4webmaster

One of my business is webdesign and my team goes out to meet local businesses suggesting web design and mobile to every new business in town (they don't have a website yet).
We ve been doing this since 2001.

Last 2 years what we see is that most of new business owners do not want a website maybe for budget reasons. even so we have all the great stuff to convince them to get a website they don't care. Our price is reasonnable and websites design are professional grade so we are not concerned with the fact that they says No, because after months or years some business still don't have a website knowing that my competitors did walk in door to sell their services.

The others that have a website where the one that told us they have a friend or family that can build their website or they go with some online web builder and mobile responsive.

In both case they have Facebook with huge local fans. They promote everything using FB only, post their products pictures, coupons... and it works. I can tell by looking on their FB activity. As you know FB is also mobile so they skip the mobile website when talk to these biz owners.

Conclusion:

FB, savvy friend & family members and online web builder is killing our business. Like Amazon killed famous Book Stores where you used to shop.

Duda one of many reputable mobile builder could also kill mobile web design business. The only who will survive will be some very techy guys that do custom mobile with database driven (real estate, travel search, hotel bookings..)

All those of you doing simple menu navigation to a page, map, tap to call is no worth less than duda style in near future.

What's your opinion?

https://stevesuard.com

Jarrod

Well, you asked for my opinion so here it is:

1-Not at all surprised at the fact that offline businesses that do not already have a website do not want one. Websites have been around for well over a decade. By trying to sell that service you're not telling them anything they haven't already heard and thought about and for whatever reason decided not to do.

2-Businesses that do have a website have it for a reason. The website is doing something for them. And whatever it's doing for them, it will do less and less of it as time goes on if their site is not mobile friendly since more and more of their traffic is mobile.

3-Will the time come when most websites are mobile friendly and the businesses that don't have one are like those of today who don't have a website at all? Definitely. But in the mean time there's money to be made and relationships to build with many a client that can be cashed in on in numerous ways down the line.

To be honest, the responses you say you are getting a lot of kind of surprise me. I have not heard any offline business say they don't want a mobile site at all, especially using Facebook as a reason. Every business I speak with knows they need it. If they don't get it from me it may be because they don't know and trust me yet, but not because they don't realize the need for the service.

I could rant on, but I'll stop there.

clickbanktemplate

The same is not true for all the business , am sure lot are promoting using fan pages and its giving them a good boost with lotta activity , but there are always small businesses that understand the value of the website and still go in for professionals instead of a website tool or a family member making a few pages , so you can package your website along with custom fan page development and a mobile version of the site so that it adds in more value for the customer to take up your proposal.

4webmaster

That is exactly what I offer site+mobi+Fb
And the result is in the post.

Fb is really Big they can skip mobile and regular site.
I have a friend that do Fb training/coach and he have a busy schedule.

https://stevesuard.com

johnben1444

What I see with all you just mention is, those that can't afford to build a site or not really serious about owning one for their company won't care more if FB fanpage doesn't exist. Remember there is power in anything FREE, this FB pages are created for FREE.

Try giving something out for free too before you design a website maybe a half baked or one page website and see how you will quickly turn in prospect to clients.

MobileMarketingMogul

Turn your potential clients on their head and use facebook as an example of using up alot of man hours, turn around and say to them imagine they could come to your site and automatically do what they are asking to do on social media, like book an appointment or buy a product. Show them what comes up on google on both desktop and mobile search when you type in their business 'beautician texas' for example and show them there competitors that are probably making more sales than them. Never be defeated just look at it from different angles

Check out how many of the gurus are missing out on the new gold rush 'MOBILE IS THE FUTURE' http://dominatemobilemarketing.com/freemobilereport/

YellowGreenMedia

Yes there is no more money in offline marketing.....

mak25

This thread is just another idiotic attempt at hyperbole.

Really.

Why not try this: The Warrior Forum Is Dead and So Is the Internet!

kbsamurai

A website/mobile site is owned and controlled 100% by the business. The online real estate you actually own should be the hub of your online business activities.

Facebook could change the rules tomorrow and devastate a particular business. That business is putting their eggs in someone else's basket. Not terribly smart IMO.

Perhaps you should rethink how you are presenting a website's role in the business. Half dozen things come immediately to mind. The mix is different for different types of businesses, but the hub should still be there.

Aaron Doud

1. Those that don't want a website at all are telling you that you have not shown them the value of a website.

2. Those that tell you they will have a friend or family member do it for them (trust me we normally don't want to since they won't pay) are telling you that you have not shown them the value of a website since they think they should get it done for free.

3. Those that will use an online service to create a free website are telling you that you have not shown them the value of a website since they think it should be done by a free online service.

4. Those that are actively using Facebook and are making it work for them but do not have a website are telling you that you have not shown them the value of a website since they will clearly put time, energy, and maybe even money into online advertising if they see the value.

5. The only thing killing your business is your own outlook. Now that is not to say that businesses should not grow and change with the market. If you notice people are on Facebook why are you not offering Facebook management as a service? But in the end no one will buy anything unless the value exceeds the cost. You can get fancy and call it a million things but selling is simply. When Value exceeds Cost people buy. And that is "personal value". I would never want a horse. You could offer me a horse for $100 and I wouldn't take it because I would never want to put the effort into reselling it.

4webmaster

I'm sorry but I'm in business since 2001 and I know how to show a biz owner how a website can benefit for their business, also we are many competitors in my area offering website design, mobile website or FB marketing and they too did not grab any great numbers of businesses since 2 years (proof portfolio and some have great biz relation with same issues).

https://stevesuard.com

Aaron Doud

Ok let's assume the market is saturated. Markets do matures.

1. How often do you redesign your clients webpages? My company has ours redesigned in a minor way at least yearly and bigger changes every 2 to 3 years. And that isn't counting the changes we do with adding pages, content, and changing out banners and such based on what sales are going on.

2. Are you the market leader in your area? if you are not the market leader you still have the opportunity to grow. You can take business from the competitors. Hell even if you are the market leader you can do this till you have no competition.

3. What new services did you offer in 2012? And did you offer these new services to 100% of your clients and potential clients 100% of the time?

4. How often do your account managers touch base with your top 20% of clients (80/20 rule)? Do they know how to get their best clients to buy more and to do that more often?

5. Have you expanded into new markets? Let's say you are dominate in Chicago. Are you dominate in Rockford? How about Peoria? Madison? Twin Cities? So what regional areas should you you market to next?

You can justify as much as you want why you are not selling as much in the last two years as you were in the past. But in the end it comes down to a small space between your ears.

Are certain businesses never going to have a website? Yeah it is likely that some businesses will never have a website.

Will some businesses just have a friend or family member who owes them a favor throw together a cheap and fast website? Yes of course they will.

Will certain businesses use whatever the flavor of the year is for free websites? of course they will. Geocities was huge back in the day. Facebook is huge now and in 10 years something else will be huge.

But every single one of these businesses have one thing in common and that is you have not shown them the value of a website. I don't care rather you have talked to them 1 time or 100 times. This is true even if you have never spoken to them and there are millions of businesses out there you have never spoken to about websites.

Will you be able to show them all the value so they buy? Realisitically no but if you and your team become better at sales you can show more and more of them. Every objection you learn to overcome helps you the next time a similar objection comes up.

Of course if you truly as a business feel that the market is moving away from webpages the only question is where is your company going? None of the largest businesses in the world are selling today the same products they were selling 20 or 30 years ago. Hell some are not even in the same industries they were when they were founded. So how is your company evolving to meet the needs of your customers now and in the future?

But I don't personally believe website design is dead. Hell I believe there are whole industries out there where the vast majority are still in the dark ages with either no website or a very simple one.

The internet isn't going anywhere. It is still growing as more people get online every day. As long as people use the web there will be a need for websites.

Everyday when we get up we can choose to see the new day as full of opportunities or as full of problems.

WillR

Oh dear, not another 'the death of' thread.

Websites are dead? C'mon man...

Any business that puts all their effort solely into Facebook pages and things like that is just as silly as the business that relies on SEO for all their traffic.

Every business needs a website. It's no longer an option.

But I hope you and your team really do believe websites are dead. It means less competition for the rest of us who understand the real deal.

.

➨ Here's How to Make Your First $177 Online
This Week Using the Piggyback Method...

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ColinWompMobile

I think to say that websites are dead, and mobile will be too is a bit extreme. Yes there are constantly changes in the way we do business and the way our customers are obtaining our information, but to say that we should put all of our eggs into Facebook is just asking for trouble. I do however believe you need to position your company based on the strategy you want to take, whether that is a desktop based strategy or a mobile based strategy; and the latter seems to be the way we're going. I work with a company called WompMobile WompMobile | Mobile Web Design and we're trying to make sure that companies that have had a desktop strategy their whole existence, can now take a stance towards mobile that is targeted for their customers and the information they may want to see.

Kotkov

You will be struggling until you will be selling "wed design" or "mobile websites". Business owners need to see, what ROI they can expect spending money on your services.

Have some case studies to show of your previous customers, what results they achieved with you.

bizgrower

Ask how many of their customers or potential customers do NOT use Social Media?

"If you think you're the smartest person in the room, then you're probably in the wrong room."

garyisonline

Why did I just now find this thread?! I needed a good laugh today!

Been in this business since '97.

Rule #1) Don't waste your time pursuing or anchoring yourself to the clueless. They will literally suck your life out your eyeballs. I mean that!

If you have to hunt down web business you're doing it the hard way. I had to shut my phones off, and change my voice mail to make people go somewhere else...there is SO much demand.

There are plenty of business folks out there who are smart enough to get it. Find them and get personal with them. They are the adventurous "let's try it" ones. And THAT is where all of your money is. You won't be able to handle the demand and you will be paid quite nicely. If you are good at what you are doing (not a one click installer, or get the money and run type), you will build such a loyal following that you will have to enter the witness protection program to get away from it. I am serious about that!

Any business owner with 1/4 of a brain cell knows not to put the ownership or control of their online presence into the TOS hands of Zuckerberg, Larry, Sergey or any other startups. But they DO know the importance of leveraging any of those available opportunities to FEED their own brand and autonomy.

These are the people you want to invest your business growth in. They don't need to be sold or convinced, they just need help to get there. They know the business THEY are in, and they are smart enough to realize they don't know the necessary technical parts of the vast online world.

Let those other "business" squatters who drop a whole $5 on their web building nephews and babysitters die their inevitable online death. It naturally cleanses the "interwebs" of those who have no business being in business. Don't waste a phone call or even a postage stamp on them.

NewParadigm

Businesses NEVER want web design or mobile sites, NEVER.

But they do want:

new customers
repeat customers
loyal customers
referrals by happy customers
more revenue, more profits
they want their lives to be much easier!!!! This is a big one that many marketers miss. People want things in their lives to be easier and they are willing to pay for it. You just have to prove the value to them.

twalker2623

Business owners and managers care about one thing: WIIFM.

WHATS
IN
IT
FOR
ME

Think about how marketers sell shampoo - do they have commercials that explain all of the chemical components that makeup the shampoo? Or do they talk about all of the years it took their chemists to develop the formula?

NO!

They show pretty happy people bouncing around with beautiful shiny hair - BECAUSE they are selling being a beautiful happy bouncy person with beautiful shiny hair and how much BETTER your life will be with THAT hair - so you better get a bottle of that stuff PRONTO.

Selling websites or mobile sites is the same thing. Are you going to sell it by telling the business that you have blah blah degree, and ten years of experience, and here are 75,000 examples of my work, and this code thing, and that software.

OR

Are you going to SHOW them that by having this website/mobile website they can USE the technology to their advantage to ATTRACT customers to their business and ergo make more money.

Because if you can show them how to make more money, and prove that what you're offering WILL make them more money - they will gobble it up. THAT is the bottom line. You have to know what you're selling, who you're selling it to, and WHAT will make them want to buy it - or what will make them want to not go another minute without it.

Business owners who want to use FB instead of having a website or a mobile website are most likely small potatoes. There are plenty of other businesses that can and will benefit from having an appropriate mobile/web presence.

Lordy, here's five minutes of my life I'll never get back...

AndrewCavanagh

First a business website is really a necessity.

Facebook is great but do you really want to rely on an external site
which is famous for changing its rules at the drop of a hat to be
the only place you store the contact details of prospects and
clients?


Second businesses are still buying websites, paying for SEO and
email marketing and a whole variety of other services.

If you're smart you add Facebook marketing as one of the services
you offer (you can outsource it or joint venture with someone who's
good at it).


What has changed is the market is not as hot now as it was for
websites.

So you have to do some real marketing to educate your prospects
on why they need the services you offer (like a mobile friendly website,
email marketing, SEO etc etc).

This is great news for marketers who are good at setting up systems
to build deep relationships with business owners.

Because so few people are good at that relationship building your
competition is going to disappear.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

Old School Copy Like This Is BACK & Converting Like Crazy!