Many business owners view their website as a mere "nice to have" or an online brochure. They might say, "We have a new website, you should check it out." However, your website is much more than that. It's not just a pretty billboard for visitors to look at while browsing the web.
Let's first clarify what we mean by "salesperson." While they may have a bad reputation, a better name for them might be "solutions executive" or "problem solver." We shouldn't try to sell things to potential customers that they don't need.
However, for service-based businesses, a website is often a no-brainer. Here are four reasons why:
The Downside of a Salesperson
Before we compare salespeople to websites, let's consider some of the downsides of relying solely on human salespeople:
- Salespeople are expensive. You pay them good money to make even more money, but this can become very costly.
- They represent your company, which can be risky if their integrity or loyalty is compromised.
- Their capacity is limited to one conversation at a time, and many conversations are just small talk.
- Humans are emotional beings who have good days and bad days, need breaks, and can quickly change their minds. They are also easily offended and inconsistent.
- Salespeople require training and onboarding. They need to understand your products and services, your tone of voice, and your brand. This takes time and doesn't come without mistakes.
What a Website Can Do for You
I believe that what a website can give you far outweighs what a salesperson can give you. So why compare a website to a salesperson?
A Fraction of the Cost
You pay for the initial creation, and then a monthly "salary." It's like sending your sales guy into boot camp. A website doesn't need a performance review, does well with feedback, and very rarely asks for a raise.
Loyal and Consistent Until the End
Have you ever had a staff member leave and take all their clients with them? A website would never do that. It will be loyal until you don't want it anymore. It will also never say what you don't want. It's "coded" into its DNA. Websites are consistent in their message and never change their minds (until you tell them to).
At Work 24/7
A website never sleeps, never complains, and is more than happy to multitask. As your business grows, it will scale with you. This saves you time, and again, the cost goes down. You can also enhance the functionality of your site with workflow automation. Have a plan, a sales funnel, and a marketing campaign to put your website to use with other methodologies to really stand out online.
Full Control
With tools like Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity, you get better insights into where your visitors are coming from, how long they are staying, and what they are doing. Want to change things up? Compare services against each other.
Conclusion
If your website isn't selling, don't hire a salesperson. Fix your website. A website will force you to create clarity in your brand, message, services, and delivery. It provides a brilliant foundation for salespeople.
Obviously, salespeople have their place and are needed. It's ironic that salespeople often help create websites. Although websites are not cheap, the return on investment is undeniable. Ideally, they work together. A human can negotiate, has emotional intelligence, and can change based on the environment. Spend time clarifying your message so that even your salespeople understand what you are selling.
If you want to find out more about what a website can do for you, get in touch.
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