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Poor Richard's Web Site Do you really need a Web site? You won't find a chapter heading like this one in many books about the World Wide Web. There's supposed to be just one answer to that question, so it's not worth asking. The answer is: Of course you need a Web site! Everyone can benefit from one. I have a different answer: Maybe you do, maybe you don't. You see, I'm not convinced that every business needs a Web site. I believe that many businesses are simply better off without a site. But first I want to look at a few good reasons for creating a Web site. A Web consultant told me about a trick he uses to bring a business meeting to a standstill. When he meets with new clients and talks about setting up their Web site, he'll ask "What do you want to do with the Web site? What's it for?" At that point the meeting breaks up into a cacophony of voices, all suggesting this or that or the other. It turns out that most of his clients haven't thought about this issue. They know they want--need--a Web site; they just haven't considered why. Before you set up a Web site, consider what you want to do with it. Set up a Web site without figuring that out first, and you'll waste a lot of time and money, and maybe even sour on the whole idea of having a Web site. Plan what it is you want to do first, then create your site. By the way, "to make money" simply isn't a good enough answer. How do you want to make money? What are you selling? How will you attract customers? How will you take orders? How will you ship orders? You may not be able to answer some of these questions at first, but you should answer them before you begin your Web site. Here is a short list of reasons to set up your Web site:
GETTING RICH Getting rich is a nice idea, and there are still people suggesting that the Internet is paved with gold. It's not, of course. There are people who have made money on the Internet, but probably fewer than you'd imagine. Unfortunately, many Internet books and magazines have declared "successes" of Web sites that have not actually made money. You can sell products on the Web, but the Web is not the ultimate get-rich-quick solution nor the lazy man's road to riches. Some companies have managed to make money on the Web, but more have failed. Even if you don't plan to sell much on-line, you can still use the Internet as a promotional tool. A Web site is just one part of a program in which you promote a product on the Internet. Others include newsgroups, mailing lists, e-mail, electronic press releases and more. Many people create Web sites without any idea of making money from them. They create them to promote their ideas, their hobbies, their political or religious beliefs. Web sites can be a great way to meet people with your interests or distribute information about your ideas and beliefs. You can certainly take orders on-line. In most cases businesses trying to sell a product should be setting up their Web sites with the idea of both promoting the product, thus pushing off-line. If you are promoting the product, doing your best to get the prospective client excited and interested in buying it, then you might as well take the order on the spot if you can.
You may want to sell information on-line--that is, sell access to some kind of data by selling passwords to your Web site. The most common form of "information" being sold in this manner is pornography, so if you want to get an idea of how to sell access to your Web site, spend a little time in the raunchier areas of the Web. You might also take a look at a rather more run-of-the-mill form of data being sold on the Internet, the Colorado Revised Statutes (http://crs.aescon.com/). Many companies use Web sites as a way to distribute information about themselves that they know their users want or need. Now, I've heard it said--indeed, I've read it in books giving advice about doing business on the Internet--that a Web site provides the opportunity for you to cut your printing and advertising costs. Set up a Web site, and stop sending your catalogs! This is complete nonsense, of course. For the vast majority of businesses this simply isn't possible and won't be for years to come. But a Web site can provide another way for your clients and prospective clients to find information about your products and your business. Commercial software publishers are taking an example from shareware publishers, prompted by the growth of the Internet. Shareware is a type of software that uses a form of "try before you buy" marketing technique. Now many commercial software publishers are playing the same game. Anything electronic, such as clip art, music, video, etc., can be distributed this way. SERVICE AND SUPPORT Customer service and technical support are a major expense for many companies. Having real live people answer individuals' questions can be very expensive. But most customers' questions have been asked many times before. Wouldn't it be more efficient to answer them once? Well, you probably won't shut down the technical support department, but if you can provide a good source of information for your customers and encourage them to use it, you may be able to transfer some of the load from real people to computers. When you promote your site on the Internet, the intention is to get people to visit you. But a Web site is not a billboard. a billboard doesn't do anything for you; it just carries a message. You can create Web sites like that, but you're wasting an opportunity if you do. Bring people to your Web site and then meet them. Get their e-mail addresses. You can use those addresses to keep in touch with your new customers, send out notifications about special offers and other activities. One of the great advantages of the Web is that it allows you to get to know your existing customers--no longer do all your customers have to be faceless statistics. Bring existing customers to your site, and ask them what they like about your products. Ask them what they don't like, how they think the product should develop, whether they'd buy the product if you use the multipack bundle you've been considering, whether they like the new packaging.
By now you may have some ideas about what you can do for your company or organization, but I'd suggest you spend a few days cruising around on the World Wide Web. Take a good look at what other people are doing. Follow links to your heart's content--don't rush, just take your time and explore. Keep notes, because you'll probably come up with ideas as you go. Now, back to the question posed at the top of this column: Do you really need a Web site? Perhaps not. There are many businesses that really won't benefit from one--for example, if you own a single shoe store in a small shopping center in a medium-size town. Could a Web site help you bring more people into your shoe store? yes. Would it be cost-effective? Almost certainly not. Like any business decision, the choice to establish a Web site has to be made based on all the available facts. Peter Kent is author of 34 books, including the best-selling Complete Idiot's Guide to the Internet. This column is excepted from his latest book, Poor Richard's Web Site. He can be reached at 303-989-1869 or pkent@topfloor.com.
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