CMS Web Solutions

Statistics Canada reported that in 2006 78% of private and 99% of public organizations used electronic email. 2 years ago I made the statement that a website was now as important as a business card. Today I believe a website is even more important than a business card. A couple things happened. In the last few years people have accelerated their use of the Internet for researching products and services. Recently I attended a market research presented by Google. The data presented reflected what I was seeing in the marketplace. Something triggers a person’s mind. They go to the Internet to research. If they are satisfied they will engage further. What happens if you don’t have a website or one that is not working properly? Think about how your personal habits are beginning to change. When looking for a person/business do you search through a pile of business cards or pull out the yellow pages? Or are you finding yourself increasingly trying a quick search on an Internet directory? If you did use a business card, would you call or check out the website first? We are beginning to realize that more information is available on a website. If a company has a business card, but no website in an expanding and more global market, how will they be found? Even ads are shrinking as companies can reduce the information and include their website address on it. Having a well organized and working website is no longer a passing fad. It’s a necessity.

We’re in our 7th year of business. One mistake we made early on and consistently see starts ups making is not taking an emotionally detached perspective of their business. It’s similar to the phase we’ve all been through at the beginning of a relationship. This euphoric “glow” is wonderful, however, remaining in it too long delays us getting on with the job of doing what a business is supposed to do…make a profit. As we approach the end of the year we’ve learned to take a brutally honest and unemotional examination of our business. We look at what’s working, what’s not, where’s the money flowing, where’s the best return on time invested etc. A friend once told me that we will make good decisions and bad decisions; that’s just a reality. But the worse thing we can do is not make a decision. The delay in making a decision actually does more harm than good. It eats away at us. So be brutally honest. Decide to stop doing what is not working and get on with growing your business in areas that are working.