Two years ago, a study found that 81% of consumers perform research online before making a major purchase. That figure rose 20% from the previous year, and has likely continued to rise.

More and more people take a look online before even visiting a business. They want to be sure that they have what they are looking for, that the prices are reasonable, that the service is friendly, and ultimately that they are not wasting their time. This can be more nuanced depending on the type of business of course. For example, if you have a restaurant or bar, then people probably look online for your menu, prices, and maybe some reviews or photos of the place took get a better idea of the atmosphere. I know I do. These themes can still apply if you are selling goods from a home-based business or performing digital services too. Are your products or services of good quality? Do you have good customer service? What is the overall experience like?

For answers to all of these questions, people look online. So if you are trying to see what is going on in the minds of your potential customers, you should trying being a customer of your own business. Google your business name or some keywords a customer might use (preferably in a different web browser or at least signed out of any profiles you use and with all of your temporary internet data like cookies and history cleared—this way your results are less likely to be tainted by your own usage) and see what comes up. Is your website at the top? If it is that’s great, and you can move on to looking at your homepage. Is the key information someone needs readily available like phone number, location, a summary of what you do, etc.? Try to be critical, and this can open up areas that you can improve for your website or Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Beyond your own website in the Google search results, what else do you see? Are there Google Reviews for your business? Did Yelp or another review website show up? What about social media pages for your business like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram? It’s important that you regularly take a look at what a new potential customer might see when searching for your business or others like yours.

Look and see if there are bad reviews out there, if your social media pages or website’s blog haven’t been updated for a while, or if there are other red flags concerning your business. These issues can make potential customers second-guess trying your business or even scare them away entirely. These insights can offer you key items available for enhancing your business’ online presence and marketing message to be sure that customers are having the kind of experience you want them to have.

If you’ve done all these things and are satisfied with the message and experience that your business is offering to the public online, then maybe it is time to start getting more feedback from clients. Try talking with regular customers or implementing a survey to see what people think your business could do better.

If you need legal advice on making a change to your business, or are ready to start a new business of your own, then don’t hesitate to reach out and contact the Law Office of E.C. Lewis, P.C., home of your Denver Business Attorney, Elizabeth Lewis, at 720-258-6647 or email her at elizabeth.lewis@eclewis.com.

Real Estate Services for Business Owners

Elizabeth Lewis provides the following real estate law services to small and medium sized business owners in Denver and throughout Colorado:

• Commercial real estate purchases
• Legal review of commercial real estate leases
• Protecting your assets