The Mock / Demo Approach for Web Design - Sticking Points!

by Mystery777

Posted: 10 years ago 15 replies

OFFLINE MARKETING

Hey guys,

for warriors who use the mock website approach for selling web design services (as in telling prospects through phone, email or in person, that you're gonna first put together a quick mock version for their business website, in order for them to first check out your design skills/taste) and having prospects agree to it:

What have you then discovered was your no.1 sticking point or obstacle preventing you from closing the *sale*?

.

#approach #demo #design #mock #mock design #mock website #points #sticking #web design #website

Jason Kanigan

10 years ago

Fact is, if THEY don't believe or acknowledge there is a problem, you won't make a sale.

Prospects will make you jump through hoops if you let them--and you will actually make yourself jump through these hoops if you aren't careful! ("Yes! I'll do a mockup! I want to do a mockup! Let me do a mockup!" 'OK, fine..." <has no intention of buying, but is trying not to be rude to you>)

Don't do a mockup unless the prospect acknowledges there is a serious problem with their existing site or not having one at all.

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Mystery777

10 years ago

Originally Posted by Jason Kanigan

Fact is, if THEY don't believe or acknowledge there is a problem, you won't make a sale.

How can you really qualify for that, if people who you're dealing with are nice in general and instead of being straightforward, would fake interest to avoid saying no?

Prospects will make you jump through hoops if you let them--and you will actually make yourself jump through these hoops if you aren't careful!

Found out the hard way. I got really mad. Not because of the time wasted on the design (I have pre-made mocks for diff industries, so the work isn't that tiresome), but because I really hate the beating around the bushes.

Don't do a mockup unless the prospect acknowledges there is a serious problem with their existing site or not having one at all.

I'm targeting either those who don't have a website, or on rare occasions, those who have theirs under maintenance (I use web archive to check & make sure their original design sucked a lot). Still low conversions, compared to the consultation/appointment setting method. Is this approach over-rated?
.

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Jason Kanigan

10 years ago

Originally Posted by Mystery777

How can you really qualify for that, if people who you're dealing with are nice in general and instead of being straightforward, would fake interest to avoid saying no?

ASK THEM. "Do you believe having a website would help you close more sales than you are now...new sales?"

Wishy-washy or negative answers mean no real interest.

Great! Pain means you have learned your lesson and will never forget.

When you get into a situation where you're not certain the prospect is truly interested, ask:

"Before we go any further...sometimes I run into this situation and I want to check with you. In the past once in awhile I've made a mockup website for someone. Turned out they really weren't interested but didn't want to hurt my feelings. So I want to check with you: is this something you're really interested in, or were you saying it was OK for me to proceed just because you didn't want to hurt my feelings?"

That will get the right result.

I know several people who have built big businesses off the mockup idea.

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savidge4

10 years ago

I think the over all answer here is... How long does it take for you to build a Mock? I tend to use primarily 1 theme. so for me a mock can literally take 30 minutes to slam together. Having that at the ready CAN be a great tool in getting a close.

I will tell you that 90% of the time that I go into a meeting, I have a mock built. but these meetings are PRE QUALIFIED. I already know there is an interest. I know what the clients communicated pains are. I know I stand better than a chance to close these.

The ONLY time I will pull out the Mock is when the potential client starts to hem and haw a bit. its not objecting, its that teeter toter communication. That is when I know its time to take away the concepts of what the site will do, and bring in the real deal... here is what it might look like and how it will work.

Just like with say real estate, you are then looking for the verbal clues of interest. With Real Estate prospects will start talking about furniture placement etc ( they are mentally moving in ). with websites its more questions. how does a customer do this? I have this product how would we display that? - they are moving in

I honestly don't even think you have to have it all logo'd up and with the right colors. but like anything else allowing the prospect to put their hands on it, to give it a test drive can and usually does send the teeter toter communication away, and brings the communication back to what this WILL do for them.

Mocks are tools... and like any other tool it is specialized it what it can do for you. you can bring it out to early and it looses effect, you can bring it out late, and the sale has already gone south. but if you bring it out when you hear statements that start with "Well" chances are good you can push the tipping point.

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Mystery777

10 years ago

Originally Posted by savidge4

Mocks are tools... and like any other tool it is specialized it what it can do for you. you can bring it out to early and it looses effect, you can bring it out late, and the sale has already gone south. but if you bring it out when you hear statements that start with "Well" chances are good you can push the tipping point.

So you don't think approaching with a mock (as in offering to do a mock through a cold call) is as effective... but only to pull the mock out when there is direct or indirect hesitation vibes down the road?

.

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savidge4

10 years ago

Originally Posted by Mystery777

So you don't think approaching with a mock (as in offering to do a mock through a cold call) is as effective... but only to pull the mock out when there is direct or indirect hesitation vibes?

.

It depends on what the intent of the Cold Call is. Are you booking meetings or are you selling? If you are selling then the answer is NO. If you are booking meetings...well then you are in the same boat I am, and I don't bring it up.

Actually you have not mentioned before you were Cold Calling... that really does throw a new light on the situation. What is your goal in the call? It is to sell correct? Then Honestly.. a Mock should never enter the picture.

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Mystery777

10 years ago

Originally Posted by savidge4

It depends on what the intent of the Cold Call is. Are you booking meetings or are you selling? If you are selling then the answer is NO.

Actually you have not mentioned before you were Cold Calling... that really does throw a new light on the situation. What is your goal in the call? It is to sell correct? Then Honestly.. a Mock should never enter the picture.

Hmmm... the goal is to pre-qualify for interest and make them agree to the mock website idea. The inspiration came from this thread, where the owner seems to be getting very good results:

http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-marketing-discussions/496965-powerful-way-close-clients-website-design-make-them-really-want-website.html

I tried the mock website idea with mobile sites before and it worked great (on LinkedIn though), so thought it might be as effective for desktop versions through cold calls prospecting and the thread above gave me more motive.
.

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savidge4

10 years ago

Originally Posted by Mystery777

Yes, I'm selling with this approach now, not booking meetings.

For booking meetings I'm using a script that works and overall results are ok. But too much energy required for moving around and closing and I'm starting to feel a lil lazy. That's why I'm testing this approach.

Hmmm... the goal is to pre-qualify for interest and make them agree to the mock website idea. The inspiration came from this thread, where the owner seems to be getting very good results:

http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-marketing-discussions/496965-powerful-way-close-clients-website-design-make-them-really-want-website.html

I tried the mock website idea with mobile sites before and it worked great (on LinkedIn though), so thought it might be as effective for desktop versions through cold calls prospecting and the thread above gave me more motive.
.

Having read that thread. you see that they are putting the mock in place in like 10 minutes. That is key. so when you loose one you are not wasting oodles of time in the process.

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Mystery777

10 years ago

Originally Posted by savidge4

Having read that thread. you see that they are putting the mock in place in like 10 minutes. That is key. so when you loose one you are not wasting oodles of time in the process.

Hmmmm.. I'm putting the mock in place in like 2 hours. But usually call them back the next day same time. Perhaps it's still too much time and mood changes fast.

.

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savidge4

10 years ago

Originally Posted by Mystery777

Hmmmm.. I'm putting the mock in place in like 2 hours. But usually call them back the next day same time. Perhaps it's still too much time and mood changes fast.

.

It really has nothing to do with the mood. Its about invested time. You couldn't get 14 ok I want a mocks in a day and produce them. Your are currently looking at a counter productive method.

You are literally better off staying on the phone for those 2 hours and closing a deal than you are sitting there building a mock in hopes of "maybe" getting a sale.

If you are doing web design TIME is your biggest factor. I allow something like 4 hours a day for sales and 10 hours a day in production. But I don't do phone sales. I close appointments. And as much as they are the same, it is totally different.

Are you not e-mailing the Mock URL over to the client for approval? Then if you don't hear anything, call to touch base? You are perpetually waiting waiting waiting... and not selling.

If you read anything that Jason has written on Cold Calling, you would understand that you need to get to a yes I want it, or no I don't. You need to understand what the pain point is, offer a solution. They will bite or they wont. if they don't you move to the next.

And it really isn't just what Jason has written. Claude same thing. Misterme same thing. EwenMack same thing. You are playing a numbers game.

Other than your prospects are in some niche you decided would be a good target you have not in any way shape or form targeted your list. ( more than a hunch ) Any and every call needs to be qualified and determine if there is a fit for your services. You are on a hard road, and you are making it harder. You are playing a numbers game. you need to be burning through the calls to nail your delivery. you need to be making that 200+ calls a day. Burn burn burn. Once its clicking.. start right back at the beginning of you list. Bigger better stronger smarter... you will start closing.

You are reaching for gimmicks - a crutch, and you don't need it.

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Mystery777

10 years ago

Originally Posted by Jason Kanigan

ASK THEM. "Do you believe having a website would help you close more sales than you are now...new sales?"

Wishy-washy or negative answers mean no real interest.

"Before we go any further...sometimes I run into this situation and I want to check with you. In the past once in awhile I've made a mockup website for someone. Turned out they really weren't interested but didn't want to hurt my feelings. So I want to check with you: is this something you're really interested in, or were you saying it was OK for me to proceed just because you didn't want to hurt my feelings?"

That will get the right result.

Thanks so much for the tip Jason. Don't know why I haven't thought about it.

P.S. the mobile mock approach worked better than this desktop version approach. But I guess it might be because selling mobile sites is easier overall.

.

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mjbmedia

10 years ago

Mock sites.
Sorry but how many business owners really know what they truly want their site to achieve and then which type/look/layout of site etc is really going to be most effective for conversions of their requirement?

Very few, nope they'll look at the colours and prettiness of the mock and wont have a bleeding clue whether it works behind the scenes or not.

The business world is littered with very pretty looking sites that do sweet FA for the business or its clients but hey they liked the look of it when shown by the designer (who often also knows little about the requirements mentioned in the first paragraph of this post)

Not saying the OP falls into this im just saying that Im fed up (well Im not but....) of talking with business owners and them showing me their site they paid £xxxx for a few months back, doesn't it look great, yes, lets have a look at the analytics shall we, what? we find it after a few minutes and the bounce, page views, time on site etc are pathetic, yes it looks great, a damn sight better than the stats look though.

Now lets talk about how we can rectify this problem you got from your fabulous web designer shall we ........

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Mystery777

10 years ago

Originally Posted by mjbmedia

Not saying the OP falls into this im just saying that Im fed up (well Im not but....) of talking with business owners and them showing me their site they paid £xxxx for a few months back, doesn't it look great, yes, lets have a look at the analytics shall we, ......

I'm also fed up with that, but decided to give them both options (especially when I have additional very pretty mocks for a specific industry, that aren't really that effective for local lead generation and seo).

I'd educate them about the basics (won't go into too much details with them). Then if they still insist on beauty, or if I notice there's some disappointment after learning beauty doesn't necessarily mean results (few do), I'll switch things around and tell them it's not a biggie anyway...

As in: it can be solved later through another "portal" site... etc. "But for now, enjoy the beautiful site you wanted!...etc." Brings the smile back to their faces. Some really do still care about beauty and a specific design look, more than results.

My telemarketer called a handyman two days ago and not only was he pre-qualified.. but interrupted her and went straight to the point: "I don't CARE what it looks like! I just want something a client can see.. it attracts him and he calls me! That's all I want! How much would that cost?". I was like: "that's ma boy!".

This is an example of what the majority of small businesses want though.

.
.

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mjbmedia

10 years ago

Originally Posted by Mystery777

see its NOT about giving the client what they say they want, they don't know theyre thick re websites and internet marketing.
You need to give them what their business NEEDS and what will be most effective for their business is highly unlikely to be what the business owner (decision maker) thinks they want.

Are you the expert or are they ?

Lets put it this way, if I only delivered what the clients say they 'want' I wouldn't be getting great results for them , I deliver what I think will work for them and often it does .

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Mike

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Humbee360 10 years ago

A good presentation will produce results.
A Great presentation will produce more results.

I think one of the biggest obstacles for selling services to business locations is that the owner may not realize how important and how cost effective it is to have a website working for their business.

Many of them still see the internet as a pastime not as important as it really is becoming.

One of the most successful things you can do it to pre-qualify your prospect, If you drop by a store and see customers on smart phones, employees on smart phones, but the owner is not using a smartphone at all, ( Then you might be wasting your time, as the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water...
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The Mock / Demo Approach for Web Design - Sticking Points!

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