A website, it is your business card, but online. If you say, hey Jane, my friend, Sarah makes these cool widgets, you should check it out. Where do folks go to check that widget out? Facebook? Pfffftttt, let’s talk about that for a second – it is the WORST search engine, EVER. I mean, seriously, they are good for one thing, and in my opinion, not even good at that sometimes, but a search engine is NOT it. Have you ever tried to find a friend with their first middle (or maiden) and last name and they are in the same city and standing right next to you, only to find 5 million other people with a similar name but not the same? Or is it just me? Okay, just checking.
Anyways, so then you go to their photos, because that should be easy, right? Because all of their photos of their widgets should be there, right? Insert eye roll. So you scroll…. and scroll…. and scroll and then squirrel and off to something else and something else and then wonder, wait, what was I doing again? Oh, I’m looking for Sarah’s widget. Well, shoot, do over.
So, how else? Ohhhh, I know, hey Sarah, it’s Kristen, my friend Jane is looking for that cool widget you made, can you email or text or message her pictures of them? You get where this is going, right?
The best and most ideal place is to say, hey Jane, here is Sarah’s website – Sarahswebsite.com and then she can look at all of the widgets she has right there. No need to text tons of pictures back and forth, give our personal information and etc. Super easy.
Wait, what? You don’t have a website. Insert face palm.
Ya’ll, this is one of the most important parts of your business. Oh, you don’t have the money and can’t afford it?
Seriously, you can NOT afford to run a business without it.
Enter pandemic
So, the pandemic hit and my marketing business is all about making websites, making them optimized to make them more visible to search engines and searchers (SEO – search engine optimization) and then ads to put your business on page 1 on day 1. But I was shocked at how many businesses cut their marketing, decided to not create their website, stopped their SEO. Blew my mind. What was the one absolute during the pandemic? Folks would be on their phones, searching for things they couldn’t get since they couldn’t leave their home. Folks were still getting paid, some were getting paid more money to stay home and there were government funding – so many folks have money to spend and where did they go to blow it? ONLINE!
Where was the ONE place you should have focused your business marketing dollars – ONLINE!
Trust me, I was in a similar boat. I got zero govt aid, I didn’t get the PPP loan or free money. I wasn’t on unemployment as I have my own business and well, there were extra hoops. So I feel you, but when many put the stop on their online marketing efforts, many did the pivot/shift or whatever you want to call it and found a way to tap into those pockets of folks who were spending their money online.
Again, I get it, but think outside of the box and make the extra effort to make things work in whatever situations life throws at you.
Post ish pandemic
So, now what? Nope, per the government, we aren’t done yet so life is still going on, businesses are still running. Sure, we lost many, but some folks actually started new businesses, I am one of them. I started my firearms training business, check that out. So, shifts are possible. Heck, I even wrote a blog about shifting.
So, while we aren’t out of the woods, there are many folks that are still solely doing things online. Don’t let the Big Boxes be the only ones to get all of the money. Get your website built and get out there and get that attention!
If you need help with getting a website built for your upcoming candidate race, for your non-profit or for profit service or product business, contact me and let me help. I can’t believe how many websites I have built as of late. I would be happy to share some samples so you can see what I can do for you.
Bottom line
If the last year and half isn’t proof enough that doing business online is super important for your brick & mortar or any type of business, I don’t know what is. You NEED MUST have a website, otherwise you are leaving so much money on the table giving it to the Big Box companies or your competitors.
GET A WEBSITE! DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT, ALL DAY LONG, SO GET IT DONE! Let me know how I can help you.
~Kristen
As digital marketers, we’ve always known the importance and value of having an online presence outside of social media . But 2020 and 2021 definitely emphasized the necessity of having a website! In person anything and everything was nearly eliminated overnight, and like you pointed out, that moved everyone to online shopping. Of course, even businesses who don’t offer online shopping need a site because that’s how people discover you and check out your brand. It’s hard to believe that businesses invest so little in something that is so important! Anyway, you’re right as usual and we all need a professional, nice website to represent our brand online.
Thanks Meghan, and you made a valid additional point as well… that even if the business doesn’t offer a product to shop for, services can be shared online so people can do their research about them.. this goes for products too. People don’t just buy (well most don’t) but they search to find the best one and if a business isn’t online – (outside of social media) they run the risk of not being an option! Thanks for your input!