Until you can find a way to profit from a site, don't even think of putting one up.

 Building and maintaining a good website is a lot of work and takes a lot of time. Anything less than good will hurt you, instead of helping. So if you can afford the time, without hurting your business, or can afford to hire

someone to build and maintain it, then a website is a possibility.

 But it is only a possibility. If you want a website because others have one or you want to have a Web presence, then forget it. Right out of the chute your site must be clearly defined and focused on increasing profits.

If you are not clear on this point, use your favourite search engine to find businesses similar to yours. You will likely find some sites that are not making an extra dime. When you find one that look profitable, consider how you might apply what they are doing to a site of your own.

 This must be the focus of your thinking. If you decide a website can bring more profit, over and above costs in dollars and in naira or time, go for it. Otherwise leave it to others to waste their time and money foolishly.

This is an advice from a sincere heart. Have a nice day.