| Launching a website for the first time can be a big | | | | about special offers or opportunities to buy. This |
| step. It's important to get it right. However, with the | | | | makes you appear current, and gives you a cost |
| right web design and the right content, your website | | | | effective channel through which to advertise on a |
| can very soon start to pay for itself. | | | | very regular basis. |
| Here are five great ways in which your website can | | | | 4. Basis for all advertising. |
| generate a return on investment: | | | | Once you have a website, you can easily put all of |
| 1. People can find you. | | | | your advertising content on your site - to back up |
| These days, customers do their research on the | | | | any offline promotions. You can use other channels |
| web. If you're there, customers are more likely to | | | | to encourage interest, and then put all the detail |
| find you - especially if you advertise with the right | | | | that's required on your website at very minimal cost. |
| directories, optimise your website for search engines | | | | This saves you money in producing costly mail-drops |
| (SEO) and practice some cost-effective online | | | | or multi-page print brochures, or in making extensive |
| marketing (SEM). The more leads you have, the | | | | follow-up calls. |
| more potential customers, and the more potential | | | | 5. Customer service centre. |
| sales you will make. | | | | Your website is available (or should be) 24/7. This |
| 2. Qualified leads. | | | | means that if a customer has a question about |
| Once your customer has visited your website, they | | | | something, they can go straight to your website any |
| are more likely to know whether or not they want | | | | time of the day or night - without calling you or your |
| your products or services - and can therefore | | | | customer service teams. This obviously lowers your |
| approach you as a pre-qualified lead. This reduces the | | | | staffing burden quite significantly. |
| burden on your sales team and means that you have | | | | However there is, of course, somewhat of an art to |
| a greater likelihood of selling to this customer base. | | | | ensuring your website is an effective sales channel - |
| 3. Inexpensive advertising. | | | | and that it delivers return on investment. You need a |
| Once your website template exists - and provided | | | | sound navigation structure, quality web design and |
| you have an in-built content management system - it | | | | branding, and an appropriate content management |
| should be very easy for you to publish content on | | | | solution. You need to ensure that these elements are |
| your website on a regular basis. This can help you | | | | carefully balanced with your business objectives - and |
| promote new products or services as soon as they | | | | that you're not investing in wasted functionality or |
| are released - or communicate with your customers | | | | features that you won't use. |