As you may have already guessed, this is not a real ad. Anyone who reads this realizes almost immediately that it is absolutely ridiculous to think that any company would presume they could hire a top-quality, fiercely loyal key salesperson for a single $8,900 paycheck. And $24.95 per month… sheesh… that wouldn’t even cover their gas bill for a week!So, if this I such a ludicrous scenario… why do I hear this request literally every single week from prospective clients? It’s true! The story usually goes some thing like this...
“I want to focus my marketing efforts to the web. I want my website to become my best salesman, I want everyone to go there first. I want to be able to take orders on my website and take credit cards and everything. I want all other marketing materials to direct traffic tour website. I think we are missing out on a lot of revenue don’t you? I mean… look at what Brand X is doing across town… I heard they are making money hand-over-fist on their website. We need to really get going on this!” This all sounds great until you get to the one-time paycheck part. Can you design build a small website with a few products and an online store for nine grand? Sure you can… but that’s only the beginning, and bare bones at that.
If you want your website to be your best salesperson… you better treat it like one. A website is absolutely a work in progress. If you are doing it right, it never ends… I promise. But it’s worth it… worth every last penny! Let’s take another look at most client’s criteria for their website, it’s a TALL order to say the least. Let’s see…
It must become my leading sales generator
It will eventually be the first place my customers go to find me
It will become the customer’s main contact with my company
It needs to become the main source of product information for our customers
It must take some of the work load from other staff by answering question
It will take most of the orders from my customers
It will also handle the invoicing and paperwork
It will handle many of our financial transactions
It should begin to generate additional revenue maintaining steady growth
And my favorite ones of all:
• I want to rank at the top of the search engines
• How to you get to be one of those little ads at the top of Google… or the ones over on the right?
I’ve noticed that when a client decides to put an effort into creating a web presence, there are usually two different motives that bring them to that point. We tend to categorize our web clients into two distinct groups. The first group is mainly interested in getting general company information up on the web for two reasons; to gain credibility and have an easily accessible contact point for consumers. The type of site they want is really more of an online brochure that they can send customers to for more information.
The second group wants action. They want websites that transform their business and literally take it online. They want the site to WORK for them. Not just to work for them, but potentially become their hardest working employee. Once again and I quote, “If you want your website to become your best salesman or employee, treat it like one!”
This means a steady salary and commitment to providing it with the training and tools necessary for the site to do it’s job effectively. If you wan to be able to hold your website accountable for it’s performance, make sure you invest in it the same way you would your star employee or salesperson. Yes… that means a monthly salary… and not just for a few months. Websites take time to gain momentum, just like that new salesperson.
Before jumping in with both feet I recommend learning all you can about how the web really works. Learn about organic growth in search engine ranking, learn about paid online ads, learn about search engine optimization and how the various online media works together. When you're ready to make the commitment and you stick with it consistently, you’ll be amazed at what your website can become over time.
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