Did you know that an estimated 2.2 billion people from all over the world are already using the Internet? Well, not all of them may become your customers, but it means that the Internet will become more and more part of our daily staple.

Here at Negosyo Builder, we believe that the top 3 reasons why your business should have a website are as follow.

1. Your customers are online.

This is the single best reason I can think of why you should put up a website for your business, especially if you are targeting the following:

• New customers. These are the ones who have never done any business with you yet. They may know you from someone else, or they don’t know you at all.
• Customers who are new to your place. A few examples: real estate buyer from another city, business traveler, etc..
• Customers who are looking for an alternative solution. They may be dissatisfied with their current supplier or they are simply looking for the best bang for their investment money.

These are the type of customers who tend to use the Internet and do their research to find out about the businesses they will be dealing with eventually.

They can be described by a single word: skeptical.

And yes, consumers these days are more skeptical than ever. They refuse to be fooled anymore. They want to know more and more about you before they decide to hand you their money.

Don’t have a website? Any or all of the following could possibly happen:

• They won’t find you. For them, you don’t exist. Or, you exist in another world. But it’s not the world of your customers
• They won’t know you. Did you know that the About Us Page is one of the most visited pages in any website? Customers want to know who’s behind a particular website.
• They won’t trust you. There is no basis of establishing trust in the first place. Remember your mom’s advice about talking to strangers? Like it or not, in the eyes of the customers, you are a complete stranger until they actually start doing business with you.
• They won’t like you. Did you ever like a movie which you haven’t seen yet? Unless you are blind, I guess you’ll agree that the answer to that question is no. Unless they can see your virtual face, your online customers can’t possibly like you yet.

(Related article: Your Business Website: How to do it right.)

In his book entitled, “Endless Referrals”, Bob Burg mentioned this simple truth that all salesmen should plaster on their foreheads:

“All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like and trust.”

2. A website builds your brand and credibility

Would you buy a PC or a piece of software from a vendor that doesn’t have a website? Would you enroll a computer course from a school that doesn’t even have a website?

Ironic as it may seem, but this is happening all the time in the Philippines. There are so many businesses with very low online credibility, and yet have the audacity to ask for your business.

This is like going to the gym because you wanted to flatten your belly, and perhaps put on some abs — though not necessarily six packs since you are not really into boxing. You have all the motivation in the world to lose those belly fats until the front desk staff introduces you to your instructor. Your eyes begin to scan his figure, not because you are gay 🙂 , but because your mind is searching for traces of credibility from someone who is suppose to give you the right instructions. And, oh my, he happens to look like he is 7 months pregnant! Where’s the credibility in that?

That’s what I mean by very low in credibility.

If you are like me, I would raise the following questions:

• Am I dealing with the right people?
• Can they deliver what they promise they would?
• Are they trying to scam me?

In the online world, your own website — not your Facebook Page, or your Twitter account — can build your brand and credibility for you.

(See also: How to build a website: For people with no programming skills.)

The 2012 Nielsen Advertising Survey found out that 58% of the online consumers around the globe are more likely to trust a company that has its own website.

Many of your website visitors may not be buying from you yet, but these people can be looking at your website in search of information. And the more you provide them with the information that satisfies their curiosity, the more you reinforce your online credibility.

3. Your website makes it easy to engage your customer

The same Nielsen Advertising Survey conducted last year found that 92% of the online consumers worldwide say they trust word-of-mouth and recommendations from people they trust more than they trust the traditional forms of advertising.

Your potential customers also rely heavily on customer reviews and feedback from other third-party websites. That’s how intelligent customers are now becoming.

(See also: How to get a PayPal Account in the Philippines.)

Through your website, your potential customers can help you share the good things about your business without you spending a single dime. And with social sharing features in place, you also make it easy for a satisfied customer to recommend your business to his friends and his friends’ friends.

You could be the next business rock star! Who knows? But it has to start somewhere: with your very own business website.