When I pitch a new website to a business owner, the most common answer I get is:
"I already have a website. It's not perfect but it's good enough."
My follow up question lately is, "What does your website do?"
Most business owners have a hard time answering this question. If I get more than a blank stare, the answer usually sounds something like this:
"You know, it's a website. We've got our brand up there. You can contact us for more information. It tells you our business hours. You can view our catalog or menu. We have testimonials from previous clients. What else is there for it to do?"
If your answer would be similar, this blog post is for you. It's time to stop thinking about your website as an online brochure and start thinking about your website as an employee.
The great thing about this employee is that he works 24 hours a day. He never calls in sick. He's never in a bad mood. He's always learning something new. He has a perfect memory. He doesn't take no for an answer. He never offers unapproved discounts. He can speak any language. He never procrastinates. He never gives up on a sale. He can do almost any job in your organization. Here are just a few of the important hats your website should be wearing.
Salesman
Ok, that seems pretty obvious, but listen to how incredible this salesman can be.
He knows everything about every product or service you sell.
He has perfectly memorized your value proposition and always delivers it perfectly. He never forgets to mention the most important features and benefits of working with you business.
He's constantly putting himself out there in front of new potential customers. Because he's been properly equipped with Search Engine Optimization (SEO), he's always out standing on the virtual street corner (Google) telling people about your business.
He follows up with every customer automatically. He texts them after they've visited your website. He sends them follow up emails every few days to see if they're still interested. If he's not able to close the deal, he's prompting you to reach out to that customer.
He invites everyone to subscribe to your mailing list.
He provides detailed reports on every sales interaction. He can tell you exactly where in the sales process customers are falling out.
He can automatically provide new messaging and images to Google Ads.
He can reach back out to past clients and let them know about new products and services you have to offer. He can even remember their birthdays and offer them a coupon on their birthday.
Cashier & Accounts Payable
Your website is great at handling money.
He accepts any kind of payment. He's happy to process credit card transactions. He'll take PayPal, Zelle, Venmo, CashApp and yes, even BitCoin.
Need a Point of Sale set up? No problem, your website can provide you with a complete POS system that's fully connected to your catalog and inventory system.
He accurately totals every invoice and never offers unapproved discounts. At the same time, he's quick to volunteer information about coupons or other special offers that benefit your customers.
He automatically generates monthly invoices and sends them via email or snail mail.
He does not tolerate delinquent accounts. He automatically sends payment reminders and suspends service to customer that don't pay.
Social Media Manager
Tired of keeping up with Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and every other new social media network that comes along? No problem, your website should have this covered too.
Your website can automatically create new social posts and simultaneously post them to every social network. He has a library that contains thousands of professional templates (images AND video) to make your posts better than ever.
Your website will also keep track of how many people respond to your social media posts.
Graphic Designer
I bet you didn't see this one coming.
Your website was born with a vast library of stock photography and stock video. He can use these assets to decorate himself, dress up a blog post or create a social media campaign.
Need a new logo for your company or a new product? No problem, your website comes with a built in logo maker! He'll create an unlimited number of variations for you to choose from.
You need business cards for a new employee? Yes, your website will handle that for you too.
Appointment Booker
Yup, your website can book all of your appoints for you too! Your website supports bookings via Facebook, Instagram and Reserve with Google.
Your website will let clients schedule appointments at their convenience.
Your website will automatically send them a calendar invitation that works with Google Calendar or Office 365.
Your website can send email reminders so that customers don't forget their appointments and waste your valuable time.
Advertising Manager
I'm telling you, this guy (or gal) does it all. He can run ads for you on Google, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and more.
Email Marketer
Not only does your website have robust email marketing capabilities built in. He also integrates with HubSpot, MailChimp, Constant Contact and any other marketing automation software you can name.
Loyalty & Referral Programs
Want to create a loyalty program to reward customers for coming back again and again. Your website can do that.
Want to reward customers for referring new customers? Yes, your website can do that.
Mobile App
Would you like to have all of this awesome functionality for your website AND put it into a branded mobile app that works on iPhone or Android? No problem, your website is a wiz at mobile app development.
You Should Be Expecting A Lot More from Your Website!
Ok, I could literally go on all day long about all the different functions your website can handle for your business. But I think you get the point. Your website isn't a flat, stale collection of images and text. Your website IS your business. Your website is the most important component of the customer experience your business offers. It's the receptionist, the sales person, the cashier, the support team, the marketing guy, etc. etc.
Sounds Expensive, But It's Not
You would think a website this full featured would cost thousands of dollars and take months to develop. You could have a website that offers all the functionality mentioned above for $1,750 and $75/month. Our average delivery time is 3-4 weeks, but we can do it much faster if needed. Contact us to discuss your needs today!
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