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Three outstanding characteristics about successful entrepreneurs are that they are fast, focused, and flexible. In many ways the Internet holds out the promise of making the playing field more level for startups and smaller, emerging businesses. An attractive compelling Web site is often judged on its own terms and can appear to be the work of a larger established company.
An Internet presence can also help businesses get closer to customers and other stakeholders such as suppliers, investors, and professional service providers. Certain tasks, like requests for product literature, can easily be automated and thus contribute to a company’s reputation as capable of a fast response.
Before you commit to setting up an internet presence, it is important to put the decision into perspective. Utilization of the Internet is one tool in your arsenal, and it is certainly appropriate to consider the Internet as one possible avenue for achieving your company’s objective, At the same time, it is important to specify those objectives clearly and to think through how your Internet strategy is consistent with and complementary to your overall business strategy. An Internet presence will cost both money and effort. It is a potentially high – maintenance activity and not one to be undertaken lightly. But it also has an intangible benefit as well: that of positioning your business as a cutting – edge company conversant with the latest technology.
When deciding on a web presence, the following checklist will be helpful:
What are your company’s short-term and long -term business objectives?
What resources are realistically available?
Can the company make a long-term commitment to this effort?
What is the likely benefit/cost ratio of the overall effort or of distinct components?
What results can be reasonably expected at particular cost or effort levels?
What is the realistic time frame to accomplish the task?
Some traditional business tasks that are being supplemented through an internet presence include:
Customer service support
Technical support
Data retrieval
Public and investor relations
Selling products or services
Obtaining advice/ information
Some companies find it useful to send e-mail announcements about new products b or product enhancements, and almost all provide some form of e-mail communication with company stakeholders. Many companies provide extensive support services through their web sites.
