I just wrote this up tonight while thinking about some calls and information that I have been asked for over the past while. I wanted to address this, and I hope that people can start to realize all the good things about having a website for their business, and stay realistic with their expectations…
We often get calls asking about getting a website to drive sales. It seems a lot of people think if they get a website they will get rich from it right away and the sales will just start flowing in without any real work.
I feel I need to dispel this myth. I’m going to be brutally honest here, because I think my clients appreciate that… and I hope you do too.
First of all, when a website is first made, it can take quite a while to appear on Google or other search engines. Depending on how good the design of the site is; the use of good keywords; along with how nice google wants to be to you, your page may take a VERY long time to even show up… and when it does, there is NO GUARANTEE it will be on the first page.. Or even the second… Someone is always on the third or fourth pages. Not everyone can be on the first page!
But yet, EVERYONE wants to be…. Of course…
Not a day goes by that someone doesn’t ask me about how they get their site to show up near the top of the first page. For most people its not even good enough to be lower down on the first page! Expecting to show up on Google on the first page is unrealistic, and while it is very possible with a LOT of time to build links and internet age, its very unusual to get there right away. (Without paying for Google advertising spots that is…)
There are pages and pages (a manual in fact) of information on Google’s website on how they calculate where your site will appear in the results. Pretty much no one reads it, so you can not possibly understand it fully unless you do. If you want to know how it works and what to expect, then you really should check it out. There is WAY more to being on Google than just simply adding your site to the search engine.
Second…. In nearly every case, the main reason to have a website on the internet is to have your businesses “Home” on the web. A place where you can show your business and what your business does. More than anything its a place your clients can go to get more info about you as they need it, and you can update it regularly with the latest news about what is going on. This saves you from having to call everyone separately to let them know the latest news or things you want them to know.
Third…. A website is an extremely valuable sales TOOL. Notice I did not say it is your ONLY sales tool!!! You should never look at your website as the one thing that is going to bring in sales. Other than online stores selling actual items, most websites do NOT bring in sales all by themselves. You need to be realistic and realize that having a website will not allow you to kick back and relax while the sales just automatically fall in your lap.
In order to get the most from your website, you should MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE IT IN ALL OF YOUR MARKETING!!! (Yellowpages, newspaper ads, radio ads, business cards, flyer etc) It is also imperative that you also MAKE SURE to mention and push the website at every meeting and pitch you make to prospective clients! Its a great way to BACK UP your pitch and give your prospective clients something to go back and check out later. Use it as an additional tool for driving your sales. In this way, while the prospective client is away from you, they can still see more information about your business and think about it more while you are apart, and then when you follow up with them later on the phone or in person you can ask them if they had time to check the website you mentioned and if they had any further questions etc.
ALWAYS mention the website to everyone you meet. Push it hard yourself. Make it a natural and integral part of your sales strategy and you will find that your website does so much more for your business than you thought possible. There is no way to measure the strength of your business or the effectiveness of the website ALONE….. It is but a single part of the big sales machine in your business, and a very necessary one these days where every business is expected to be online.
There are even more options to push and drive more traffic to your website now as well. Facebook, Twitter, and other social media can also serve to link to your website.
If you have ANY questions or comments, please feel free to ask me any time, or call… I’d love to hear from you….
