The internet has, in recent years, become a vast and comprehensive resource of information for business owners and potential customers alike. As people discover the advantages and ease of use and, of course, the cost effective nature of advertising on the internet. The internet has really revolutionised the way people shop for products and due to this fundamental shift, it has affected entire markets allowing all businesses, large and small, the same opportunities to market themselves and their products on the internet through their website. It also allows potential consumers the ability to preview what they are buying and the company that they are buying it from.

Website design can be as complex or as simple as you desire and your budget allows, but having no website does make the statement that the business is not keeping up with the way an increasing number of people are looking for their next items to purchase. Even if the website that you start with is a simple 1 page site that has your name, what you offer and contact details, this means that people can find your details.

To give you an idea of the audience that you are missing out on if you do not have a website here are some facts:

Between 2006 - 2010 the number of adults using the internet every day has grown from 16.5 million to 30.1 million (in the UK) and in 2010, 73% of UK households have internet connections and finally, in 2010 31 million people used the internet to make a purchase. (all data from Office for National Statistics).

Is this a market that you can sell yourself, your business and your products in? We would strongly suggest that it is and that it is essential for businesses to have an online presence and the importance of it is increasing year on year.

When you compare the costs involved in attracting new customers through traditional advertising and websites, it is amazing how the costs differ and the number of possibilities increase. Traditional and conventional advertising of placing an advert in a paper or magazine tends to start at £150 per insertion and can range up to thousands. In the region of £10,000 for a full page advert in a daily national paper, these methods still have their place if they suit your business. Remember though, that papers have a shelf life per placement. People buy the paper/magazine, read it, and maybe pass it on to friends and colleagues but it ends up in the bin.

Websites act differently. They are about search engines, referrals and a huge range of options to gain links (and hence traffic). A website can provide traffic that a traditional shop, no matter the size, just can not deal with. No matter if you are looking to do some product research, sell your products, from gaining new customers to looking after existing ones, running a dynamic website establishes your business online presence and allows you to communicate with your community. The only limits are your desire, imagination and the skills of the company making your website.

Talk to Capital about your website design, developing your site and turning that website into business and, therefore, profit for you.
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