Website Cancellations
Marketing and Strategy Suggestions for Small Business Owners
With nearly two decades of experience in designing websites for small businesses, I occasionally receive requests from my existing clients to completely cancel their websites. There can be various reasons behind this decision, ranging from financial constraints to dissatisfaction with their small business marketing efforts.
One common reason cited by these clients for canceling their websites is the perceived lack of business generated from their online presence, deeming it unworthy. Whenever faced with such a situation, my initial response is always a question: "How do you know that?" Typically, this question catches the client off guard.
To further explore the issue with these website owners, I pose several discussion questions:
Do you have business cards, and do you distribute them to potential customers?
Does your business card include an email address?
Is the email address on the card a Gmail address or one corresponding to your website domain?
Is your website address displayed along with your contact number on your business card?
Are your services clearly outlined on your business card?
Does your Facebook business account link to your website domain?
When speaking to a customer on the phone, do you inquire about how they found your name/telephone number?
While conversing with a customer/prospect over the phone, do you ask if they are simultaneously browsing your website?
Are you part of a marketing network?
Instead of creating additional brochures, do you direct prospects back to your website?
I aim to provide added value to small business owners with websites and accompanying social media presence. Let's initially divide this information into two sections, with the potential to delve deeper into the details:
A. Basics
To fulfill the fundamental requirements of marketing your business, the aforementioned questions should be answered positively. A website should not be viewed as a mere "nice to have" asset but rather as a platform that requires constant attention through updates, additional content, and maintenance. Your website, along with your business card, should reflect the essence of your proud small business. Additionally, ensure that your social media accounts are prominently displayed on your website.
B. Advanced
Instead of distributing traditional brochures, consider employing a trackable method. Monitoring your marketing efforts is key to success. I suggest exploring Google Ads Campaigns as one such method and discussing it further with me. Other strategies to consider include utilizing Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Google Site verification. Study the reports generated by these tools and take appropriate action. Engage in blogging and newsletters to further enhance your online presence. Pay attention to SEO when crafting content for your home, about us, and product pages. For more information on Google SEO and content marketing, I recommend reading further resources. Remember, your website, social media, content marketing, and Google SEO collectively form your digital ecosystem or digital marketing map.