In parts 1 and 2, We talked about why you’ve got to have a great website, and we’ve shared some things to consider before having one designed, so now it’s time to think about how to leverage your website as an employee.

You’ve worked hard to build a business but let’s face it, you’re limited in how much you can make/raise because your organization can only be open a certain number of hours a day. It’s time to embrace the old cliché “work smarter, not harder” or, as our CEO, Guy Richards, says “leverage your time” so you maximize your earning potential.

Using the web to maximize revenue might be obvious to those brands who sell actual items, but for those folks who provide a service, it can be a little challenging to figure out how to make this work to calculate a return.

Let’s say your organization is a large, multi-site location that sells and installs carpet. People in your office are often on the phone giving basic information about things like how to get to the store nearest them, changing scheduled deliveries, and so on. You’re spending money on overtime because employees can’t get their work done if they’re always answering the phone. You could put this information on the website and that would gain these workers more time to get their work done. You could have articles or “white papers” on topics like carpet color, other flooring options besides carpet, how to care for flooring. You can notify people about sales through email.

Your website should really be an extension of your business. It’s a 24 / 7 world and people want information when they want it. They also want to shop when they’re ready to shop. If they can’t get the information or products from you, they may decide that your competitor, who has the information and products available, is a better choice for them. You can’t afford not to have a website and you can’t afford not to maximize that site.

No matter what your product or service, whether you depend on donations, sell to consumers or other businesses, a great website is a must.

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