My Business is Afraid of the Internet
Bill Gates, CEO of Microsoft, once said that there would soon be two types of businesses, those online, and those out of business. Those words still ring true today, and many small businesses are missing a huge boat by not getting online.
A good portion of small businesses have been around for a while, long before banner ads and even email became so wildly popular. These owners built their business from the ground-up, working hard and long to develop their products and services. These owners see great value in hard work, and for that they should be applauded.
As technology increases, hard work changes forms. Today, every business, from a babysitter to a widget manufacturer should have a website. An estimated 60% of homes in the US now have broadband, and nearly 90% have at least one computer. These numbers cannot be ignored by business owners and marketing teams. People are flocking to the Internet to find phone numbers, local merchants, and new friends.
No longer can businesses dismiss the Internet as a fad. The amount of online sales in 2003 surpassed $6 Billion.
Even if a business has no physical merchandise to sell, there are still plenty of reasons to have their information online. Contact numbers, addresses, and maps can save receptionists time on the phone. Forms that need to be submitted can be printed and filled out before customers come in. Newsletters can help promote any business and upcoming sales.
Websites can be very cost-effective to build. For just a small investment you could be online in a matter of days.
No business should be afraid of the Internet. If your business is, or you are, you?d better get hold of someone that can help you, and fast!
by William Hanke
About the Author
Will Hanke is a self-proclaimed geek who owns and operates Lighthouse Technologies (http://www.techlh.com), a web development and hosting company based in Arnold, Missouri. For questions or comments, email him at will@techlh.com. And buy yourself a good virus program so he doesn?t have to fight your emails with anti-virus spray.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|


The concept of linking is that sites with common interests... Read More
Just because you've built your e-commerce website doesn't mean the... Read More
Deciding when to get your own merchant account for internet... Read More
When shopping for e-commerce hosting there are a lot of... Read More
What would you do if you were sent an email... Read More
In theory you could create a retail web site with... Read More
Publishing has always been a difficult business to promote successfully,... Read More
Surf to Google and perform a search on "Internet Merchant... Read More
You want to succeed at eCommerce? Welcome to a very... Read More
There are lots of ways to advertise for free but... Read More
Only a few manage to sell everything under the sun... Read More
You're excited. You have a great idea for a profitable... Read More
When it comes to e-commerce, the time-tested cliché is, "Content... Read More
"Your home page is the world's introduction to you and... Read More
Once your website has secured an order, you have to... Read More
A beginner's guide to setting up a successful online store... Read More
Your site visitors make all the choices when it comes... Read More
The principle of "permanent establishment" is very important for avoidance... Read More
When your eCommerce business grows to the point where you... Read More
Knowledge Management for beginnersKnowledge Management (KM) can be defined simply... Read More
THE CURRENT WORRIES1. Content SuppliersThe Ethos of Free ContentContent Suppliers... Read More
Greetings!Friends and relitives ask us all the time " How... Read More
The fourth step of how to start an Internet business... Read More
In 2004, Enquiro.com conducted a study of the search behaviors... Read More
The largest cost and concern of an internet business is... Read More
There are two major ways to accept credit cards on... Read More
Nothing has helped international brokerage business more than the internet:... Read More
How four partners build and manage an exclusive art posters... Read More
Business processes are the building blocks of an enterprise. If... Read More
When considering opening an online merchant account to accept credit... Read More
It is often assumed if you want to accept credit... Read More
Much of my consulting work comprises writing 'Outside Opinion' reports... Read More
Summer must be when many work at home Mom start... Read More


In the last column we discussed the process of credit... Read More
After building and transferring many e-commerce sites it still amazes... Read More
The process of learning how to accept payments on the... Read More
To conduct business on the Internet, whether informal, one-time only... Read More
There are so many metrics surrounding direct marketing. So many... Read More
Maria's new lifestyle: Short story about the benefits shopping on... Read More
Recently I went looking for an online merchant account, with... Read More
PayPal is secure in its domination over the electronic payment... Read More
Anyone using a slow, or an awkward payment processor had... Read More
A common frustration among merchants who sell online via a... Read More
E-commerce is gaining pace! Research firm eMarketer predicts that 2003... Read More
Can you encounter the number of times where a Credit... Read More
Using the Internet to sell products and services to ever... Read More
Do you sell something online? Do you have a business... Read More
Why time spent on your site is importantAll websites regardless... Read More
Using an Address Verification System (AVS) when processing your online... Read More
The concept of linking is that sites with common interests... Read More
Whether you sell a product or merely sell time to... Read More
The concept of this is for you to offer a... Read More
--Online Commerce--E-Commerce website is all about selling products and services... Read More
Just because you've built your e-commerce website doesn't mean the... Read More
This article will show small businesses how to get free... Read More
You want to succeed at eCommerce? Welcome to a very... Read More
Are you a website owner or a web designer/developer? If... Read More
For some people, shopping online is as normal as driving... Read More
Did you know that one of the best ways to... Read More
Is there a difference between writing a landing page and... Read More
Maybe no business requiring little or no capital pays as... Read More
Having a successful member only, paid membership site is one... Read More
Are you familiar with Froogle? If you are an online... Read More
Fraud is a huge issue when it comes to the... Read More
Once your website has secured an order, you have to... Read More
Many people are saying that the internet is dead. So... Read More
E-commerce |