Website Fundamentals - Necessary Info!
I am wondering where you are, who you are, how long you have been in
business, do you have a real store, etc. If you are on the net, these
basic questions should be answered. I am very disappointed in sites that
do not have this general information. I think one of the reasons people
are still skeptical of online shopping is that stores do not provide this
kind of information. A consumer has no way of knowing if you will be here
today and gone tomorrow. I think to build a good reputation, this kind
of information is necessary. I would advise you to put this on your site.
Yes anyone can do business with anyone in the world when working on the
net. And for almost all kinds of business you can just as easily run your
business in the basement of your house in the Yukon, from your cabin in
northern Saskatchewan, at your chalet in Jasper, or from Bankers Hall
in downtown Calgary. With the power of the net, outsourcing, contracting,
fulfillment services, call forwarding, message manager, etc, you can run
a business these days from anywhere. So why state on your site where your
business is located. Why do people like to know where the business originates?
There are a number of reasons. One is, even though email is the main means
of communication for many firms that do business on the net, I still believe
that picking up the phone and calling someone is a vital to a good customer
relationship. And if it is a long term business relationship, it is often
nice to meet in person at some time. Therefore, to know where you are
located is important. Your exact address is not absolutely necessary (I
know many excellent business are run from home, and advertising one's
home address is not always favorable), but knowing the city, province
or state, and the country lets clients know what it would take to get
in touch with you.
Another reason that location matters is some of my clients, and even I
at times, like doing business with Canadian firms. If I can get the same
service in Canada, I will choose that company over one from a different
country. I am Canadian, and proud of it, and try to support other Canadian
business's.
One last reason about listing your location is that quite a number of
new businesses are originating from outside Canada and the United States.
But the level of service is not always what you can get from a Canadian
company. There may be political instability, poor infrastructure, etc
that may affect the ability to adequately serve the clients needs. The
stability of the region the business is in is a major factor.
How about who you are and how long have you been in business. If you have
been in business on the net for over a couple years, then that is something
to brag about these days. You have been through the boom and bust. Let
people know. And if you have other business history, then that will help
you earn your customers trust. Just by putting your personal name on the
site shows you are not afraid to let the world know you are in business,
and willing to personally stand behind your service and your website offering.
But what if you are just new, your first business, your first website.
I believe then that you should let people know as much as they can about
you, what you have done to think you can run a business and why you believe
the client should shell out his hard earned money to you. I would much
rather give a rookie a chance who has told me his story of education,
experience, training, etc, than someone with 10 years experience who won’t
even let me know his name.
What about a real storefront or office. Do you need one, and do the customers
expect you to have one. Well I think if you have a location, definitely
let them know. It can’t hurt, and they can then drop in on you and
check you out in person if possible. But if you are operating from your
spare room, or a cabin at the lake, then let the client know that you
are not bound to an office. Tell them you are a home-based business, and
give them a mailing address (use a local mailbox if you do not want to
reveal your house address). Most people are used to dealing with home
based businesses these days. You can even tell them you are passing the
savings of running an office on to your loyal customers.
By being totally honest and forthcoming with your business information,
it shows your clients that you are here for the long run. You are trying
to build a strong reputation, so do not do anything that will tarnish
that.
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