You've decided to start a business. You saw that gap in the market and knew you had the right product or service to fill it. So now you need to tell people about it. With online advertising spend now greater than any other medium, having an online presence is more important than ever.
A website, along with the accompanying services like internet connection and email should certainly appear in your business plan - even if you're not planning to sell your products or service online. For most new start-ups however a website can seem like a high-cost, time consuming exercise.
The importance to small business owners of ensuring that they have a fully functioning website has been highlighted by recent data showing that over half of British online adults say they are transacting more online in 2009 due to the current economic climate.
Having a web presence is vital for many reasons; it can offer your business more credibility, it gives your customers a point of contact and ensures you are available for enquiries 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and it provides a medium to communicate with your customers about the latest news and offers. And, most importantly, with more than 18.3m households in the UK (70%) now with internet access, you can be sure that it will be the first place people will look to find your business.
Most potential customers will search for you on the internet, be it to buy something from you or to simply check you out and find out what you offer. So ask yourself one question - why would you not want these people to have access to your product or service? Your competitors will certainly be online. But if they're not, well that's great news for you, because you'll be one step ahead.
So how do you go about getting a website? We know that cost is often a big issue for new start-up companies, so some take the cheap option and build their own using the many online tools. Most of which end up looking extremely unprofessional and hard to navigate - which is hardly a good reflection on your business. First impressions count.
Good communication is key to business success, so the right investment in an online presence for new start-ups is essential. Many web design agencies can offer you a creative and functional site for a flat fee, but this can only work if you have deep pockets as you can expect to pay anything between £5-10K.
In our opinion, the best option for an aspiring start-up business is an Internet Service Provider or Website Solutions Provider. For a competitive fee they can design and build your very own website and provide you with all the technical expertise and support you need.
But what should you look out for when choosing a provider? The first thing is credibility. Does your provider understand the importance of providing both a great looking functional site and all the technical and consultative support you will require? Also, do they have a good track record when it comes to supporting business growth? Can they deliver all the major working components that you need from a website - such as domain name and email? And finally, do they offer easy access to support if a problem presents itself - without you having to make a multitude of phone calls to rectify the problem - potentially to a support team based abroad?
At Freecom.net, we can offer all of these things. Having supported thousands of start-up companies from their inception by delivering high quality services at low, affordable prices, Freecom.net understands the importance of getting your web presence and internet connection in place right from the start. No matter your business size or spend, we guarantee that you'll receive the highest quality service and dedicated account management. And as your business evolves and changes, we're able to support you along the way with our broad range of solutions and expertise.
To find out how we could further develop your business' online potential, or just save you money call us today on 0800 408 6300 or visit our website at www.freecom.net
