Running any sort of business is difficult, and it can be tempting to take a few short cuts along the way.  One thing you don’t want to do, however, is skip having an online presence.  According to Internet Live Stats, there are currently over 3.4 billion internet users in the world viewing over 1 billion websites.  Here is what your company is missing by not having a website.

Loss of Business

Above all else, if you don’t have a website, you’re going to lose business.  SCORE, a division of the U.S. Small Business Administration, reports some surprising numbers.  While 97 percent of consumers are now searching for products and services online, over half (51 percent) of small businesses still don’t have a web site.

These consumers are researching companies to read reviews, get information on products and services, and locate contact information.  If they can’t find these details about your company, they’ll likely move along to the next candidate on their list.

Build Stronger Local Presence

Do you have the mindset that you don’t need a website because you’re a local business that gets word-of-mouth referrals?  This is a common mistake, and a quick online search will likely reveal that many of your competitors are already online.  In fact, more people than ever are searching for local products and services on the internet, so the small business with a professional website will be the ultimate winner.

Develop Relationships

A website allows your business to forge deeper relationships with customers, suppliers, and even your local community.  The most visited page of many websites is the “About” page because visitors are interested in knowing more about who they are doing business with.

Having a website allows you to promote your company’s vision while building trust and loyalty.  A website also permits customers to be in closer contact with your business, giving them the ability to contact you with questions about products and services, make requests for support, or provide valuable feedback.

Future Proof Your Business

If you want your business to grow and survive long into the future, a dedicated web site is a must. It’s estimated that 5 billion people will be active internet users by 2020, with a 25 percent annual growth rate in mobile during that period.  With more and more people searching online and through mobile devices for products and services, it makes little difference what your business provides, having a web site is the only way to remain viable and capture this growing audience.

In recent years, having an online presence has become more a necessity than a luxury.  A professional website that reflects your company’s services and vision could make the difference in its long-term success.

Contact Blast Creative today for all of your website needs!

The post What Your Business Misses by Not Having a Web Site appeared first on Website Design and Marketing.

I’ve been thrown under the bus so many times in my lifetime by business partners, associates and friends that the tread marks have left excruciating scars and I sit here wondering if honesty, integrity and loyalty exists in 2013! I hate not trusting people, but time and time again I get slapped in the face by reality. I recently read an article on Katie Couric’s website:

Want to know how to spot a liar? Here’s how!

From Janine Driver, body language expert and author of “You Can’t Lie to Me.”

Read more here…

Basically you can never be too sure if someone in your life is being dishonest. But you’d think with the age of the Internet and Social Media, people would try to be more honest, because their reputation is on the line-literally! Edward Snowden is a prime example, his life is ruined and he can’t go anywhere in the world without people knowing him and what he did. Kids in high school and college know all too well how one bad decision can end up online and destroy their lives and yet, here we are in 2013 and people continue to be dishonest, show lack of integrity and loyalty. So color me stupid, people just don’t care and that scares me, what is the world going to be like 10 years from now?

According to Webster Integrity is:

Definition of INTEGRITY

1 : firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : incorruptibility

2 : an unimpaired condition : soundness

3: the quality or state of being complete or undivided : completeness

And this is Webster’s definition of Integrity for kids:

Main Entry: in·teg·ri·ty
Pronunciation: in-teg-rt-
Function: noun
1 : the condition of being free from damage or defect
2 : total honesty and sincerity
3 : the quality or state of being complete or undivided

So you be the judge, is there integrity in the world in 2013? Especially when it comes to business! Has the oil boom and the almighty dollar turned us into a society with no morals, no integrity and no loyalty? In a world where everyone claims to be a Christian, where is God? In Luke 6:31 it says do unto others, as you would have them do unto you! So does that mean I should treat business partners, associates and friends the way that they have treated me. Or how about Exodus 21:24 where it says an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth? The biggest lesson that I’ve learned in life is that if someone claims to be a Christian or talks about their faith in God and God has led them to this or that, RUN, RUN for your life! I once believed that Christianity, honesty, integrity and loyalty all worked hand in hand, but I am here to tell you that I was wrong.

Loyalty is something I am finding is almost extinct. Does loyalty exist among brands? Is there customer loyalty? What about loyalty among friends? Coworkers? Do we live in a society where everyone is ready to jump ship and no one is loyal to anyone or anything? Personally, I do not believe that loyalty exists in our world in 2013. Loyalty is important to me and I am loyal to others, but sadly it is not a two-way street. So here I am at a crossroads wondering what I should do. Do I change my morals and values? Do I forget about them altogether? How do we live and survive in a world where the existence of honesty, integrity and loyalty are on the verge of distinction?

The post Honesty, Integrity and Loyalty Do They Exist in 2013? appeared first on Website Design and Marketing.