Internet-only businesses have become more and more popular in recent years. But they are not the only ones conducting business online. Brick and mortar stores are starting to advertise online and for good reason. Consumers are relying on the internet more heavily for information. Adding internet business to your store allows you to sell to customers who live on the other side of the world. It also allows you to attract local customers who may never have seen or heard of your store. And it can be a way to bring back regular customers that have not returned recently.

It was not that long ago that few, if any, people had limited access to the internet through providers like Prodigy. Then people started relying on dial up connections and providers like America Online. Now high speed, broadband connections have become very common. More people can surf the internet faster than anyone could ever have dreamed 15 or 20 years ago. The increased traffic and higher speeds make internet business a valuable tool even for brick and mortar stores. To avoid using the internet is to ignore a potential source of millions of customers.

What was once a small network of computers used by the military has grown into a huge source of information that anyone with a computer and an internet connection can use. Moving some of your business to the internet allows you to sell to these customers no matter where they are located. And since more and more people are accessing the internet, your potential customer base will continue to grow. There are many products that are at least as popular overseas as they are domestically. Not only can you sell internationally but your business can find customers on the other side of the country. Normally a storefront in Seattle probably would not have many customers from Detroit. Online, that is a very real possibility!

The internet can also be a great way to increase the number of local customers who visit your store. Many cities are simply too large for people to visit every mom and pop shop and see what the products, atmosphere, and owners are like. Conducting business online and seeencouraging your customers to leave feedback about your store at review websites will bring in new customers. Sometimes a person is simply looking for that perfect store but cannot seem to find one in their local area.

Relying on the internet more can bring back once loyal customers who have been away for a while. You can change your image by updating your website, mentioning new products or sales, posting changes online, using social networks like Facebook to remind customers to visit your store, and even taking the time to ask individual customers how they enjoyed their recent purchases and visits to the store. Nothing makes a customer feel special like a store owner taking the time to talk to them one on one. The internet allows you to connect on a personal level with customers all around the world.

It can be competitive and overwhelming but every brick and mortar store has something to gain by adding some form of internet business to their repertoire. It may be nothing more than a website telling locals how to get to your store or it may be something as large as taking international orders, but learning how to tap into the internet can increase your business.