We are all worried. Businesses bigger than ours are going under, people are losing their jobs, banks are foreclosing on mortgages, and the government is trying to rescue the economy wherever it can. And of course, we are all trying to reel in our spending, pay off debt, and cut costs where we can. It’s hard not to feel like doomsday is upon us, quite frankly.

Yeah yeah, I know, I can hear the cries of skepticism coming now. Of course a web design company wants you to update your website. Of course we want to get you to think about your online strategy, because then we make money! Well, let’s put that little conflict of interest aside for just one moment, and let me give you a few reasons why now is the best time to start thinking about your online presence.

1. You need to work harder to attract customers.

In boom time, you don’t really need anything other than to simply be available and have the right price. Heck, you don’t even need to be very good! A little bit of cheap marketing is all you ever needed – you can get away with a standard template or a cheaply designed site – and, because of the nature of the economy, business is still good.

In luxury areas such as portrait photography or novelty/entertainment products in particular, in boom time, it is good enough to just grab a template that looks the same as everyone elses, have the date free, and still get the work.

You simply don’t need to try because the work comes to you.

In a downturn, it’s not as easy as it was. People are less likely to invest in the business that doesn’t market well. They aren’t simply going to go with the “guy that’s available”, because there will be 10, 20, 30 guys available that can do the job. There is simply less work to go around and the reality is that you now have to compete and find a point of difference in which to promote your business. This can mean investing in SEO services, it can mean a redesign of your site to attract customers, it can be to hire a User Interaction expert to assess why you aren’t getting the sales you need from your website. You will need to work harder to get the same amount of customers. Which means, you need to invest more in your marketing.

2. You need to do this in the most cost effective way possible.

How much does it cost for a display ad in the Yellow Pages? How much does it cost for radio advertising? How much does it cost to advertise in the paper? Do you see these as necessary investments in your business? How much do you spend on your camera & computers? How much do you spend on conferences & networking events? How much do you spend on pens & coffee mugs with your logo on it?

My bet? Lots.

So why is your web presence, a 24/7, international shopfront & advertisement for your business, such a low priority? Why is a custom, high quality website such a low priority? Why is it not a fixed expense, like all the other essentials to running a business? A great website will still cost you a fraction of all of the other marketing expenses and the payoffs can be substantial. If you take your store online, you can automate certain aspects and increase your sales.

There are many markets in which you can’t find a decent website for a single business. Particularly in trades and retail, it really wouldn’t take much to have the best website in your industry, or be #1 on Google for it. These are low-cost, high result investments.

So while other businesses are nickel-and-diming and focusing on this week’s Community News ad (that noone reads anymore), you could be getting serious about the web and being #1 in your industry on Google.

3. You need to make it easier for people to find you and buy from you.

When the sales are coming in, there is no time to think about the number of people that might leave your site without making a purchase, or those that have been looking on search engines and haven’t found you. But, when the sales stop or slow down, you need to consider getting the services of professionals that can assess your site and make it better.

That means reviewing your content (perhaps with a professional Copywriter), reviewing your Search Engine Rankings (with an SEO Expert, reviewing your design (with a professional web designer)… all of these services have measurable results – in fact most of these things can make a dramatic difference to your online presence.

4. You need to be more tech-savvy (or perceived to be) than your competitors.

So many people, including business owners, are intimidated by computers and the web. If you can find a partner that will help you figure it all out and get it right – even if you don’t quite understand yourself – you are on your way to being a leader in your industry at best, and at worst, a head above your competitors.

5. Websites are no longer a luxury or an afterthought.

The businesses that embrace the internet and prioritise their internet marketing will, without a doubt, be more equipped to survive a recession than a business that doesn’t. This does not simply mean putting up a web page that was designed by your well-intentioned but unskilled nephew – but getting serious about attracting customers and working with a team of people who know how to work on the internet.

Spending 3, or 5, or 10 thousand dollars is no small ask – I get that. But in business, there are certain fixed costs that need to be paid, regardless of how you feel about them. To spend $10-15k on a Yellow Pages print ad, for limited space for a limited time, is becoming less and less beneficial in the majority of industries. Why not cut the ad to half a page, build a better website and refer to the site on your ad? This is how it will work – where the print advertising refers to the online presence, and not the other way around.

Far too many businesses view their websites as an afterthought – and I personally go out of my way to hire those companies that appear to value their web presence, because I like to have as much information as I can without having to call during business hours. More and more people are like me, and in a recession, prioritising your web presence can make a difference.

So, with all that said, if you’d like a quote on a new website, contact us and we’ll customise a quote for your particular circumstances.