Word-of-mouth marketing is the major explanation by small business owners for not having a website. What are they missing?
A survey from Australia brings an amazing information: Half of the small businesses do not have a website. Yes, the survey took place in 2018. The survey was quoted in smartcompany.com.au.
You probably can guess the main excuse: “most of my new clients come from word-of-mouth marketing”. Actually, 76% of the business owners that participated in the survey said that. Which means half of the business owners that do have a website might be thinking they don’t really need it.
Lets give them some reasons to think again:
1. A website empowers word-of-mouth marketing
A website alone can not make a business. Word-of-mouth marketing is best, always been. No marketer will argue with these two statements. But almost every marketer knows a website empowers word-of-mouth marketing:
- When a potential customer gets more than one recommendation, a website can make the difference.
- When a potential customer gets the recommendation from a less intimate source, and checks before contacting. Not all word-of-mouth sources have the same trust.
- When the potential customer uses the website before contacting (doing his\hers homework) and makes the sale process shorter and easier.
- When a website is strengthening the recommendation and paves the road to better prices.
2. The little difference: What increase in sales will make you happy?
If word-of-mouth marketing is responsible for most of the new sales, it means that some of the new sales come from other channels.
If a website can increase sales by 3-5%, isn’t it worth it?
3. A website in not only for new sales. Think customer service
Many marketers will say that the real importance of a website is for customer service and support. A good informative and practical website that can help customers get answers and better understand the products or services the paid for is beneficial in 3 ways:
- Keeps existing customers closer and helps them avoid the temptation of competitors.
- Makes existing customers more open to new offers – up-sale, cross-sale. A website can increase customer value.
- Cuts customer service costs.
Well, a good and useful website makes existing customers happy and more willing to recommend. i.e., a website is a generator of word-of-mouth marketing.
Yes, a website should be cost-effective. Keep your budget tight; Start with a one-pager and grow step-by-step, little-by-little, just don’t leave your customers – existing and potentials – without it.