Anyone with knowledge to share can benefit from a website and in today’s declining economy you need every advantage you can to show yourself and your talents.
Websites can be used to promote your work experience for an upcoming job interview, showcase artistic creations, can highlight a product or service you offer, and can also get them to buy from people who have similar interests and hobbies.
Being “online” also makes you global and allows you to advertise around the world. By having a website, you allow potential clients and employers to find you 24/7. If you are in a competitive business and your competitors have a website and you don’t, then you are already behind a few steps in the game.
Below is a list of my top ten reasons why you need a website today.
1. Incredible income potential
If you still have a 9 to 5 job, chances are you won’t increase your salary more than 3% (more if you’re one of the lucky few) this year. While, at the same time, housing costs are rising, insurance premiums are rising, and gas has risen again. You need money and you need it now!
2. You are the boss
How many times have you gone to work expecting your boss to suspend you? Well, to build your own business, you no longer have to sit in useless meetings, ask for a raise, get approved for a long vacation time, put up with office politics, fake your way through another annual review.
3. It’s very easy
Technology is becoming extremely easy nowadays, that after a few clicks (and some money) you can have your own website.
4. It’s super cheap (good for the most part)
With any small business running, cash is king and everything costs money. Often times things cost 3-4 times more than you thought and in this economy no one wants to take out a second mortgage just to keep a business afloat. You can register a domain name and buy a hosting service for less than $ 20, then get free WordPress, Joomla, and HTML and CSS themes and have your own website in minutes.
5. Tax advantages
The federal tax code was written to favor businesses over people. As a business owner, I can deduct car expenses, computer-related costs, advertising, software, cell phones, etc. since they are all used for my business.
6. You don’t need your own product to run a successful online business
This may be the biggest advantage to starting your own online business company (next to Unlimited Income Potential # 1) and perhaps the scariest. Many people are reluctant to start an online business for this reason: they have nothing to sell. For those people, I would suggest affiliate marketing. The concept is simple to promote and sell commercial products online and you will get a discount commission on every purchase, sometimes even for life!
7. Open 24 hours a day around the world
This means you don’t have to stay at your computer on Christmas Day or your birthday. You can create residual income and earn money while you sleep. No more worrying about losing sales due to weekends, holiday seasons, or different time zones.
8. Unlimited advertising
If you’ve ever advertised in a local newspaper or Pennysaver ad, know the costs. You are charged per line, per inch, and per color. I can’t tell you how many times I posted a service ad and received few or no calls during MONTHS! It was a complete waste of time and money.
9. You can create your own online presence
Just because you don’t have the money that big dogs have doesn’t mean you can’t have an “A” rated website. When you create your own website, you decide how you want it to look and what products you want to sell.
10. Pursue your passion and live your dreams
The key to a successful business is finding something you are passionate about and finding a way to make money from it. What do you daydream about? What can you imagine doing in 5 years? Do your friends come to you for the latest information on technology devices? Maybe you should launch a gadget review website.
Finding out what you are really passionate about and finding a way to benefit from it may take time, but it’s worth it.