Why have a web site?

[Leslie]

I maintain a few fairly high profile web sites in my (small) hometown.
As a result I'm getting more and more inquiries from prospective
clients. Good thing! The bad thing is that I've been unable to come
to any kind of agreement with most of these people. I'm unable to
figure out what it is that I'm doing wrong and thought I could get
some advice here.

I think where I'm losing people (and these are usually small business
owners, or an officer in a local organization) is when I ask *why*
they want a web site - for promotional purposes? to sell their
product online (if it's a business)? as a means of communication for
the group/business? The usual response is, "Uh... well... umm... I
guess it's time I had one." Is this such a stupid question? Why do I
lose so many prospective clients with that question?

My current clients are very pleased with the quality of their pages
and the timeliness of updates, etc. I guess I'm just a lousy
salesperson when it comes to selling my own services.

How do you all handle that initial phone call/email?

Thanks,

Leslie
"I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person."

 

[Mark Parnell]

I think where I'm losing people (and these are usually small business
owners, or an officer in a local organization) is when I ask *why*
they want a web site - for promotional purposes? to sell their
product online (if it's a business)? as a means of communication for
the group/business? The usual response is, "Uh... well... umm... I
guess it's time I had one." Is this such a stupid question? Why do I
lose so many prospective clients with that question?

Maybe even just rephrase the question, and ask whether they had a
particular purpose in mind, other than a general "web presence". That
way they still feel that having a web site for the sake of it is OK, but
if there is more of a reason, they can still tell you.

Did any of that make sense?

BTW: I would think it unlikely that you would lose a lot of clients on
that one question, unless you are making them feel stupid for not having
a specific purpose in mind (not saying you are, mind you). Surely there
has to be more to it than that.

 

[Leif K-Brooks]

I think where I'm losing people (and these are usually small business
owners, or an officer in a local organization) is when I ask *why*
they want a web site - for promotional purposes? to sell their
product online (if it's a business)? as a means of communication for
the group/business? The usual response is, "Uh... well... umm... I
guess it's time I had one." Is this such a stupid question? Why do I
lose so many prospective clients with that question?

Because they don't really need a web site, and your question makes them
realize that. And that's a good thing.

Do you really want to make a "my name is Bob and this is my web site"
thing? Do you really want to struggle to find out what kind of content
the client wants? Is it really ethical to take money from someone who
doesn't have a real reason to buy your product?

 

[Sam Hughes]

I think where I'm losing people (and these are usually small business
owners, or an officer in a local organization) is when I ask *why*
they want a web site - for promotional purposes? to sell their
product online (if it's a business)? as a means of communication for
the group/business? The usual response is, "Uh... well... umm... I
guess it's time I had one." Is this such a stupid question? Why do I
lose so many prospective clients with that question?

Instead of asking them "why" they want a website, you can ask questions
which prompt the answers:
"Do you want the Web site for promotional purposes?"
"Do you want to provide information about the business?"

And they may think, "Why, yes, I do want that."

Disclaimer: I have not done any tests or studies to see if this method
of getting the same information works better, but my prediction is that
it would.

 

[lime]

I maintain a few fairly high profile web sites in my (small) hometown.

As a result I'm getting more and more inquiries from prospective
clients. Good thing! The bad thing is that I've been unable to come
to any kind of agreement with most of these people. I'm unable to
figure out what it is that I'm doing wrong and thought I could get
some advice here.

I think where I'm losing people (and these are usually small business
owners, or an officer in a local organization) is when I ask *why*
they want a web site - for promotional purposes? to sell their
product online (if it's a business)? as a means of communication for
the group/business? The usual response is, "Uh... well... umm... I
guess it's time I had one." Is this such a stupid question? Why do I
lose so many prospective clients with that question?

You are asking the wrong way.

You know they want a website, that's why they have come to you. Therefore
you don't ask "why they want one"... you ask, "what is the purpose of the
website?"

 

[Blinky the Shark]

Instead of asking them "why" they want a website, you can ask
questions which prompt the answers: "Do you want the Web site for
promotional purposes?" "Do you want to provide information about the
business?"

And they may think, "Why, yes, I do want that."

Disclaimer: I have not done any tests or studies to see if this
method of getting the same information works better, but my prediction
is that it would.

It must. It's in every How To Sell Stuff book/lecture/seminar in the
known universe. Often called something like "Ask Leading Questions",
which translates as "Manipulate Your Victim".

"Do you want to your wife selling all of her orifices over on State
Street to keep food on the table for your oh-so-precious Little Ones if
you die unexpectedly?"

 

[lostinspace]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Leslie" <>
Newsgroups: alt.html
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2004 8:38 PM
Subject: Why have a web site?

I maintain a few fairly high profile web sites in my (small) hometown.
As a result I'm getting more and more inquiries from prospective
clients. Good thing! The bad thing is that I've been unable to come
to any kind of agreement with most of these people. I'm unable to
figure out what it is that I'm doing wrong and thought I could get
some advice here.

I think where I'm losing people (and these are usually small business
owners, or an officer in a local organization) is when I ask *why*
they want a web site - for promotional purposes? to sell their
product online (if it's a business)? as a means of communication for
the group/business? The usual response is, "Uh... well... umm... I
guess it's time I had one." Is this such a stupid question? Why do I
lose so many prospective clients with that question?

My current clients are very pleased with the quality of their pages
and the timeliness of updates, etc. I guess I'm just a lousy
salesperson when it comes to selling my own services.

How do you all handle that initial phone call/email?

Thanks,

Leslie

Possibly you might tweak their business thoughts by asking if they have a
particular customer target that they believe will enhance their current
business volume?
Or product and/or service which they offer that is of high quality and will
generate further success for the business clientele?

Some folks just desire a cosmetic website because it's fashionable, even
though the thought may be absurd to many webmasters. Whether the site is
cosmetic or serves a real purpose is the customers choice. They after all
are paying for us to provide a service to their desires?

One option might be to provide a variety of brochures and prices explaining
the options of services available for various types of websites and let the
customer decide which type they desire?
You would then be aware of what their intent was for a website, because you
prepared brochure/site designs with a specific use in mind.

 

[Neal]

I think where I'm losing people (and these are usually small business
owners, or an officer in a local organization) is when I ask *why*
they want a web site - for promotional purposes? to sell their
product online (if it's a business)? as a means of communication for
the group/business? The usual response is, "Uh... well... umm... I
guess it's time I had one." Is this such a stupid question? Why do I
lose so many prospective clients with that question?

My current clients are very pleased with the quality of their pages
and the timeliness of updates, etc. I guess I'm just a lousy
salesperson when it comes to selling my own services.

How do you all handle that initial phone call/email?

Focus on the market. Do you want this website to appeal to a particular
age group? Men, women, or both? Folksy or sophisticated clientele? These
answers offer you more to go on than the purpose of the website as a
designer.

Eventually, after talking specifics, you deduce the reason why they want a
website, and ask them if they agree. Most web neophytes don't really
understand much about what the website can do - they are relying on you to
guide them. So avoid open-ended questions, try to ask multiple-choice or
yes/no questions until you all have a feel for what the project will need
to be.

 

[news frontiernet.net]

I maintain a few fairly high profile web sites in my (small) hometown.
As a result I'm getting more and more inquiries from prospective
clients. Good thing! The bad thing is that I've been unable to come
to any kind of agreement with most of these people. I'm unable to
figure out what it is that I'm doing wrong and thought I could get
some advice here.

I think where I'm losing people (and these are usually small business
owners, or an officer in a local organization) is when I ask *why*
they want a web site - for promotional purposes? to sell their
product online (if it's a business)? as a means of communication for
the group/business? The usual response is, "Uh... well... umm... I
guess it's time I had one." Is this such a stupid question? Why do I
lose so many prospective clients with that question?

My current clients are very pleased with the quality of their pages
and the timeliness of updates, etc. I guess I'm just a lousy
salesperson when it comes to selling my own services.

How do you all handle that initial phone call/email?

Thanks,

Leslie
"I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person."

My experiences along this line come from the fact that I do a community web
site that is atttractive and useful.

This generates inquiries and referals.

I seek to learn what the client is wanting by asking them if they are
wanting to display information, actually sell stuff on-line, or gather
information. And what they expect the visitor to do when they visit the web
site.


I, also, seek to find out if they have a web site of similar nature in mind.
If so, I visit the wenb site and use it to further get the clients needs and
wants in mind. I ALWAYS seek similar web sites for ideas on layout and
content. But then, I design by emulation. Your method may be different.

I try to stay doing the things that I am good at. So, I stay away from sell
on-line projects and focus on informational presentation web sites and I
stay away from database projects..

I let them know what the costs are and let them make their own decision on
whether this is worthy of their dollars.

One example project was a real estate firm for whom I printed off 75 other
real estate firm web sites and helped the client choose topics to be covered
and methods of getting their mesage acorss using web design and content. I
stole ideas and improved upon them. Others may use my sites the same way. We
are all learning from one another.

I wish you well!

 

[Charles Angelich]

I think where I'm losing people (and these are usually small business
owners, or an officer in a local organization) is when I ask *why*
they want a web site - for promotional purposes? to sell their
product online (if it's a business)? as a means of communication for
the group/business? The usual response is, "Uh... well... umm... I
guess it's time I had one." Is this such a stupid question? Why do I
lose so many prospective clients with that question?

They want a web 'presence' to appear to be a part of the "church of
what's happening now". High tech bling-bling.

Charles.Angelich

MP3/WMA streaming:
http://www.undercoverdesign.com/dosghost/samples.asp

DOS & W31:
http://www.undercoverdesign.com/dosghost/

Entertainment:
http://www.undercoverdesign.com/dosghost/faf

 

[The Kat]

I maintain a few fairly high profile web sites in my (small) hometown.
As a result I'm getting more and more inquiries from prospective
clients. Good thing! The bad thing is that I've been unable to come
to any kind of agreement with most of these people. I'm unable to
figure out what it is that I'm doing wrong and thought I could get
some advice here.

I think where I'm losing people (and these are usually small business
owners, or an officer in a local organization) is when I ask *why*
they want a web site - for promotional purposes? to sell their
product online (if it's a business)? as a means of communication for
the group/business? The usual response is, "Uh... well... umm... I
guess it's time I had one." Is this such a stupid question? Why do I
lose so many prospective clients with that question?

My current clients are very pleased with the quality of their pages
and the timeliness of updates, etc. I guess I'm just a lousy
salesperson when it comes to selling my own services.

How do you all handle that initial phone call/email?

Thanks,

Leslie
"I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person."

The real key to this one is illustrated by a sales motto: "Never ask a
question you do not know the answer to." Someone mentioned earlier that the
prospective client may not KNOW why they want/need a web site and many do
not realize what benefits they can reap from a web site.

As the web professionals, it is our job to be able to tell prospective
clients why they need a web site! For example, it is a storefront that is
open 24/7, it is the most economical advertising they can have. It is a
reflection of their business (this can be either good or bad, depending on
how well the site is executed) and gives them a certain degree of
credibility with their customers. They can gather information from
prospective customers by the use of forms that will let them respond quickly
to a customer's specific need. The list goes on . . . We can also suggest to
them features that would be useful to them that they might not have thought
of or even be aware of.

While it is true that not every business *needs* a web site, if a client
*wants* a web site for whatever reason it is not unreasonable to build a
site for them that will suit their current situation at a reasonable cost.
The site can always be expanded with new pages or features as the situation
warrants. For some people it is just a status thing.

The Kat

 

[Jukka K. Korpela]

Because they don't really need a web site, and your question makes
them realize that. And that's a good thing.

It might be good to them, but maybe not to Leslie.

There's a saying that claims that it is immoral to let stupid people keep
their money, or let someone else take it.

Seriously, they might actually need a web site, but the question makes
them realize they don't really know whether they need it or not, or why
they need it, or what it should be like. This makes them feel
uncomfortable. They might even get an uncanny feeling that if they really
thought about it, they should a) put more money on it, to make it serve
the purpose they now understand and b) put some effort on it, realizing
that _they_ need to maintain the information content, and the site too.

I think the crucial question - when considering what they and their
customers need, rather than what the web designer needs, which is of
course a strange and rare perspective - is how much time and effort they
plan to use for keeping the site up to date and improving it. How many
man-hours a week? If it's something nominal, they should build a nominal
site only - some "Web presence" in the form of general information (what
the company manufactures in general, or things like that) and contact
addresses. They still need to do _something_ - to tell a secretary to
take care of organizing an update when some contact info changes.

There's hardly a better way to help your competitors in an expensive way
on the Web than to spend money on building a Web site with all kinds of
cool things and up-to-date information, and leave it that. Next year, or
sooner, it really works in demonstrating your "Web presence" - by
disseminating manifestly (or, worse still, not so manifestly) outdated,
wrong and misleading information.

So maybe Leslie might take a bit different route. He might suggest that
the site will be a relatively small and simple, but nice, description of
the business, in a manner that needs to be updated only when either
fundamental changes or technical contact information changes take place
in the company. Putting all contact info on one page only would minimize
the burden. So it would effectively be a digital business card and a
general brochure on the Web. Then, he might go on, maybe the company has
more ambitious ideas, some additional functionality or information - what
might they be?

 

[Webcastmaker]

I think where I'm losing people (and these are usually small business
owners, or an officer in a local organization) is when I ask *why*
they want a web site

They want one the same reason they want to be listed in the Yellow
Pages. Because some people are going to look there for their product
or service.

 

[Matthias Gutfeldt]

They want one the same reason they want to be listed in the Yellow
Pages. Because some people are going to look there for their product
or service.

Which might explain why many people think their website shouldn't cost
more than their listing in the yellow pages.


Matthias

 

[nice.guy.nige]

While the city slept, Matthias Gutfeldt ([email protected]) feverishly
typed...

Which might explain why many people think their website shouldn't cost
more than their listing in the yellow pages.

Well, if that is what they want to pay, then give them a site that *is* the
equivalent of their listing in Yellow Pages... ie. one page with contact
details on it! (and black text on a yellow background??) ;-)

Cheers,
Nige

 

[Matthias Gutfeldt]

While the city slept, Matthias Gutfeldt ([email protected]) feverishly
typed...




Well, if that is what they want to pay, then give them a site that *is* the
equivalent of their listing in Yellow Pages... ie. one page with contact
details on it! (and black text on a yellow background??) ;-)

You have to be kidding! Naturally they expect a complex image-heavy
layout, and half a dozen pages consisting of contact information, their
blurry photographs, driving instructions (GIF and PDF), "copyright
protection" javascripts, drop-down menu, and assorted whatnots. Of
course all the textual content should be written by me because they
really can't be expected to do ALL the work.


Matthias

 

[Jeff Thies]

They want one the same reason they want to be listed in the Yellow

Well, if that is what they want to pay, then give them a site that *is* the
equivalent of their listing in Yellow Pages... ie. one page with contact
details on it! (and black text on a yellow background??) ;-)

Back around 96 or 97 there were a number of people selling such web
presences. A few lines in their directory for not a lot of money.

I don't know of any of those still doing that.

Jeff

 

[Dr. No]

Leslie,

This is an excellent question, and one that I still struggle with. When
calling in a technical consultant, most clients do not know what that
want, or exactly why the want it. Part of your job as a technology
consultant is to help your client figure out what they need in a site,
and if they need a site at all. Here's the process I use.

1) As well defined, open-ended questions. Instead of asking the client
why they need a site, ask things like, "What are your company's
marketing goals?", "Who do you want to communicate with through the
site?", "How does your company bring in clients? Do you have regular
return clients?" etc.

2) Decide if the client needs a site and whether you want to engage the
client. Creatively brainstorm functionality for the site. Develop a
preliminary site map for your internal use.

3) Develop a proposal based around site functionality. Be careful not to
give away to much information; just enough that the client can make an
informed business decision. Get sign off.

4) Architect, design, and build.

That should get you through it. Just remember, don't expect the client
to have a "why" answer for the site. If you choose to engage the client,
you should develop your own why, and then articulate it to your client.

- Dr. No

 

[Leslie]

You have to be kidding! Naturally they expect a complex image-heavy
layout, and half a dozen pages consisting of contact information, their
blurry photographs, driving instructions (GIF and PDF), "copyright
protection" javascripts, drop-down menu, and assorted whatnots. Of
course all the textual content should be written by me because they
really can't be expected to do ALL the work.


Matthias

Oh, but you forgot all the animated .gifs - you know the ones; the
spinning e for their email link, unless they decide to go with the one
of the letter flying in and out of the mailbox. And there's their
logo that can be scanned from a 10th generation copy - it's only
slightly crooked - you can fix that, right? And lastly, the font on
the page should match their letterhead.

Leslie

"I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person."

 

[Leslie]

I think where I'm losing people (and these are usually small business
owners, or an officer in a local organization) is when I ask *why*
they want a web site - for promotional purposes? to sell their
product online (if it's a business)? as a means of communication for
the group/business? The usual response is, "Uh... well... umm... I
guess it's time I had one." Is this such a stupid question? Why do I
lose so many prospective clients with that question?

How do you all handle that initial phone call/email?

First of all, I should clarify (not that it matters, really...) but
I'm a she, not a he.

I've gotten a lot of excellent suggestions here and I really do
appreciate it. Hopefully all these suggestions will help me "close
the next sale"!

Now I'm off to do some requested updates to keep my current clients
happy.

Thanks again,

Leslie
"I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person."