These days, more and more people are realizing the insecurity of having a traditional job and are venturing out on their own to start their own business, whether it's a part-time endeavor to supplement their income or a transition to becoming a full-time entrepreneur.  You may be wondering if having a website is really the best investment to make at this point in your business.  As a web marketing consultant, I'm obviously a bit biased in this regard and feel that having a website is an important part of most modern businesses.  That being said, if you're still on the fence on this decision, here are a few things to consider as you make this decision.

1. Are People Searching for Your Products/Services Online

The first thing to consider is whether or not people are even searching online for the types of products or services you offer.  Sure, pretty basic, but still something that needs to be considered.  For most businesses, the answer is an emphatic "Yes!".  But to get a good sense for how many searches there are each month, you can always use a free tool such as the Google Adwords Keyword Tool to get an estimate on actual numbers.

2. Are Your Competitors Currently Marketing Online

In addition to the number of searches done each month online for your type of business, another key indicator that you might need a website to remain competitive is if you notice several competitors who have an established online presence.  If your competitors are online, and especially if they generate a good number of sales via their website, that's a strong indication that you'll want to have a website for your business also (keeping in mind item #4 below).

3. How Long Will it Take You to Recoup Your Investment in a Website

As with any business investment, it's also a good idea to consider how long it will take for you to recoup your investment in a website.  I say "investment" because typically a website will come with a non-trivial price tag.  Getting a website is simply not like buying phone service or some other relatively low-cost commodity.  Generally you pay for a website once to have it designed and setup, plus a smaller ongoing fee for maintenance and support.  Meanwhile, you'll be using it to generate sales throughout the life of your business. 

It's good to know how many sales you'll need to cover the initial cost of the website.  For any real business, the monthly fee for maintenance and support will be inconsequential since that's typically pretty small.  If you make $500 profit per sale and the website costs $1500 to have setup, that's a measly 3 sales to break even.  If you can expect those 3 sales over a reasonable period of time, then investing in a website is a no-brainer since additional sales thanks to the website are pure profit you might not have otherwise attracted.

4. Are You Willing to Use Your Website as an Integral Part of Your Sales & Marketing System

The most important consideration is that you actual use the website as part of your sales and marketing system.  Like most tools, having a website isn't a silver bullet and it's not going to do anything if you just sit there.  However, if you incorporate your site into the rest of your sales and marketing system, you'll likely see excellent results. 

Using your website to provide automated, on-demand customer support via frequently asked questions, training or other methods is one option.  You can also use email marketing form your website to keep convert prospects into sales or foster repeat purchases or referrals from past customers.  And don't forget directing people to the site via your other marketing methods such as direct mail, classified ads and so on.  If you're planning to use your website in this way, then having one definitely makes sense. 

If you're hoping to "build it and they will come", then you should probably save your money.