Over time we have spoken to many small business owners about their move to online. Here are some common thoughts we hear before they take the plunge.

“I know I should have a website, but I don’t have time”

We know you don’t have a marketing department you can delegate this work to. The buck likely stops with you.  Our processes are designed to consume as little of your time on this as possible. Let’s face it – you should be out there doing what you do best – running your business.  Once you have decided you would like to brave the digital world – we will arrange a meeting so we can gather as much information from you as possible. This is where we get to know your business  – and you – so the website we create is tailored to suit your requirements. We then head off and busily work on the foundations. We can even write the content for you. At this point – we will need you to check through what we have done to ensure we are on the right track. Following the green light from you, we will head off and build, optimise, check and check again before we send it off to you for testing. In summary, the bulk of this work sits with us.

“I have so much work coming in already, I don’t need a website”

This is a particularly common thread we hear from tradies. And you are right – while you are riding the wave from that fabulous word-of-mouth marketing you have established – you could probably get by for some time simply doing what you do. If I am given a referral for a service provider – the first thing I do is google them. I want to see they are credible before I take the next step. Having an online presence allows you to showcase your brand above your competitors and attract good jobs. In addition, although it may be hard to consider the current flow of your business will change – it’s important to be on the front-foot should your referral business start to dry up.

“I don’t know where to start”

We don’t expect you to! It is likely you are on this page because web design is not what you specialise in. We have a pretty streamlined and documented process and will guide you through what needs to be done to get from point A to B. We will keep the technical jargon to a minimum as let’s face it – it gets pretty awkward when our clients are returning a blank stare. We are here to help!

“I have a social media account. Why do I need a website?”

This is great news that you have a social presence. If you are reading this – my guess is you see the two as competing channels. When in fact – they should be seen as complementary pieces in your digital strategy.  Social media is a great way to connect with your customers and prospects who are users of that platform.  It is great for growing your leads and interacting with your followers. However, the platform is owned by a 3rd party and you have limited control over the content.  On the other hand, your website is completely yours. Use your social channels to drive traffic to your website which has been designed specifically to meet your business goals. Be it brand credibility, driving enquiries/registrations/sales or other.

“It costs too much”

As a small business owner, your marketing budget is likely limited. When considering which marketing activities you want to do – the cost of a website is indeed high when comparing to a listing in a local directory or managing your business presence yourself on social media.  Rather than looking at cost independently, it is important to take the ROI into consideration.  Your social media will, of course, reach the section of your market that use that platform. And your local listing will be seen by prospects who reference the local directory. The internet is accessed by over 87% of Australians daily and over 80% of searches for business services are online. Your website should be seen as a necessary investment in order to compete in today’s digital landscape.

“I had my site built 10 years ago –  so I have already ticked that box”

The digital world evolves faster than you can imagine. Often when I am researching for goods or services online, if I arrive at a site that is slow to load, not mobile responsive (so I have to keep expanding the screen on my mobile before I can actually read the content) and simply looks outdated, I leave. It’s like walking into a shop that is an overwhelming mess. My next move is to go to a competitor site. Perhaps this competitor is not necessarily superior but because they have an amazing site, I perceive them to be.

“I’m a Small Business – I just need a simple website”

Many of you may have been approached already by web design agencies who bring ideas on all the cool digital stuff they could do with your business. We would be lying if we weren’t excited by these ideas and opportunities also. But we do realise that many of you are not yet at that stage. So let’s keep it simple and take Step 1 – building a beautiful and functional site that meets your business goals – and of course that can be found on Google. When you are ready to start delving into some of the sexy things we can do beyond this.

Get in touch to chat through how we could help with your website project today.