So you have a brick and mortar business, and the question is: should your offline business be online?
The short answer is:
YES.
I could end this blog post right there, but I’m sure you’d like me to give you the reasons why I think this.
In today’s technological age, the majority of business is now done online. I’m not talking about retail shopping online, although that has grown exponentially because of the pandemic.
Recent surveys show that COVID-19 has changed online shopping, and it’s unlikely this trend will reverse. This isn’t just people going online to buy a new pair of shoes, a case of wine or their groceries because now people are using the internet for all sorts of things
Education is one such industry. Online courses have become very popular as people started looking to use their time to learn something new during lockdowns. Now it’s a norm, and one can learn anything from languages, how to create a sustainable future to communicating with vulnerable children. The courses are endless.
Then there is social media. What did we ever do before that beast arrived on the scene? We all have smartphones (except some smart people who choose to keep the old flip-top), which means we have access to the internet 24/7.
Now with this ability, if someone wants to find a new hairdresser, a gardener, a plumber, a tinker, a tailor, or a candlestick maker… you get the drift.
I know myself when I want something, the first thing I do is go and search my city to see what’s on offer. Using the internet like the old paper yellow pages, I go exploring for the product or service I need. When I find the business listing, I look for their website to discover what their services are, what their charges will be and what else they can offer.
If there is no website (or it’s minimal) – I MOVE ON!
I recently came across a post on Instagram showing a beautiful photo of a food platter. It gave the message that the woman could make this or personalised platters for me. They looked terrific, so I clicked into her profile to find out more. Nothing! Zilch! No website, not even an email address, I could not find any further information. She lost business that day.
Having an online presence is imperative to bring you more business. Just having a Facebook page is not enough anymore. Often, business owners haven’t got a clue how to even structure or enhance their page for their visitors.
A website gives an excellent way to ‘advertise’ your services, offer advice, and show off visually what you do all in one place. A well-built website draws the customer in and does the work the old fashioned paper advertisement used to do. It gives a potential customer a reason to come to your bricks and mortar establishment.
If you’re not online, you will be losing business; there is no doubt about that. And if you do have a website, make sure to keep it current.
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