Technology can elicit many different emotions from many different people – happiness, solace, envy, anger, and so on. One emotion that seems to be prevalent in our society and especially relates to technology purchasing is fear. As the Web gains popularity, the adoption rate by companies, large and small, has grown considerably, but some companies have either underutilized the Web or have ignored it entirely, putting them at a competitive disadvantage to those who have embraced the Web. One reason that many companies fail to use the Internet to its fullest is fear. Fear of making a bad decision, fear of the unknown, fear of getting “taken”, fear that the Internet isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and fear of a low return on investment are all examples of reasons that cause companies to delay promoting themselves properly on the Web.
One real statistic that should be the real motivating “fear factor” is that as of March 31, 2009, over 251,290,489 North Americans are online, according to the Internet World Statistics Consortium (http://www.internetworldstats.com). That’s 74.4% of the population, meaning that 3 in 4 of your customers and prospects are using the Internet and that if your competitors offers more on their Web sites than you do, you’re putting your firm at a distinct disadvantage. Also, according to AC Nielsen, the Internet is now third in media consumption, ahead of newspapers and magazines, and trailing only television and radio, and each of those two most popular forms of media has continued to lose ground against the Internet. You can read more about AC Nielsen’s findings at this Web address: http://www.marketingpower.com/live/content21023.php.
Overcoming Web Phobia
Questions such as “Where do I start?”, “How much will this cost?”, “What if the finished product isn’t what I had in mind?”, “What guarantees are there?”, “How do I choose a vendor?”, “What do I put on my Web site?”, and “What’s the ROI on a Web site?” may be some of the first thoughts that someone has when considering a Web site. These are all common questions that those shopping for a Web site should be asking. The answers are easily found, and finding them can help set expectations and reduce the fear factor of purchasing a Web site.
Here are some ways to become more confident about your Web decisions:
Get out there and use the Internet! If you only use the Internet to check your email or for a few favorite sites, try visiting some unfamiliar Web sites to get a feel for what’s out there. Spending a few minutes a day on the Web can help you become comfortable with Web sites and what they can offer. Soon, you’ll determine what you think is useful and you’ll begin to visualize your ideal Web site.
Don’t fear the price tag. Quality, custom design prices have fallen sharply over the years as supply has increased to match demand. If you compare the cost of your up-front investment on a Web site to the cost of one radio, television, or print campaign, you’ll find that the costs are considerably lower, but the life of a Web site is much, much longer. To make a Web site even more budget-friendly, many companies are now offering lower up-front fees with monthly service fees that, even after many years, will not equal the up-front fees that were charged only a few years ago.
Arm yourself with information. The first step in curing your fear is research. The Web provides a free, convenient way of conducting this research. Researching competitors, the wants and needs of your target audience, the industry, and users can be as easy as typing a few words into Google.
Plan your Web site to help alleviate burdens on you and your staff. A Web site doesn’t have to be a simple advertisement – it can be a utility that can make your company operate more efficiently. For instance, if your administrative personnel are often spending a great deal of time talking with callers who want employment information, a job listing may be a feature that you would like to have on your Web site. The limitations are nearly endless, and your Web site can help to alleviate or eliminate a wide array of inefficiencies.
Grow your Web site as your needs evolve. The one-time limitations that apply to print advertising do not apply to the Web. You can change your Web site at any time you wish – meaning that corrections and changes can and should be made well after the Web site has launched. A quality Web site will include ways for you to change your Web site, and a quality vendor will offer a phased approach to development so that you don’t have to incue a large initial cash outlay.
Choose a vendor who can handle any need and who can offer guidance through the process. A quality vendor will not only abide by your wishes, but will also present alternatives and opinions based on your plans that may increase your Web site’s effectiveness. When choosing a vendor, consider their prior work in your decision. If a vendor’s previous work all seems very similar and resemble a “cookie-cutter” style, that vendor may not be able to help you grow your Web site as your needs evolve. You should be looking for a custom tailor, not a factory. Also, if your vendor makes the process seem complicated, you may want to consider using another. A good Web designer should make it easy for you by removing any complexity from the process.
Be ready to promote your Web site and gain visitors – on a budget. Return on investment is directly linked to the amount of traffic that your Web site gets and it’s a little known fact that you can generate Web traffic yourself, or with the help of an intern or administrative employee. One of the secrets of increasing traffic is to get your site linked to related Web sites. Not only will visitors of those sites be presented with your company, but the search engines count each link to your Web site as a vote for it and will place your site higher in its rankings. The logic is that if your Web site wasn’t any good, why would someone link to it? Getting linked can be as simple as finding related Web sites and requesting a link via email. If your Web site contains some free information, such as articles written by your staff about your industry, the other Web sites will be more willing to link you.
Some other inexpensive ways of getting the word out about your Web site are to list it on your business cards, print advertisements, and all other “traditional” media, make references to your Web site in all press releases, send out email newsletters, and to announce it on bulletin boards and in chat rooms.
Set realistic expectations. Realize before you start that a Web site is like any marketing expenditure – success cannot be guaranteed and the effects of a new Web site will probably not be felt immediately.
Just because it hasn’t been done doesn’t mean that it can’t or shouldn’t be. You may have some great ideas for your Web site, but you haven’t seen any examples of it through your research. It is very possible that your idea could be very useful to your target audience and you should consult with your vendor about implementation. Don’t be afraid of asking questions or making suggestions – every idea for the Web hasn’t been thought of yet.
If you follow these recommendations, you will have learned a lot about the Web and will be ready to make an informed, fearless decision about your company’s Web strategy.
