A Web site is essential to marketing

I can't believe it. Another new business opened in my home town but the owners forgot to budget one of the most important marketing and communication tools that could help their business grow: a search engine-friendly Web site.

These new business owners thought of almost everything when they wrote their business plan: they have a unique selling proposition (no one else in our part of Colorado provides this distinctive product).

They scoped out the best location to get the most foot traffic.

They leased a building, bought equipment, had professional signage made.

They carefully hired staff and trained them.

They remembered to do everything -- well, almost.

That "almost" factor is the difference between companies that survive and companies that thrive.

Their unique selling proposition is even more of a reason to have a search engine-friendly Web site.

Their type of keywords would set them apart from their competitors.

Unfortunately, I continually come across new business owners who have not planned carefully enough and have overlooked factoring in the budget the most cost effective way to market their companies: a well-done Web site.

"We'll do it when we have more money," they say.

That's like saying, "We'll use a cash register to speed up our orders when we can afford to buy one and in the meantime, we'll get by with a calculator."

"Precision marketing tools are a critical outcome of the city's Economic Gardening program," according to Kelly Peters, Greeley, Colorado's Economic Development manager.

"A Web site with proper search engine optimization acts as a watering hole for a business' best customers. How better to reach the most targeted audience than to draw them to a well-designed Web site?"

For all you future entrepreneurs, be sure to set aside 75 percent of your marketing budget for a professionally produced Web site, search engine marketing and other Internet advertising.

That's right -- 75 percent.

I'm basing that figure on a study that was done by the PEW Internet and Life project that found that 73 percent of Americans (149 million Americans) search for products and services on the Internet.

If that study had found that 73 percent of us were using radio to find products or services, I would be telling you to spend most of your marketing budget on radio advertisements.

But the study concluded that the Internet is what most of us are turning to before we decide to buy.

Internet users, who search locally, as well as nationally and globally, have the income to spend on your product or service.

Another study by PEW found that "86 percent of adults living in households with annual income between $50,000 and $75,000 use the Internet, compared with 91 percent of adults living in households earning more than $75,000."

When you type in your magical keywords and find Web sites within your active window (above the "fold" of the screen), you click on a site found at the top of the list.

You figure this company must know what it's doing if it's at the top of the list in Google, right?

You know what? It does know what it's doing.

It's probably thriving instead of surviving because the owners remembered to include a well-done search engine-friendly Web site in their business plan.

Now that's a smart entrepreneur.



A Web site is essential to marketing - To learn more about this author, visit Lori Gama's Website.

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