Does my business really need a website?

​You don’t want to deal with a website. You feel like you can’t possibly add another thing to your plate. Thinking about a website gives you a headache.  You don’t even know how you’d go about setting one up. You looked up how much they cost and you definitely don’t have thousands of dollars to spend. 

Sound familiar? 

You’re not alone. While there are some people who are super excited to get a website up and running, the reality is that most small business owners are overwhelmed with even the thought of a website. If that’s you, you’re probably wondering “do I really need a website?”. I’m here to help you bootstrap and DIY your passion into a profitable business. So let’s get into it. 

​First, we need to discuss what the various purposes are for having a websites. WAIT! Before you leave, I know you’re probably thinking “I use the internet everyday, I know what a website is”, I hear ya, friend, but stay with me. It’s important to know what the goals of websites are so that you can know whether it applies to your business. 

​Purpose #1: Inform

​Going back to the earliest days of the internet, the core purpose of websites is to inform. Websites store information and this isn’t just research and articles, it’s also tour dates, movie times, store policies, shop hours, how-to guides and more. 

There’s two benefits to posting your information to your website: first so that your fans and clients can easily retrieve it “go to my website to read my how-to manual” and the second benefit is so that others can find you through online searches. If someone is looking for “dog trainers in Orlando” but you don’t have a website that says something like “dog training in Orlando”, they’re not going to find you.  

So, do you have any information that needs to be readily available to your fans or clients? Would you like to be found in a Google search? If the answer was “yes” to either, then you definitely need a website. 

​Purpose #2: Connect

Our second purpose of websites is to connect. This could be as simple as listing an email (or a contact form) to forums, sharing sites, and memberships. We connect online through messages, comments, video, and audio. 
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So, do you want your fans or clients to contact you? Do you want them to connect with each other? If the answer is “yes” to either, then you need a website. 

​Purpose #3: Purchase 

Our third purpose of websites is to purchase. Everything from project proposals, concert tickets, memberships, day passes, music, movies, to physical products are bought through websites.  This might be the most obvious, but if you have a product or service that you want to sell online, you need a website for customers to purchase them through. 

But Christine, I have other things that do all of those for me! My customers find my Facebook page via Google, they email me using my “link in bio”, and they purchase from me on my Etsy site; so I don’t exactly need a website, right? Well… here’s the thing about all those methods that you mentioned. They can be taken away from you without any warning or compensation because they’re not yours. A website is something you own. You rent your space on social media and third party platforms. And rented space can get pulled from you in a blink of an eye. 

So now that you’ve learned about the purposes of websites, do you need one? What do you think? If you’re still unsure, let’s connect and I can help you decide what your website really needs and guide you with next steps to make it come to life. Your first coaching session is free. 

​Hey! I’m Christine. I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business.

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