What the Internet Can Offer Your Business
Web sites are no longer the domain of large companies. More and more small businesses are realising that online promotion can help them compete against their direct rivals and increase their profitability.
How many people, all potential customers, have access to the Internet at home or at work?
Millions!
More than 35% of all UK households have Internet access and 67% of UK Internet users access the Internet to find information about goods or services.
But not every one actually buys online. While most people tend to use the Web to search for products and services, many still prefer to make the final purchase by telephone, post or in person. So it seems that e-commerce is just as much about e-promotion and establishing an Internet presence as anything else.
A recent survey of small businesses who had (or planned) a web site revealed that:
35% of them were primarily trying to reach a local market
45% believed that online promotion had already helped them compete more effectively
47% reported that online advertising was important to their business.
Your business could tap into this enormous, online, market. Can you afford to ignore such a large group of potential customers?
There are a number of ways in which your company can establish an Internet presence:
By developing a web site
By registering a domain name
By using email to keep in touch with customers and suppliers
By using Usenet as a source of information
By using the World Wide Web to source suppliers and monitor your competition