If 70% of buyers do research on the web before they buy, then why do 52% of Small Businesses lack a website? I believe there are two reasons and one of them is not money.

What are the Barriers?

In my opinion the barriers are time and knowledge.

Most Small Business Owners simply don’t have the time to learn how to build and maintain a website in addition to running a successful business.

But, the biggest barrier is knowledge. What I mean here is not knowledge in the usual sense. Rather it’s the wall of techno-babble small business owners encounter when they try to learn how to promote their business on the Internet.

Surprisingly, money is not a barrier. The cost to acquire and maintain a website is only $400 to $500 per year tops, if you do it yourself.

Why is Internet Presence Critical?

 If 70% of buyers do research on the web, and your business or service isn’t there, you won’t be found. Worse, you have no chance at those clients. You are invisible to them

According to Reiva Lesonsky, CEO of GroBiz Media, “If you don’t have a website, your business will become increasingly invisible, until it vanishes altogether.”

Why Today’s Customer’s are Different.

 People don’t want to be sold. But, they do want to be educated.

So, as a small business owner today, your job is not to sell, it’s to educate your potential customer or client.

Using Content Marketing as a tactic in your marketing strategy, you make your potential client or customer aware of who you are. Once they are aware, hopefully they will come to like you and trust you.

People buy from people they know and trust.

 Why Conventional Advertising Doesn’t Work!

 Conventional advertising falls down on two counts. The first is cost. The second, and in my opinion the most important, is the content is fixed. It’s the same message over and over. After a while, potential customers just tune you out.

Today’s customers want new, evolving information that’s relevant to them. The Internet is ideal for this because you can provide a constant flow of changing information at very low cost.

 What’s the Bottom Line?

 Ten years ago, a website was a novelty. Today it’s a necessity.

If you are a Small Business Owner your biggest challenge is acquiring new customers.

There are customers out there who want to do business with you, but they don’t know who you are.

Don’t let the Techno-Babble get in the way. There are resources available explaining this process in plain English.

Invest the time, do the research, get on the Internet, and your business will thrive.

Check out my website at  www.successfulcontentmarketing.com