Business System Consultation Center - Our Business System ColumnVol.113 2021.05.01 Takahashi Minoru

Eradicate internal fraud with this system? It's not that simple

Thank you for your interest and continued support.
This is Takahashi from the Marketing Plan Research Laboratory.


Whenever we receive a request to “create a website,” we always
always ask, “Do you really need one? Is it worth spending money on?”


There are plenty of things you can do for free.


■ Consider the purpose
・To attract customers
　　⇒ If your business targets the general public (B2C),
　　　it’s better to have a website
　　　*However, since most B2C businesses set up a website around the time they launch,
　　　　you shouldn’t have the concern of “I want a website”
　　　*In industries where consumer-facing sites like Tabelog are well-established,
　　　　a website may not be necessary
・For credibility
　　⇒ Whether or not you have a website is irrelevant
　　　Business partners requiring credit checks conduct thorough background checks.
・For the president’s personal satisfaction
　　⇒ A website is probably necessary
　　　*This is the scenario where you’re most likely to get ripped off by vendors.
・To build brand awareness
　　⇒ Same as "to attract customers"
・For sales
　　⇒ If you want traffic from search engines (to get inquiries from unknown potential customers)
　　　it’s better to have a website, but a monthly advertising budget is essential
・For recruitment
　　⇒ Since the target audience consists of the general public (who may lack business literacy),
　　　having a website will likely increase the number of applications
　　　*This is the second most common way you’ll get ripped off by vendors.


■ Try increasing your online visibility for free
・iTownPage
・MapFan
・Other sites for listing corporate information
・Posting fake job listings on Hello Work (though this is a compliance violation)
・Local trade associations and chambers of commerce
・Tabelog (for restaurants)
・Listing your address and company name on Google Maps
etc. You can make your business appear in online search results for free.
You can publicly disclose information such as the company name, representative’s name, address, phone number, and fax number.


■ Create a website for free
・Wix
・Peraichi
You can also create a website (or something similar) for free using services like these.
While they may not rank well in search results,
you can freely write whatever information you want on them.
You can also use it as a starting point when commissioning a professional to build your website.


■ (Bonus) Creating a Website on a Budget
・There are many budget-friendly providers that advertise packages starting at 50,000 yen.
　　Try searching for “website super cheap” on Yahoo.
　　The companies that appear at the top of the search results should be skilled at building websites.


That’s all for today.
That's all, Thank you for reading.

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