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When you are first starting your business you may be on a tight budget. The list of tools that you need for your business will quickly add up. In particular, if you are selling physical product and need to have inventory on hand you may have an even tighter budget to accommodate.

Knowing whether you absolutely need a website for my business or not to begin booking or selling is a hard decision to make. Even though you may not need a full blown website from the start, there are other options such as LeadPages or Samcart where you can set up a one page site and sell your products easily. Before you begin to look into the alternatives of building a fully functional website let’s go over the 5 questions you need to ask yourself to indicate whether or not you need a website.

Do you sell products?

If the answer is yes, you need a website. Whether you choose to start with the one page website builders or go more professional, there is nothing shadier than having customers send you a direct message to purchase your items. As a professional business you want people to take you serious and to do so you need to be present on the internet.

Do you sell services?

If the answer is yes, you need a website. Social media is not the place to have all of your service details listed. Often times there aren’t enough characters to do so. Social media is a place for customers to have a first impression of your brand lightly get to know you, like an appetizer. Your website will be dinner and this is where they will become a loyal consumer of your services. Service based businesses thrive off of well-built websites.

Are you booking appointments?

If the answer is yes, you need a website. If you provide in person services the great thing about having a website is that you can better manage your time and calendar. You do not have to go with a fully built website and can often use a service like “Style Seat” or “Acuity Scheduling” that will give you a one page home on the internet where clients can book services and even leave a deposit. Research shows clients required to leave a deposit no matter how small it is almost always show up for their appointment. Even if they don’t show, you still make money! Your time is valuable.

Do you have a portfolio?

If the answer is yes, you need a website. With all the great work you have done, what good will it do you if you do not show it to the world? Before and after pictures, and any visual showcase of your work will influence prospective customers to buy. It is in our human nature to want to try something after we have seen proof that it works or is valuable.

Is your business shipping?

If the answer is yes, you need a website. Shipping without a website is a huge hassle. When you have things set up online, the real time shipping cost can be calculated and customers can make purchases from you while you are asleep! Let your website do the work.

So, do you need a website for your business?

via GIPHY

You probably thought that you were going to read this article and save some money from not having to need a website, but this is one of those business tools that you cannot skip out on.

Having a website is vital to making sales in your sleep and if you are not making money while you sleep, you aren’t really making money yet. Entrepreneurship takes so much energy and before you get burnt out you need to explore ways to make income that do not require your every waking moment. Try out one of the easy website one page builders I included above and make it work!

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