I agree with everything you say (especially about keeping your info updated) accept for perhaps the planning necessary to launch a website.

The web has become so competitive that, unless you are serious about devoting time and money into S.E.O. and blogging, you should simply use your website as a place to host materials your existing clients may want to download.

I wouldn’t spend too much time on your site. You can set up a free site on Weebly in a matter of minutes. Furthermore, a strong profile on a business networking site can be more effective than a $5,000 website.

All too often I see small business owners create a site and become disappointed when they realize getting the site on anyone’s radar is a full time job in itself.

It’s not 1998 and just having a website literally means nothing anymore.

You want to promote your business right? Not your website.

The web is littered with dormant small business websites. Not because the design or content isn’t good but because the owner couldn’t (and in many cases doesn’t need to) realistically drive enough traffic to have any kind of Search Engine clout.

It really comes down to what type of small business you’re running.

Yes, a restaurant needs to have some basic information and will most likely get picked up by popular directories like “City Search” and “Yelp” anyways.

Should Financial Planner blow big bucks on an interactive flash site, an S.E.O. specialist, spend two hours a day blogging, creating compelling content and creating inbound links?

Probably not because now he’s promoting his website in the hopes that it will lead to new business; essentially just adding one more step to his marketing strategy.

He’d be better off taking advantage of a profile on a networking site (Which are already ranked) and using that time and money to do some face to face networking.

Just ask a small business owner how much new business they’re generating via their website and the answer is probably little-to-none.

What websites are good for, is hosting resources and information for your existing clients. For example, a Realtor can have a .PDF of their work, an attorney can have a case study for download, an account can create a platform for exchanging documents and so forth.

But remember, these are people who already know about you so the website should be more like stepping into your office; not a store front.

best,

Chris O.
Referral Key
“Your Trusted Referral Network”