A website is not an advertisement or a commercial. It is the international business headquarters of a company, big or small. A website is not limited by inches, blocks of air time or even international boundaries. Information does not need to be crammed into a certain number of column inches or recorded and filmed in sixty seconds or less. Every business needs an online presence to act as an in-house public relations firm. Those who refuse to accept this fact will limit their business potential immeasurably.</p><p><em> A website serves many purposes</em>. It can be a selling tool where businesses promote and advertise products and services. Some sites contain shopping carts and are virtual stores where the consumer can purchase everything from electronics to food. The virtual store is open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week to consumers around the world. It has no employee overhead or utility costs. The consumer scrolls through the products and selects one or more to purchase. Payment is made online by credit card or PayPal and deposited into the company's account.</p><p> Many corporate websites provide educational articles assisting consumers to make choices for products and services that best suit their needs. Before making major purchases, such as a car, consumers go online and peruse all the websites looking for the best deals and incentives. They compare one vehicle to another looking for the best match for work or family use. Contractors can display photos of completed work, or work in stages, to demonstrate their expertise. Consumers appreciate it when businesses allow access to examples of their work.</p><p> The website is a sales manager, public relations manager and educator that no business can afford to disregard. It provides the company a platform to express their business philosophy, introduce the owner and employees, give extensive detail on products and services as well as build an e-mail list by offering visitors an opportunity to sign up to receive newsletters and special offers.</p>" />
