In fact, one of the most over-looked opportunities online is for local businesses.  Here are a few reasons why you need a successful online presence...

1. Your Prospects Expect A Website

First of all, you need a website because many of your prospects (and even your customers) expect you to have one.  Many people prefer to learn more about your business from the convenience of their web browsers... and then after they're satisfied with what they've learned about you, they'll contact you to do business.

2. They Want 24-Hour Convenience

In today's busy & fast-paced world, consumers want it NOW... particularly when it comes to getting information.  So when they're looking for a local dentist, plumber, landscaper, etc... if you make them wait until the next business day, chances are they'll already be preoccupied with other urgencies... or have already contacted one of your competitors who does have a website.

A website can give you a 24/7/365 "salesperson" that is available even when you are sleeping.  How much business are you losing because you don't have an effective online presence?!

3. Your Competition Probably Has A Website

Since more and more prospects expect a website...  If one of your competitors has a reasonably decent website – and you don't – chances are pretty good that they'll also end up getting that business, instead of you...

...Not to mention if your competitors have attained Top 10 Rankings in Google and the other major search engines.

Those businesses that intelligently use all the available business tools, are the ones most likely to win in today's marketplace; and a website can be one of the most powerful business tools around.

4. Enhance Your Credibility

A good website will position you (and/or your business) as an authority in your field.  People tend to want to associate themselves with leaders in their industries, not someone who's an also-ran.

Furthermore, not having a website might suggest to many web-savvy prospects, that you're behind the times.

5. Find Better Quality Prospects

A good website can BOTH increase the quality of your prospects AND enhance their loyalty to you.

For instance, one dentist discovered that many of his new online clients will drive 30, 40, even 100 miles to see him, all because of his website.  Amazingly, a prospect visited this dentist from over 400 miles away... and purchased nearly $20,000 worth of dental treatment.  All because she found his website through the search engines, and it made her feel comfortable and confident in his expertise and professionalism.

Additionally, because Internet users tend to have higher income levels, payment and credit issues are less likely to be a concern... which can be particularly beneficial in these recessionary times.

6. Deepen Relationships with Prospects & Clients

You can build trust and deepen relationships with existing customers by offering helpful information about their needs and concerns.  This can quickly increase your local profile above that of your competitors.

A website can also help you to stay “top-of-mind” and increase bonds with clients through ongoing communication, and build sales too...

1. An accountant might write something like: “With tax-time approaching, here are a few ‘secrets’ to help reduce your taxes.”
2. A local jeweller might offer an ‘Internet only’ discount during otherwise slow times.
3. A mechanic might send out notices when it's time for a tune-up and oil change, or reminders about the importance of getting winter tires...

The great thing is that it costs you virtually nothing to send out these ongoing communications to your prospects and clients.  And they'll appreciate the higher levels of service you provide.

7. Offline Advertising Is Becoming Less Effective

Increasingly, people are researching and making their buying decisions online, instead of using the traditional offline methods:

1. YellowPages response rates are dropping like a stone, as prospects ditch those heavy, cumbersome print directories for the convenience and speed of online searches...
2. newspaper readership continues its steady decline; and so do the concomitant advertising results...
3. TV ad spending is projected to decline 4.2% in 2009...
4. in fact, most offline advertising is becoming increasingly less effective, as buyers are spending more and more time online...

Put bluntly, those businesses that fail to adapt to this inescapable progress, are putting their future at serious risk.

8. Boost Your Other Advertising

That said... if you do currently advertise offline, a website can increase the response from ANY local advertising you do... provided it's done right.  Many prospects want to check you out online first, and they specifically look for a website where they can learn more about you.

You can provide MUCH more information on your website, than you can put into any Yellow Pages, newspaper, or radio ad.  Simply give them a compelling reason to visit your website... where you can then give them all the reasons they need to contact you directly.

As an example, I've helped a local chiropractor boost his Yellow Pages response rates by over 300% using this strategy.

Similarly, this strategy can help make your referral programs more effective.

9. Get Highly-Targeted Search Engine Traffic

Getting Top 10 rankings on the major search engines (Google, Yahoo & MSN) for your most important keywords, can potentially put your business in front of hundreds (or even thousands) of prospects who are specifically seeking your services or products...

At the moment, for many local businesses, there's really no serious competition in the search engines for local keywords (ie. boston plumber, landscaper in seattle, chicago veterinarian, san diego photographer, etc.).

And even for more competitive local keywords (ie. boston dentist, los angeles chiropractor, etc.) – for which there are literally thousands of searches being performed every month – I can usually achieve Top 10 rankings within 4-8 weeks.

Important Caveat:  Getting Top 10 Rankings may not be profitable for all businesses.  (More details on the Top 10 Rankings Report page.)

10. Expand Your Business Locally and Globally

For some businesses or professionals &8211; particularly those in larger metropolitan cities &8211; once you start generating high volumes of search engine traffic to your website, you can then:

• expand locally;
• sell your excess traffic (or prospects) to local competitors;
• sell your non-local traffic to similar businesses, for whom those prospects ARE local;
• leverage your local expertise and knowledge for world-wide prospects by creating valuable and high-margin information products... and expand your business globally.

There are many reasons to consider expanding your website globally, but I simply don't have the time to get into them all right now.

But here is one of those reasons...  If done right, your website could potentially provide the time and financial freedom, to enable you to go on short- or longer-term mission trips... without needing to worry about raising financial support, employees, etc.

However, I cannot know whether any of these strategies will work for you...  without knowing more specifics about you and your business.  To find out, simply get a customized Top 10 Rankings Report.