Use the following tips as a simple Sales Method Guideline when selling websites to local businesses. But remember that every business and market is unique and tailoring your sales methodology according will reap the greatest results.
- Stress Benefits over Features - Business owners are more concerned about how a website will impact their business, not the features you offer. Remember “features tell, but benefits sell”. Emphasize the importance of having a website in today's competitive market. Use facts and figures about online consumer behavior. Explain how thousands of local consumers are searching for the products or services their business offers everyday. Stress the need for a website to be mobile ready as millions of smart phone users search for local businesses on the go. Tell your client exactly how a website will help grow their business.
- Testimonials are Powerful - Did you know that using testimonials can increase sales as much as 700%? Small businesses generally trust products that have been used successfully by their peers. Use real facts and quotes from satisfied customers on how their website helped grow their business. Cite real traffic stats that prove how many local visitors are coming to your clients' site. Be sure to gather more testimonials as you continue to grow your own client list.
- Get Personal - Don't just talk about general site features. Focus on the individual client on how specific features will benefit their business. Don't just describe the Event feature. Explain how a restaurant for example can get more customers to their monthly wine tasting by posting it on their website. Or how they can make changes to their daily specials menu in seconds, any time of the day. Or how a dance studio can post videos of recent recitals with the click of a button. It's important to give your prospects compelling reasons why their website will help solve their individual problems, fulfill needs, satisfy customers, increase sales and grow their small business.
- Listen - Sometime less is more when it comes to selling websites and it's actually a lot easier than you may think. All it takes is listening to your client. Listen to their concerns and what they value. If their primary concern is budget, focus on price and affordability. If they hate waiting for a web designer to make updates, show them how easy it is to make changes on their own. Sometimes all it takes is satisfying a few simple individual needs for them to see the value in your service.
- Build a Demo - Want to really stand out among the competition and earn the trust of small businesses? Offer a free, no obligation demo design. This has proved to be the most successful method to selling websites for SiteSwan Partners. With our platform you can easily create demo design for a potential client without sacrificing any major time or money. Create a simple home page design in minutes and it will look like you spent hours trying to satisfy their needs. This will not only build your trust and credibility but normally gets a client so excited they can't wait to get started and have you complete the rest of their site.
- Ask for the Sale - Finally, be sure to ask for the sale. This step is often neglected in fear of the client saying no. But if you clearly demonstrated the value a website has to offer, how it benefits their small business or even how it can potentially look with a demo, closing the sale will be surprisingly easy!