If you’re like most people, the time & cost it takes to build a website “the right way” can be surprising. Depending on the complexity of the design, the amount of the content that needs to be produced or loaded and the complexity of the functionality, the cost of a content site could range anywhere from $5k to $25k USD — plus a huge investment of your personal time and attention. That sounds like a lot of money, and it is. But today I want to explore another perspective: A good website should be like a salesman you don’t have to pay.
Think about it:
- Nowadays, your website almost always makes your brand’s first impression
- Your website presents your brand exactly the way you have designed it, without even the slightest variation
- Your website can present this information to an unlimited number of prospects simultaneously
- Your website may not be able to provide all of the experience that an in-person salesperson can provide, but it can do pretty good with articles, video, charts, photos and webforms
- Your website never sleeps (it’s always amazing to me how many of Skyhook’s new lead requests come in before or after normal business hours)
- Your website never asks for a raise
- Your website never comes in late or leaves early. It never gets sick.
- Your website can be quickly updated or “re-trained” every time your brand position changes
Now, obviously I’m not saying that with a good website you won’t still need to talk to the customer. But if the website has done its job right, your customers will come in the door
- Better educated on what it is you offer
- More warmed up to your brand and positioning in the first place
- Having already had the majority of their questions answered
- More ready to just close the deal
Which means you will be able to focus much more keenly on the real job of a salesperson: Closing the deal.