It’s vital for a company to have a strong online presence in order to reach it’s potential and be successful whatever its size or type. For businesses the Internet opens up a wealth of contacts, networking opportunities and a huge potential customer base. And consumers are now more empowered and able to make informed spending choices than ever before, with greater choice, access to product reviews and price comparison sites, and the ability to communicate more directly with businesses.

In recent years a vast amount of consumers have chosen to buy products and services online. In fact, according to a 2006 study by IMRG (an online retailers’ association), around £80 billion is either spent online or influenced by the Internet, with a year on year growth rate of around 45%. It’s not difficult to see why - with good marketing, advertising and design an online business will attract far more visitors than even the busiest high street stores.

One of the main expenses to small and medium sized businesses is the cost of owning or renting commercial property. This property is often expensive - as it must be in an area receiving a large amount of foot traffic to maximise the potential number of customers. By cutting out unnecessary property expenses more money can be allocated to experienced staff, equipment and stock, meaning that your company is in a much better position to thrive in the future.