Reason #5: I already have a web page on somebody else's website.
If you have your company listed in an online directory or your Chamber of Commerce, that's a good start. However, it probably only offers basic information such as address and phone number. Your listing is buried among many of your competitors no doubt. The listing does not allow you to stand out from you competitors in any way. Having a website on somebody else's site is equivalent to having an office in somebody else's office or drivng around in somebody else's company car with their details. By having your own website, you have control over the content, the branding, and the message you want to get out to your customers.
Reason #4: I don't sell anything online.
Regardless of whether or not you sell anything online, people are online and they are searching for products or information about products. By not having your information available to these people, you are giving your customers to your competitors.
Reason #3: I have a son/nephew/niece who's into computers. They are going to make me a website.
Is that person a professional web developer? Would you not go to a doctor for medical problems, a lawyer for legal issues? In the same vein, a professional web designer / developer is more than just a person who puts pretty pictures, flashy animations, and copy on a website. Behind those graphics and copy are various complicated codes and scripts. When done properly, web sites can load faster, drive more traffic to the website, and attain a higher search engine rank. A hobbyist is unlikely to have the in depth knowledge to consider all these factors.
Reason #2: I don't know anything about computers.
Just because you don't know anything about computers doesn't mean other people are not using them. According to research, 69% of North Americans connect to the Internet. People are online and looking for products and information. If you're information is not available, they'll go someplace else. A good web design firm can work with people without computer skills to provide their business with a great online presence.
Reason #1: It's too expensive. I can't afford it.
You get what you pay for. When you go to an expensive restaurant, you expect great service, presentation, and taste. Likewise, when you go to a fast food joint, you expect it to be cheap and quick. The costs of a website can vary greatly and it all depends on what goes in it. If it's just a website design, then it's one price. However if you want copy writing services, professional photography, contact forms, that can all impact the bottom line. At CJK Design Services, we believe we provide great websites at very affordable rates. In this day and age, it's not a question of whether you can afford one, but rather, whether you can afford not to have one.
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