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1. Increase Sales
At a minimum, a web site makes it easy for you to showcase your goods
and services which will generate more business leads from potential customers
and cause your present customers to buy more. Now that secure online payment
is a reality, a company or organisation can complete point-to-point sales
transactions from seller to buyer, eliminating costly distributor expenses.
Moreover, with the advances in shopping cart software, a fully enabled
e-commerce web site has never been easier to set up and maintain. In no
time, you can create a virtual storefront or office that can be open twenty-four
hours a day, all year long.
2.
Increase Communication
A key advantage of the Web is that it allows for the instant distribution
of information. People from all over the world use the Internet on a daily
basis to search for various products and services. Using web sites to
distribute information in a timely manner is a key reason sales organisations
are building web sites. Visitors can easily find the information they
are looking for, whether it is product specifications or availability
and pricing. Altering the information contained within a web site makes
more financial sense than phoning, faxing, or mailing your customers every
time new information regarding products or services is released.
3.
Reduce Expenses
although a web site shouldn't simply be an online brochure, delivery of
similar information, immediately and internationally over the Web decreases
distribution expenses of related printed material. To reduce faxing and
mailing costs, automated mailing lists can send the same e-mail message
to 100 customers for nearly the same cost as sending one. E-mail is cheaper
than courier services, postal mail, faxes or phone calls and faster than
most. If you have suppliers on the Internet you may also be able to do
your purchasing cheaper and easier.
4.
Reduce Service Costs
Customer service support phone lines are expensive to maintain. Moving
customer service to the web site could save a bundle. Your web site will
be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for service and support. The service
area of your web site can be as simple as a dedicated e-mail box and published
answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), or as sophisticated as an
interactive, online chat feature where your qualified service staff respond
directly to customers in real time discussions. The ability to have service
and product updates, provided on a web site, adds value to a company's
service, as well as additional visibility to their customers.
5.
Increase marketing
A web site creates opportunities for additional marketing and joint marketing
with other organisations. There is no greater image builder for a company
than a compelling and informative web site that can be seen all over the
world. Your organisation will be placed into dozens of online directories
and search facilities, increasing your visibility and creating new markets
by opening additional advertising channels.
6.
Create a Network
A web site gives you the ability to do surveys, qualification cards, and
subscriptions. It can be a cost-effective way to qualify potential customers
and get valuable feedback from existing ones. It can also be used to experiment
with ideas by highlighting a product prototype online and sampling visitor
opinions.
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