LIVONIX

The Benefits of Having a Website

Inexpensive Marketing. Expanded Reach. 24/7 Availability. Credibility. Cost Savings. Customer Service. Your Image!

Time and Time Again...

In our society people are extremely pressed for time, and they want and expect instant gratification. This extends to their choice of service and product providers. More and more people are shopping on the internet where they can view the products and place an order online at any time of the day or night without the consideration of time, day, holidays, etc.

Present Yourself....Well!

Prospective customers are more informed than ever due to the wealth of information available on the internet. Younger generations perform many daily functions via the internet that their parents never dreamed of.

When searching for a dentist for example, the ability to get a "feel" for the practice by viewing their website is critical. Even though a dental practice may never actually sell a product online, the ability to show prospective clients your services, extended training and features that your firm provides, your staff, extended information all combine to give your practice a modern, informative image.

When a potential customer searches the internet for a particular service or product, they can only find you if you are there. Many people, like myself, use the Yellow Pages as a last resort, simply because of the lack of information that is presented and the sheer amount of competition.

This change in the way that products and services are delivered, requires a business to have an online presence. For allowing customers to get an overall feel for your business, as well as to compare services and products without having to spend time on the phone and take time out of their work day to reach you during business hours.

Free Advertising

Are you currently advertising on TV, radio, Yellow Pages, etc.? In each of these instances your advertising message is limited, either by space or time limitations.

You are trying to get your potential customer to call you or visit to get more information, to be able to convince them to visit you, to buy from you, or to use your services.

While these advertising strategies are an important part of your marketing campaign to get your message out there and to catch quick attention, however, where do they go when you have caught their attention?

The benefit of having a web site is like having a marketing promoter 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Your site can be referenced from your other advertising media, directing them to more extensive information. Your practice is now available at all times, selling for you for a minimum cost once past the initial layout to create the site. Basic maintenance and hosting fees are negligible when compared to other forms of advertising.

Customer Service

Whether or not you are selling a tangible product, you want to be able to provide enhanced customer service that will give you a competitive edge in the market place. In being able to provide 24/7 access to information, forms, products, and marketing to your customers, you place yourself at a higher level of customer service than your competitors who do not have an internet presence.

You can do this by offering the following:

Detailed information about your company and your services.

Menus, products lists, descriptions, etc.

If you are selling a product or even certain types of services, you can allow you clients to order online.

Common forms that are required for your business in a fill-and-print for fill and submit to email format.

Contact information, including contact forms that will generate an email, enabling your clients to contact you regardless of time of day - you simply respond at your earliest convenience.

Posting of business hours, changes in address/phone numbers and important communications.

Knowledge and industry related articles, providing your clients with educational materials to help them understand your services and products and how they benefit them - this especially enhances your image and service by helping your clients to better understand your business and to allow potential customers to make a more informed decision.

Educational achievements, awards, testimonials and reviews, newsletters, online brochures, and memberships in various associations thereby giving your business an enhanced level of credibility and proving to your customers that you know your stuff and to give a sense of your commitment and the happiness of your current clients.

Cost Savings

For those clients who have a PC and regularly use the internet, your web site can actually save you money on printing costs as well as time on the phone and in person.

For certain services, especially in the medical fields, how often are patients required to complete forms in the office before their appointment? Almost each visit, the patient is at the very least required to confirm any changes in address, phone number and insurance information, not to mention the personal history and registration forms.

How much time would be saved by both you and the client to have these forms already filled out, signed and ready to turn in on their arrival to your office? This also saves on your having to print the forms as well as struggle through some handwriting issues which can arise.

Companies that provide services such as catering to individuals and businesses would benefit greatly by allowing their customers to view their menu online and place orders online. This eliminates the need to send out menus, inform clients of changes in pricing or menu selections, as well as save time on the phone, email and/or fax answering questions and confirming orders.

Reduction of printing costs can be realized in many situations, including brochures, newsletters, patient information sheets, protocols, hand outs, etc. Many of these items are given to a client and end up in a file or in the garbage simply because we run out of room to keep these things. Directing a client to a link on your website saves time and money.

Image - Who Are You?

I cannot stress this aspect of your web site enough. Just as the saying goes, "the clothes make the person", so it is with a web site.

The style, level of professionalism, theme, amount of information, and level of usability and functionality all go towards creating an impression on a potential customer.

Keep in mind that your web site can often be the first point of contact to your business. What is the impression you want to give of your company? Often I visit web sites that have poor navigation, or the graphical design is too complex and confusing, overpowering the actual message that is trying to be delivered, or it looks as though the web site was created by an amateur.

These all give off bad impressions to the visitor, making them question the rest of your business as well. After all, if so little effort and consideration is given to this, their first contact with a customer, then how are their services and products?

Providing a first-class service or product is reflected through ALL of your contact with the customer. This includes forms that are photocopied to the point of un-readability, brochures that are obviously quickly created, in black and white and copied many times on standard copy paper, business cards that have perforations around the edges, and web sites that are poorly done, have bad links or navigation. Is this the image you want to give to your customers?

Closing

In closing let me simply state that in this day and age, where people have little time, work long hours, have many commitments and little patience to spend a vast amount of effort in attempting communication, a web site is the perfect opportunity for you to be available at all times for their convenience.

While I realize that not all of your customers and clients would use your web site, it is a simple fact of statistics that more and more people are using the internet to conduct various forms of business. Are you willing to give up that sector of potential clients?