It is now said that the internet now contains some 7 million unique sites, a 50 percent increase compared to 1999's 4.7 million. 40 per cent of these are public websites, eg. sites that offer content that is freely accessible by the general public. 21 per cent are not open to all, while 38 per cent are provisional sites (unfinished sites, server default pages etc.)

What can the Internet REALLY do for me?

In my conversations with business people I've noticed a surprising lack of understanding about the Internet and its potential for their business. Most know it is important for business in general but don't really know why. Few really understand what it can specifically do for their organisation. At its most basic level, the Internet provides you with an opportunity to publish a website at a specified www address. Anyone with this address can then type it in to their computer and access your website at anytime day or night, anywhere around the globe. This starts to give you some idea of the potential power and reach of the internet. Just stop and think about that for a moment. Your website and anything you place on it will be accessible around the world, anytime, by any of the estimated 450 million internet users. That's some potential!

It enables you to reach new customers and markets. Plus there's the convenience of the internet's instant, anytime, anywhere characteristics.

Make a focus point for your customers

Actually I think a website is more than a mere storage area for your web pages, it becomes a sort of 'focus point' to your customers, largely due to its convenience and text/visual format. People make purchasing decisions based on all sorts of questions and anxieties, either real or otherwise. A website provides a place where they can help themselves to find out more and answer those questions and anxieties or take any other action. Thats an often overlooked internet benefit that wasnt really possible previously: easy self-service. If they can't find what they want, they can simply send you a message from your website and await the tailored response.

Clearly, what you put on your website and how you present it is therefore very important. Your website's visitors will start to build an impression of your organisation and products based on what they see there in the first few seconds of their arrival. Both its content and presentation should reflect you and everything you do well and should therefore get the research and attention it deserves.  Too many sites remain static. If you can, try to attract and engage visitors by keeping your site up-to-date with fresh content. By the way, when I say product I mean this in a very universal way, including products, services, information and any other item you may offer.

Flexibility of content and ability to add /update it instantly.

Promotion

All you need now is some promotion to get the word out that your website is up, running and eager to help your new prospects. You can use the internet to find and contact companies, newsletters, publishers, etc. and to arrange your promotions and advertising on any industry or topic you choose. This of course is the internet's speciality and a key benefit for you to use.

 
Easy access to information on every topic imaginable.

Now, soon you'll soon start to get prospects looking around your site and viewing your content. Ideally, they will arrive, read exactly what they want and buy your product immediately. They click to purchase the product and bingo you've made a sale. At this point you smile with satisfaction and sit back as your bank completes the transaction and deposits the payment into your bank account. You havent even been involved in the transaction.

Automation and new revenues

Alternatively, if they havent just read what they wanted to, do they want further information before making a decision? Are they just not ready to buy yet? Are they just not going to buy regardless of what you provide? Ideally you should cater for all these scenarios to get as many sales as possible. This is an often overlooked internet benefit. The opportunity to interact and in this case cater to different needs. Eg. Want to know more? Click this link. Then they could see some specifically written text with more depth, etc.

Don't just sit back and wait! 

However tempting it may be, when you've made the sale don't sit back glowing in that internet glory for too long because there's more to do. Are you happy with one sale or would you prefer more? Of course, given the choice you'd choose more wouldn't you? What if you now produced a useful regular newsletter sent by email and asked them if they would like to receive it? You're on your way to getting more sales from them, instead of that one initial purchase that you may have settled for before the internet arrived. More Internet benefits!

The ability to send newsletters/ ezines quickly, easily and cheaply without traditional stationery and postage costs.

Now you have the opportunity to build up a mailing list of prospects and customers who want regular contact from you. They want you to send them useful information, special offers, product announcements, etc. Whether they bought a product from you or not initially they are starting a relationship with you. If you do it correctly they'll begin to trust you and your recommendations and ultimately buy more products further down the line.

Your existing customers may appreciate this type of new attention too. Previously they may have felt abandoned after their first and only purchase and maybe you havent contacted them since. This is an excellent way to keep existing customers happy and loyal, which again will likely mean more sales further down the line. Ultimately what you are doing here is building strong relationships with your customers. They've probably never had this kind of attention and focus before. Yes, another internet benefit. Do it right and you will positively stand out from everyone else they deal with who doesnt treat them in this attentive way. What more could you want? What more could they want?

In a nut shell, what can a website do for your business

• Increase your sales and customer base
  
• You can target and reach new customers and markets with your products.
  
• Sell your products to those new customers and markets.
  
• Sell more products to your existing customers and markets.
  
• Be open 24 hours a day/7 days a week/52 weeks per year. Be convenient and interactive. Customers love to help themselves anytime, anywhere, etc.
  
• Generate awareness and credibility in new online world.
  
• Build stronger relationships with your customers than ever before.
• Get regular, guaranteed reading of your offers by customers who are already interested in them.
  
• Tailor content and update immediately.
  
• Utilise rapid communication between you and your customers.
  
• Personalise all communications for higher impact, eg. Hi Peter..

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