Across India, service businesses in varied fields such as consulting, accounting, transportation, cleaning, hospitality, travelling, maintenance, education, culture, logistics, wellness, convenience, and more have boomed. The rise in these service businesses is also being seen in Tier II, III, and IV India.
Service businesses offer owners three clear benefits: a quick start, premium prices, and high profits. Most of them tend to operate offline – especially in small towns – but it’s time for every service business to go online.
A business with a website is more likely to receive traffic just by its digital presence. At least half of the mobile searches turn into conversions that occur within one hour of an initial mobile search.
This means that almost all customers are online these days – and your business needs to be there as well.
1. Creating a website helps your customers find you
With most people whipping out their mobile for a quick online search when looking for a new business or service, a website can ensure that potential customers find you. The website should be easy to navigate – and most important of all – be optimised for mobile.
Mobile searchers don’t scroll too much – they tend to look at the top three to five results. This means that a mobile search should throw up your website when people in the area – or outside – are searching for a service you provide.
2. Creating a website gives your customers round-the-clock accessibility
The internet never sleeps, and this means that your online presence can act as a shop that is open 24 hours, seven days a week. This translates into immense convenience for the most important person – the customer – as s/he can research your service and get in touch after regular working hours and at a time of their own choosing.
3. Creating a website can increase your business’ credibility
Would you trust a business that does not have a website? It’s most likely that potential customers will not trust your business and give you that all-important call if you don’t have an online presence. A digital presence can help provide probable customers with “social proof” by offering reviews and ratings proffered by existing customers.
4. Creating a website can help you build a stronger brand
SMEs can benefit from the power of connection. Customers are more likely to buy from a brand they feel connected to as against one they don’t connect with.
It is important for your service business to create a clear, consistent, and compelling brand story across every online channel. Your brand needs to be in all the places your customers are – so make sure your presence is felt on social media networks your target audience is sure to frequent.
5. Creating a website can help you with cost-efficient marketing
In the digital era, feet on street or on-ground marketing is not the best way to grow your business. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that marketing can be successfully done via online channels. This – email, social media, or pay-per-click advertising – can ensure good returns on your investment.
Online marketing is extremely cost-effective with so many free and low-cost tools available now – this is something every business can benefit from.
6. Creating a website helps you reach more customers
A service business that was bound by a store or premises is set free with an online presence. The web is a new world, and ensures that your business has access to a much larger audience than your store or office ever did. Apart from helping you gain clients from far-off places, your digital presence can also bring in leads and inquiries from other cities in India, and – someday – give you a chance to begin international operations.
7. Creating a website deepens your connection with the customer
An online presence, followed by digital marketing, is among the first steps. They tend to generate a wealth of data, which can be analysed to better know your customer – age, gender, choices, preferences, and other behaviour.
Once you know your customer better, you have a better chance of engaging him or her, and ensuring customer loyalty.
A website also opens up easy channels of communication. You can provide support via phone, email, chat, or social media messaging to strengthen these relationships.
In today’s world, no business can afford not to be online. This holds true even if you are not into eCommerce or mobile commerce. It’s vital to build your brand and keep growing your online presence and reputation.
Let Boost360 show you the way.
