Your Website Strategy

1. The Business Benefits

You can reach new customers and improve communications with existing customers through a website. You can also sell online.

1.1 Improve marketing to existing customers.

• Give customers up-to-date news about product launches and special offers.
• Provide a forum for customer feedback.
• Give all the detail you want. The cost of publishing extra material is virtually zero.

1.2 Address new markets, national and global.

• You can reach potential buyers anywhere in the country, or anywhere in the world. Businesses that want to present a pan-European image can apply for a .eu domain name. For more information visit www.eurid.eu.
• Realistically, UK buyers will usually provide the best opportunities, as you can avoid complications of law, documentation, language, overseas delivery and payment. See Marketing on the Internet.

1.3 Cut costs by providing technical information and after-sales support online.

• Compile lists of frequently asked questions (FAQs) so that your customers can answer many of their own queries.
• List contact details for distributors or stockists.
• Give extra information to help customers order the right items first time.

1.4 Protect existing revenue streams and generate new ones.

• Set up a web shop to sell your products or information services online (see 4.1).
• If your site appeals to a niche market, sell advertising space to suppliers of non-competing items for that niche (see 4.2).

1.5 Recruit people with specialised skills, knowledge and experience.

• Advertise job opportunities on your site.