A website, even the fanciest and well constructed website, is not a magic bullet. Shortly after it goes live people will not be beating a path to your door by the thousand and begging you to take their money. They will not be instantly heralding you as the best thing since Facebook and nor will they will be carrying you aloft through the streets of your home town.
The truth is that a website (even a web design from TCRM) is not something that instantly makes your business successful from the word go. And this is especially true for new business. Good small business is a mixture of word of mouth, a good network of contacts, a reputation for good service, value for money & professionalism, and good advertising. Apologies for the grossly over simplified overview, but I think it’s clear from this list that these aspects will probably not be present for new businesses the moment your website goes live, but take time and effort to build up.
So why have a website? Well a website is one of the most important tools in the 21st century for helping you achieve those aspects of a successful business I listed above. For example, a search engine optimized website works in conjunction with traditional networking techniques to help promote your business, while a good looking and well written website projects a professional image. And a clear pricing policy detailing the services provided will help satisfy the customer that they are getting value for money.
So a website can do a lot, but it cannot do it all, nor do it instantly. A reputation for quality of service, for example, is something that can only be built up over time (but a testimonial page will help you make the most of that good feedback). And all the professional sheen of the shiny new website can be blotted out instantly by poor customer service from the staff. People remember bad service more than a good website.
A good website is just one tool in creating a successful business, but our aim is to make that tool the best it can be and help you get your businesses off the ground, just don’t pin your hopes on a miracle. It will be hard with sweat, tears and long hours, but we’ll be there to support you in every way we can.
