Are you a small business owner? Do you think having your own website is important to your business? Perhaps you are not sure whether to have your own website or not? Are you worried about the costs of building a website? Perhaps you think that relying on social media only or word of mouth is good enough. We believe that even if you are doing well with your business at the moment, your business will still need a professional website to grow further and better.Let’s start with some interesting statistics on where Malaysia stands in this digital age

– Malaysian population: 32.35 million

– Total number of active Internet users: 25.84 million, that’s 80% of the population

– 83% of internet users use the Internet every day, this probably comes as no surprise

– The average time spent on the internet via any device is 8 hours!

As you can see, the market is huge, the opportunity is near limitless and it’s still growing. The statistic only takes into account the local Malaysian market, if your product or services can be exported, the world is your oyster. But this can only happen if you make the most of it, grab the opportunity and invest by having your own professional website.Here are 7 reasons why YOUR business needs a professional website:

– Increase your customers – The number of internet users in Malaysia is 28 million! That’s your potential reach, and even if you reach to just even 10%, that’s already 2.8 million more potential customers, that’s more reach than your business will have if you only rely on your brick-and-mortar store or word of mouth.

– You control your website – Even if you have your own social media page or free website, there are disadvantages that you should be aware of. You are basically “renting” space, and like any other leasing arrangements, the space is not yours and it can be taken away from you (you can google “facebook shut down my account”). You also have limitations in controlling how your website looks, what information you can put on it and how you can expand. Why rent when you can buy right? Especially when it does not cost a lot 🙂

– Your business will gain credibility – A professional looking website will help your business gain credibility. It’s the same as when you go to an interview and look your best, having a professional website will leave a good impression to your visitors. It will show your visitors that you care about your business, rather than relying on a free website that looks messy and unprofessional.

– Keep your customers informed – By having your own website, it’s the best way to keep your customers updated. You can inform your customers of new products, share upcoming news like office relocation, upload images of product usage and at the same time keep your customers happy.

– A website enables your business to reach a wider audience – Mobile internet penetration in South East Asia is 129%, which means that each person in South East Asia is carrying a phone that is capable of reaching your business if you have a website.

– Your website is open 24/7 – One of the best things about having your own website is it is open 24/7. You can receive inquiries any time of the day and internet users can browse through your products or services anytime they are available, even when they are at the mamak!

– To improve customer service – Having a website shows that you are a professional business, customers expect your business to have a website for them to access information, know more about your company, your clients, your product info, where your business is located and other relevant information. You can share tips with your customers on how to use or care for your products or if you offer a service, such as accounting, you can provide your clients with valuable advice to help them pay less tax at tax time or how to simplify their bookkeeping. Or if you’re in insurance, you could give advice on how to choose the right insurance policy for them or their family’s needs. By including an FAQ page or a resources section, you can keep your customers’ happy, better informed and up-to-date.