🦠Always wanted to take your business online? 😷 This is the right time 🦠

If you are waiting for the right time to start your online business, you might just run out of time. The fact is, irrespective of the current state of the economy because of the COVID-19, your employment, education, or family situation, if you want to get started with your business, there is no time like the present.

And the good news is it’sit’s never been easier or cheaper to start a business. This is especially good news for the risk-averse because depending on how quickly you want to scale your business or start-up, risk can be dialed down to almost zero.

The Internet has enabled the modern-day entrepreneur to do virtually anything from their bed.

Of course, not every business requires a vast website with e-commerce shopping carts and online payment facilities. Many bricks-and-mortar businesses will have a website that provides potential customers with essential information regarding what is for sale, where and at what times. Perhaps it could be considered as an online billboard. 

 

To many, it may just sound too complicated or too risky. But there are many good reasons to begin selling and running your business online. Here are the top reasons you should consider to establish an online presence for your offline business:

6 Reasons why you should take your business online

Regardless of the nature of a particular industry, it will require a web presence. It does not have to be a company such as Amazon, and almost entirely online business, it could be a company such as Pizza Hut or KFC taking orders for their fast food products for home delivery. Companies may also use their website to showcase their services, such as ExpoCart, the exhibition supplier company whose site provides information on the exhibition products and services they have available for sale and rent.

1. Company’s Impression- 

This alone should be enough reason to start a new website and begin selling online. It’s an essential factor considering that without a website, blog, or online presence, prospective clients could begin to wonder how serious you are about business. Today, companies of all sizes and industries are establishing a successful online presence.

If you don’t have an online presence, then you can’t expect your prospects to take you seriously, and you will lose business to competitors that do have an active online presence. Quite frankly, you need to have an online presence because your prospects and customers expect you to have one. As a business in the 21st century, it is no longer a question of having an online presence for your business. The problem is, “do you have a larger online presence for your business?” Regardless of the type of business, it MUST have exposure on the Internet as potential customers will take their first steps in purchasing by using an online search engine to find the products and services they require.

2. 24/7 365 Hour Availability

While some pharmacies, fast food joints, grocery stores, etc. manage 24-hour service, it is impossible for most businesses. That is, without the Internet. A key benefit of having an e-commerce website is that your clients and prospects can read about your products and place orders at any time — day or night. On regular business days or holidays. Imagine what open 3-4 times being longer could do for your business.

   Even if you have a traditional offline services type business, you can generate leads and inquiries while you are closed and follow up with those prospects and customers once you open the next day. Many people will want to do their research at the end of the day when your office or business is closed, but your website can operate and your 2/47 salesperson to answer questions and generate leads or sales.

3. Cost-effective

Businesses always look for the right level of return on investment, or ROI, when spending company money. Advertising can be a costly part of running a business, so ROI is a significant factor in deciding how best to advertise the company’s company’s products or services. A printed brochure, newspaper, or magazine advert will have a minimal viewership and time frame.

After the initial set-up costs for a website, it can be updated, and old information removed very quickly. A website also allows video presentations or further information to be downloaded by potential customers. It should be remembered that the Internet is also called the “worldwide web.” A website, once loaded on to an internet server, will be visible around the world. Effectively, a website has the potential to put a company brochure in the hands of every internet-connected person in the world

4. Live and Work from Anywhere

Just like in freelancing, taking your business or start-up online gives you the ability to have location freedom so you can live and work from anywhere you want; you’re not stuck to a physical location. As long as you have a reliable internet connection, you can live virtually anywhere while you conduct your online business. Many people live in one continent, have their hosting on another and their warehouse on yet another. The world has gotten very small and you can take advantage of this. There are some notable exceptions, like landscapers, surgeons and home painters who must be in a specific location to perform their work.

5. Reduce Operation Costs

Just one single task can make a significant difference in cost savings. For example, receiving orders online reduces the need for customer service operators. With wide-ranging sales and product information online, you’ll receive purchase orders and payments via email or into your database. Staff numbers can be reduced, simultaneously office space and related office expenses.

Making use of various online service providers, you can now take all aspects of your business online, such as purchasing, billing, order fulfillment, and shipping. Other functions can include pro-active customer services, such as answering client questions via a FAQ section or a customer forum.

6. Reach out to the Global Market

With your brick and mortar business, you are restricted to the number of individuals who can visit you at any given time, let alone find you. With a good website, you can have thousands, even tens of thousands of people visiting your online store at once. Picture the potential for your company if you could unleash your products and services to a potentially unlimited number of interested people globally.