10 Things The Web Can Do For You

1. Reach new customers and Markets.
    The web can help you find (and keep) new customers, regardless of location or lifestyle.

2. Convert people with a passing interest into customers.
    After seeing your ad, hearing your name or passing your store, new customers or prospectors can visit your site and learn more.

3. Encourage repeat business.
    Using email and your website, you can keep existing customers or members informed about new products, articles, issues, or events.

4. Reduce bad leads by clarifying who you are, what you do and what you don't do.

5. Follow up on ads and press coverage.
    When your organization places an ad or gets covered in a magazine, the web lets readers learn more.

6. Save money on printing and postage.
    Organizations large or small save money by replacing printed collateral and mailings with a website and email.

7. Provide better, faster customer support.
    Although some customer service must be done live, many kinds of questions are better served by a website, including company background; location and hours; and product specifications.

8. Save money on phone support.
    No matter what the size of your business, fewer phone calls means more money and time.

9. Gauge customer interest in products of events.
    By looking at what visitors look at, you can get a rough sense of their appeal.  This can be helpful when planning events, ordering new inventory, or predicting sales.

10. Stimulates creativity!
    Don't get carried away, but...it's OK to have fun with your site!

10 Things The Web Can Do For You is an excerpt from June Cohen's book The Unusually Useful Web Book.