Stories from the Crypt of Online Marketing – Vol. 9
Your website may underperform because it is underpaid
During one of my regular excursions on Facebook, I came across a post where someone was arguing that I should properly invest in a website and listing all the reasons for doing so.
Heck, I could have written that post myself!
And as usual, then came many responses that practically said the same thing: “But what if I don’t have money?”
Oh yeah, the money objection is big. And a valid one too! So valid that it’s something every parent told us when we were kids, right?
I remember one summer desperately wanting to get a pair of those beautiful black riding boots, the kind you see on horse riding shows on TV.
Of course, I had no idea how much they cost, but I knew I had to have them in order to fit in with the “in” crowd at school. I mean, this was something important!
My mom and I went to the local cooperative to look for my precious boots and once my mom saw the price, I got the wise wisdom that I’m sure we’ve all heard:
“Money does not grow on trees”.
So, he bought a pair of cheap fake rubber boots. And sure enough, the black tint was washed off soon after, showing how cheap they were. They were completely useless in achieving the desired result of becoming a member of the esteemed “in” crowd at school.
As a result of hearing that ancient wisdom many times after the devastating boot debacle, I became quite miserable as an adult myself. I’m pretty sure my kids have heard the same song numerous times. (Sorry kids!)
It wasn’t until I married my first husband that I realized there was another way of looking at cheap.
One of our first major purchases was the exciting new, albeit now defunct, VCR (which is a video recorder for you young people). I remember making my way to the electronics department at our local Gosling’s store in downtown Abbotsford.
We were overwhelmed with all the options. Different brands and variable price tags too.
My then-husband educated me on courage that day, and his words never left me. He said it is much less expensive to buy a quality item with a higher price now than to have to replace it tomorrow.
Better quality lasts longer.
We opted for the Hitachi model and it lasted for years.
And the same principle applies when creating your business website.
If you decide to go the cheap or DIY route, your business:
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You won’t get the sales and conversions you need to grow your business, because it won’t look good or perform well.
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Visitors will find you an amateur, who will not trust what you say.
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You’ll end up attracting cheap looking customers themselves, because you’re sending the message that your brand is cheap.
As a result, you will quickly discover that you need to invest even more than you would have if you had chosen quality. I know this because we’ve had many clients come to us over the years lamenting how much time, effort, and money they wasted on a cheap website option before they found us.
Then we had to redo everything peanuts paid for.
Here’s that common question again: But what if you don’t have the money?
I am a firm believer that there will always be a way if you want something with all your might.
Here are some ideas to consider:
- Reduce spending in other areas that are not absolutely necessary at this time. For example, signing up for another course to teach you another 10-step process that probably won’t work.
- Find a job. There is nothing shameful about earning a living while working on building your business. Many people do! Do whatever it takes to make sure you have money for your personal and business bills.
- Look for investors. Maybe you have an awesome idea that you know would take off if you only had the money. Look for investors who believe in your vision and provide you with the financing you need to be successful.
- Remember that you are starting / managing a business. Most businesses need startup capital to get started. Consider the money you spend on your website as an investment in the future profits of your business. Write a business plan and take it to the bank to apply for a loan or line of credit.
These are just a few suggestions, and I’m sure I have some money coaches reading this who can participate with more! I hope I have inspired you to start thinking outside of the box and realize that your business is worth the investment of a properly constructed website.
If not, I would say that you have decided you DO NOT WANT to spend the money. I’m right? You have other priorities that matter more.
If you nod your head, that’s fine. It’s your choice.
But know that if you go the cheap, DIY route, it will take you longer to reach your goals and you may never get the results you want.
And in case you’re wondering, I never managed to get that coveted crown “in” at school, despite my tireless efforts. Was it because of the cheap boots? Maybe not, but they sure didn’t help me either!
Therefore, I recommend that you avoid losing valuable leads and sales by not having a professionally designed and built website. Instead, having a cheap one is really costing you a lot more than you think.
Around here, we are not cheap. But relatively speaking, we are not expensive either. Cheap means you get what you pay for, but you don’t have to get the Lamborghini version from a site, either. Just one that represents your brand for the right target audience, with the right marketing message.
That’s what will turn your visitors into brand ambassadors.
Call me or contact me online to find out how we can transform your broken website into one that gives you those valuable leads and sales.
For the success of your business,
Susan
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:
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Visit us for our video teatime tip: Looking for the lowest priced SEO or web design company? Discover the true costs of “cheap”, “low cost” and “economical” in business. Look: How Much Does SEO And Cheap Website Design Really Cost You?
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Book: Think and Grow Rich! The original, restored and revised version ™.
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Visit us for our article: What You Need To Have In Place First Before Finding A Web Developer Or Web Development Agency For Website Design And Generating Estimates For Your Business. Read: 9 things to be clear about before hiring a web developer.
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Visit us for our video tip: Watch for an expert’s perspective on what a web developer needs to know to create a professional, attractive and effective business website: How to Hire the Right Web Developer for Your Business.
- Article: The Cheap And Convenient Of WordPress In The Face Of Losing Leads And Sales – Here’s The Top Reason You’re Not Getting Valuable Leads And Sales On Your Website: Why Your ‘Just Another WordPress Site’ Could Be costing valuable sales.
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Visit us for our article: Entrepreneurs think that as long as they can create a website, they should, except they don’t know what they don’t know. This article explains: Why Entrepreneurs Shouldn’t Create Their Own Websites.
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Financial resource: Canada Small Business Financing Program.