What kind of businesses do well on the web?

If you think that the only businesses that do well on the Internet are those who sell nationally, or that having a web presence doesn't help small local businesses, you'd better think again.

The reason: the Internet is increasing the profitability of a wide range of businesses, including local businesses and others that, well, you might not suspect would profit on the web.

Based on results from our recent Small Business Outlook survey, businesses that were cited as being more profitable because of the Internet included consultants, manufacturers, retailers and service businesses. Here are just a few of the types of businesses that are owned by respondents who said their businesses have become more profitable because of the Internet:

Wood cabinets and millwork company
Remodeling franchise
Furniture store
Virtual assistant
Capital equipment manufacturer
Industrial services
Contracting
Moving and storage company
Property management
Landscaping
Housekeeping
Specialty electrical supplies, wholesale
Transportation
Interior decorating
CPA
Real estate appraisal
Music school
Industrial storage systems manufactured
Motorhome services
Portrait photography studio
Race tires and wheels
Natural stone fabricator
Highway maintenance
Swimming pool service and repair
Face & body art
Taxidermist

Having a website created for you and getting people to visit it on the web will require you to invest a bit of time and money. But with customers turning to the web to research purchases whether they plan to buy online or offline, ignoring the web, or having a website that looks unprofessional is a bad choice – a choice that will have a negative effect on your bottom line.

More: Do Customers Trust Your Web Site?

Comments