Every week we talk to potential customers about their online presence. Sometimes we contact the potential customers, and sometimes they get in touch with us. Often there’s a very interesting pattern that shows up when folks contact us. And it usually goes down the same path every time.
With my most recent inquiry it struck me. What if people shopped for a new car the way they shop for a new website. What would that coversation look like? Well, what follows here is exactly what the conversation would sound like.
In a final effort to restore some sanity to his world, Dave offers an example. “Well, since you said your neighbor just got a new Dodge truck, I’ll tell you about the new diesel Titan. It starts at $50,000 and up. It’s a four door……..” Dave gets cut off at that point.
Every week I receive e-mails and phone calls from potential customers. Every call seems like they’re reading from a script. They want to know the price of a new website. When I start to explain that every website is different, and that there’s more to their online presence beyond, “just a website,” I can hear the frustration building. They simply want a price for a new site.
Cars come in all shapes and sizes. Fuel efficient cars, hybrid battery powered cars, fun two seaters where you can take the top down, serious 4×4 off road vehicles. And depending on what you want the price will vary. The same thing can be said for houses, insurance plans, medical care, groceries, and more. There isn’t a blanket price for “food” out there guys. It depends on what you want. And the same can be said for websites.
Can you imagine the phone call to a restaurant where the caller simply asks, “What’s the price for food?” Yeah, that would go over well.
Do you just want an online business card? Do you want an e-commerce solution where you can sell products online? How about security & backups? Is it your intention to reach a global market and make visitors want your product? These are all questions that we have to ask before we can even give potential customers a quote. We need to learn about what it is you want to achieve, and then we can determine the time and effort it will take us to deliver a solution that is a fit for you.