Jun 07 2008
I recently came across this article over at HubSpot's blog. I actually encourage business owners to read it. But read it with some perspective and objectivity.
The crux of the article is this:
> The problem is that so many small businesses are doing it wrong. They build their website and then they try to figure out how to generate leads online.
I couldn't agree more. It's something I see **way too often** with prospects. They come to us for a quote on web development - usually just wanting to know the price without giving us any details - and have no answers when it comes to marketing. If we are fortunate enough to win the project and build out the site, sometimes we'll hear from them months later asking why their site isn't getting many hits or leads. And yet they had no Internet marketing strategy whatsoever.
The issue I have with the HubSpot article though is that it places **all** the "blame" (for lack of a better word) on web development companies. Now, I do believe that as web developers we have an *obligation* to get to know our client's businesses so that we can guide, lead and advise them on a variety of issues, one of which is Internet marketing strategies. And if you're extra sharp, you do this *at the beginning, **before** you get the job or even before you've submitted a proposal*. From there, it's our job to *educate* our clients on why these things are important. The problem I find, however, is that **some** business owners just don't care. Or they don't get it. Or they don't want to spend the money. Or whatever. Regardless of how much we emphasize how an on-going marketing strategy will actually *help* their business, some just don't want to hear it.
Now, I'm not trying to make any excuses, especially not for those web development firms who "once they finish one website, they need to go and get their next $5k or $50k job." In our studio, we specifically ask about business *and* website goals. But not everyone is responsive. So what's our solution? It depends, but sometimes we just respectfully decline the work. Why? Because we want to care about our clients and their businesses. We prefer the long-term relationships (which we have with many clients) rather than the 3-4 month courtship during development. Long-term relationships prove to be the most rewarding because you get the opportunity to learn from each other, trust each other and refine every step you make.
So I guess my conclusion is two-fold. First, for all you developers out there, if you're not trying to help your client's business by forming an on-going relationship through Internet marketing you are doing both yourself and your client a huge disservice. And second, to business owners, it's probably time to stop thinking as your website as just a commodity and include it in your overall business and marketing strategies if you expect any return on it.