Back in the 1970s there was a brand new home appliance introduced to our society that was met with similar question from the public. People remarked, "Yes, that is a nice invention, but I don't know whether or not I would actually use one in my home. What is it called again? A microwave?"

Now today, you will rarely find a home without a microwave, and those that do have them, remark how much they use them and how it improves their quality of life.

We are at a juncture almost paralleled with the acceptance of the microwave in relative to companies with a web presence (owning their own domain and having a web site). People are saying things like, "Well I don't really know that my business actually needs a web site.

In the early part of 2003, Microsoft stated that within the next ten years businesses will find that in order to even stay competitive a web presence will be needed.

In our area alone, you could easily spend $1,000 just placing advertising in the yellow pages of the various phone books that are offered for our area ... and you will have to pay that same fee the following and successive years to remain in that medium. And that is only reaching individuals in our area of the State.

With a web site investment of *$150 (price of a "Flyer" web site), you are reaching the entire Internet through out the world. Unless you have changes to make to the web site, you will only pay around $6.41 per month ($77 per year) for any subsequent year's worth of web presence fees ... thus making this medium the most affordable medium of advertising in the world.

Having a website means entering an invaluable communication environment. There are at least 7 reasons why you should have an online presence whether personal or for business.

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Why I Need a Personal Web Page

1. To exhibit your personal profile

A website can be your virtual portrait parading your personality in front of everyone 24 hours a day. One of the most popular ways to display your personal self online is to keep a weblog (also known as online diary) or a photo gallery where the visitors can learn more about your daily life.

2. To make your voice be heard all over the world

A website can be your online “pulpit”, from which you can deliver your opinion and share your knowledge, experience and enthusiasm with people who you might not otherwise have crossed paths with. The discussion board, better known as “forum”, is a very popular idea-voicing tool. You can also add a guestbook to your site, where people will be able to discuss your postings.

3. To be in touch with people at a distance

A website can be a meeting place where you can acquaint yourself with new people, and at the same time keep in touch with friends on the other side of the globe. You can conduct one-to-one conversations with many different people directly from your website. There are almost unlimited online communication possibilities.

4. To boost disabled people’s interaction with the world

A website enables people with limited access, due to a handicap or an illness, to broaden their communication with others. A website can be a physically disabled person’s door to the dynamic world, helping them overcome the difficulties of having a “different” everyday life. It can also play the role of an office where they can present certain in-house-built products or offer various services directly from their living room.

5. To hone web development skills

A website can introduce you to the secrets of the World Wide Web. The latest web design technologies allow even the inexperienced user to create a web page with just a few clicks. By using the popular WYSWYG (What You See Is What You Get) design tools, absolutely everyone (regardless of age or education level) can build their own website without having any previous experience.

6. To makes extra profit with minimum investments

A website can bring you a residual income even while you are sleeping or enjoying your free time. Thanks to the contemporary techniques for bringing traffic to your website, you can earn easy money by simply having visitors click on certain product or service promos or links that are relevant to your site’s content pages (e.g. the Google Adsense/Adwords ad solutions) without making any initial investment.

7. To become a member of the world’s biggest community

A website is a must-have nowadays – just like mobile phones and computers are. The fast developing modern technologies have turned having a website from a whim into a modern necessity. Today, a lot of people run a personal website, whereas twice as many are expected to be having their own space in the global World Wide Web in the nearest future. Be forward-thinking and join this trend now.

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Why I Need a Business Website

1. Enhanced customer convenience:

Searching for businesses, products and services over the Internet is much easier and quicker than leafing through the Yellow Pages, for example. Every time a potential or an existing client wants to find out more about your business, they can easily do so, especially if you have added a "FAQ" section. Your customers can always keep in touch with you and your business, all they need to know is your website’s address.

2. Greater reachability of your business profile:

Your business profile will be accessible from EVERYWHERE. No other ad medium provides such global coverage. You will not depend on restricted phone book entry presentations any more. What is more important, more and more customers are nowadays referring to the Internet when searching for products, services and businesses.

3. Greater possibilities for promoting your business portfolio:

People will not buy your products or services unless they know that they actually exist. You can tell your potential audience much more through a WEBSITE than you could possibly do via any print advertisements, Yellow Pages listings, or TV/radio commercials. There are no limitations as far as space, time, nationality and residency are concerned. You can say as many things as you want, to as many people as you wish. And your business representation can be as resourceful as is the Internet itself.

4. Efficient low-cost advertising:

Your website practically runs NON-STOP PROMOTIONS of your business! Your customers will always be able to obtain thorough up-to-date information about your services or products. Instead of having to rely on randomly aired TV or radio commercials, they can simply browse through your website whenever they like.

5. 24/7 availability:

A website is available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It will be your hardest working employee, never getting sick, or taking a holiday. And you can rest assured that your website is always there for you – to answer your customers’ questions, or to collect their feedback on your behalf.

6. Saves time:

Prospective clients can learn about you and your business at any time of the day simply by visiting your website, so you won’t have to be present or involved with the process in any way. The time you would otherwise have spent on answering or re-directing your customers’ questions can be now saved and invested in other activities that can increase your profits and further enhance the scope of your business.

7. Saves money:

You can save a lot of money you would have otherwise spent on print ads, brochures, coupons, flyers, specials, newsletters or mailings. What’s more, updating the information on your website is always quick, easy and amazingly efficient, whereas regular renewals of printed materials can be quite expensive and time consuming. The fact is, nothing is more valued in any business than optimal productivity at minimum cost possible.

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