Gold Coast Web Expert

Hello again.
A guy at lunch today asked me what it costs to set up a web site for a business. I gave him what I call my politicians answer:
“Well, it all depends on what you want the site to do, how many pages you’ll have, what interactive functions you’ll have, if the site has a newsletter, how you intend to market it, your level of understanding……..”
Yep. I rambled on without giving a clear answer. But the answer I gave is the only true one. I also mentioned this to the guy:
“The important thing is finding the right web developer. You can find a kid with no experience or skills to do your web site for $100. But if you want it done properly you need a guy like me. Blah, blah, blah.”
But that is the important bit – finding the right developer
And it’s not easy. Because of the technical nature of web development work, it’s easy to get bamboolzed in the language. That kid starting out can talk a good game. But that’s the thing.
He has to be able to talk a good game.
And he has to be able to demonstrate (via examples, testimonials and analysis) that what he says is true.
That’s really the only way to know.
We can all demonstrate our expertise via testimonials. They’re great for demonstrating your expertise and you have the added benefit of having a third party endorsement (and that’s important to allay the clients fears about selecting you).
Regards
Brendon

Howdy. Building credibility with a client is one of the fundamental ways to ensure your business is presented in the best possible light. And to build credibility, we have to take into account stereotypes. Stereotypes are basically mental habits that people have.
Usually, people will apply a stereotype thought to you based on certain criteria.
* If you wear a white coat and a stethoscope – you must be a doctor
* If you wear a oil stained pair of overalls – you must be a auto mechanic
* If you wear a suit and carry a briefcase – you must be in business
Now when you think of each of those people and occupations, you’ll attribute certain emotional to them. For example, most people trust medical doctors and assume a high level of professional behaviour from them. So if you wear that white coat and stethoscope, you’ll be likely to receive the benefit of that bias.
How we can use stereotypes to our advantage
Sounds a bit cynical, but it’s not. Everyday in everyway we act certain ways to elicit the behavioural response we want – my daughter can basically get me to do anything by changing her voice to a soft and gentle pitch and saying “Daddy, I love you…….”
I’m sure we’ve all been victims of something as simple as a change in tone of voice!
What is going to be most beneficial
So firstly, we have to decide what perception of us is going to be most beneficial. I’ll use myself as an example and I’ll narrow it down to 2 aspects.
In our web division, it is commercially useful for me to be seen as an expert and successful at what I do.
So this is what I do
# 1: Expert – write a book, write articles, write this web site, write newsletters, give speeches, have a good media profile.
Okay, people read my book/articles/web site/newsletters, hear me give a speech and then read about me in the newspaper. Safe to say that most people will assume I’m an expert from those things.
# 2: Successful – good media profile, dress well, have a ‘Brag Wall’ in the office, refer to successful clients and provide ++ testimonials to prospects. People see all that and assume I’m successful.
People look at those aspects and make assumptions about me. And they have to be assumptions, because the vast, vast majority of our clients cannot assess my level of expertise in web work.
(And because they can’t assess my expertise, they rely to a large extent on the perception of my success because that perception basically provides an independent 3rd part endorsement of our success.)
Regards
Brendon

Howdy. We have been doing a direct mail campaign for the business over the past week or so. We have sent out a letter with a flyer. 200 blue flyers. 200 orange flyers.
It’s important to measure any marketing and we’ve kept a close eye on what works best – blue or orange. So far the blue flyer is thrashing the orange flyer in terms of response.
What that means is that next time we’ll use the blue flyer.
But wait………..there’s more!
There are numerous variables in a direct mail campaign:
1. The creative
2. The offer
3. The list (i.e. who you send it to)
4. The response devices
Out of those, the offer and the list are the 2 most important aspects in our experience. How do I know that?
Well, make an incredible offer and people will take it up.
Make a great offer to the right people and you’ll get a terrific response.
With any form of marketing it’s important to keep measuring and comparing to ascertain what gives you the best results. It easy, it’s simple and it works.
Regards
Brendon

This is something to remember. Not because it’s astute. But because it’s so simple.
People can’t buy anything from you until you make them an offer.
We’re just about to take some magazine and newspaper ads. In those ads we’ll do this:
We will have a call to action – that is, ask the reader to do something.
If you make an offer to your target market there is a chance they might buy.
If you sit on your behind all day the only thing you’ll get is a splinter in your butt!
Cheers
Brendon

Yesterday I did 2 public speeches.
1 at a breakfast meeting and 1 at a dinner meeting (I do these speeches just so I get fed!).
Here’s the impact:
1. 4 strong leads for web site redevelopments
2. 2 strong leads for web site marketing
3. 1 strong lead for a marketing plan
4. 2 requests to speak at other functions
I only spoke to about 50 people in total.
Could your business benefit with those sort of leads for a few hours marketing?
If so, start speaking. It’s that simple.
Regards
Brendon

Well. That’s been a busy day. We finished off 3 web sites today, 2 decent sized print ads, a small ad for our web services (goes in the local newspaper on Wednesday), took delivery of the latest book from one of our clients (Mel then packed and posted 50 back-logged orders) and sent out 10 of our postcards to local businesses.
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We took 46 phone calls, received 7 faxes, signed up for an account with a web-based company that validates digital file sending to newspapers and magazines, started writing a report for clients, wrote an article for the web site, spoke with a client regarding using his experience with us as a Case Study, received in excess of 200 emails (90% being spam), answered 20, and a few other bits and pieces.
I’d be willing to suggest that my day has been fairly typical of most people who read this web site. A big variety of things to do, lots deadlines to meet and not enough time in the day.
As the owner of this business I have to step back and think:
“Okay Brendon, you good-looking hunk of a man! How can you make your business grow?”
The answer is pretty simple. Out of all the activity we did today only 2 were really marketing activities. Writing and testing the ad and sending out the postcards.
None of the other stuff is going to generate me any business. So I have to ask myself, how is my business going to grow?
The answer to that, if the above is typical of your sort of day, is very slowly.
Here’s an example:
We’ll take a mobile (cell) phone retailer as an example.
Retailer 1 (we’ll call him Bob) – Bob has his store on a side street off a main road. His sign isn’t very big. Because of the bad position, Bob doesn’t anticipate big sales. Business isn’t great for Bob, so he has cut back on his marketing. He’s not that social so he doesn’t go out.
Because Bob doesn’t get much business he doesn’t need to employ anyone, so he attends the shop all day long.
Retailer 2 (we’ll call her Mary) – Mary has a store on a side street off a main road. Mary has the biggest sign she is legally allowed to have. It says “Mary’s Mobiles – the best deals at the best price. Guaranteed!”
Mary has also negotiated for a billboard on the main road 100 metres south of her shop. That sign says “Mary’s Mobiles – the best deals at the best price. Guaranteed! Turn left 100 metres for the best deal”
Mary has a 1/2 page ad in the local newspaper on Wednesday and Saturday. She letterboxes the local areas every 12 weeks. Mary’s car is signwritten with her business details.
Mary has also just started late night radio ads (at $33 a spot) with very promising results. She’s looking at starting TV ads in the next 2 weeks.
Mary has a loyalty program in place for existing customers who refer their friends. Mary rings up her best customers (by call amounts) every 8 weeks. Mary direct mails her database of customers and prospects a new offer every 12 weeks.
Mary is very social – she is a member of the local Chamber of Commerce and Rotary clubs. She plays golf on Thursday in a social competition where she gets to meet lots of businesspeople.
Mary’s business is thriving and she employees 3 salespeople. Mary spends her time marketing the business.
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Now I know that’s a pretty basic example. But what I want to show is that marketing works. If you market your business you’ll get more business.
If you advertise you’ll attract customers
People can’t buy off you until they know about you and what you sell. You should tell them why they should buy from you. Sounds simple enough. But in the day to day operation of a business it can sometimes get a little lost.
Let’s not lose sight of growing our businesses.
Brendon
(This post moved over from Tailored.com.au)

Had a meeting with a fellow today who found us through an ad in the newspaper on Wednesday. I’ll call him Bob (because that’s his name – I never get sick of that joke!) Sorry if you are! 😉
Bob is the exact sort of client we like to get. Bob is a no BS sort of guy. He’s blunt, to the point and, when he trusts you, will just say “Do it” and that’s it.
Bob liked our ad
Bob liked our ad. The fairly blunt message appealed to him. So he rang.
And that’s great. Because Bob is the exact sort of person we are targeting with our advertising.
When we look at our best clients they are people like Bob. Down to earth, blunt, no BS.
Some people like our ads, some people hate our ads. But it doesn’t matter. Our best clients are people like Bob – so that’s who we write our ads for. And we attracted people like Bob. And that’s exactly what we want.
* Who are your best customers?
* Who are your most profitable?
* What do they have in common?
How can you market to them?
Brendon

Howdy. Hope all is well…
I spoke with an Accountant client yesterday and I asked him what the 2 best things were that he ever did for his business. After quite a bit of thought, this is what he said:
1. Realised that business wouldn’t come to him, he had to go and get it. For him that involved lots of lead generation, advertising and making himself known throughout his local business community.
2. Realised that people buy based on how they feel about you. Not once has anyone ever asked him the marks he received on his University exams. Building rapport is critical for selling yourself. And once you sell yourself, then you’ll win the business.
If someone asked you the same question – “What are the 2 best things you have ever done for your business, what would be the answer?” – what would your answer be?
Regards
Brendon

No, it’s not because I like the sound of my own voice!
I speak occassionally to business groups, business students, etc on a range of topics.
Here’s the real reason I speak
I speak because it’s good for my business. It gets me perceived as an expert. It helps get our name out there. And it helps to generate some interest in what we do.
(Having said all that, I also do it because I think the speeches are very useful and entertaining. I just love public speaking.)
Now in a business like mine, it’s important that we have some recognition. Sure, we’ve won awards, have the high profile clients, etc but there is nothing like a professional services firm like ours actually getting out and about and meeting people.
And being positioned as recognised authorities in our field is also a terrific bonus.
Here are some other ways to aid your credibility within your market:
* PR campaign
* Develop information products
* Write articles
* Write a book
* Run a seminar
* Have an informative web site
* Write a newsletter
We do all of those. And they work well. They can work for you too.
Cheers
Brendon