Not the guilty printer
One of my banner printers contacted me to say: “Good news, you don’t have to phone and ask for a quote any more, then wait a couple of days for the email to arrive. We’ve built a new website where you can get instant online quotes.”
Fantastic! I logged on to have a look at the website.
At first glance I was impressed. They had obviously spent thousands on developing this lovely looking site.
Then I realised that, as a user, I had to choose which printing press I wanted them to use, in order to get my quote.
This is sheer madness!
It is the job of the printer to choose which printing press to use. The user only knows they want a banner. They might know what size it is, how many colours, and what the banner says. They might not even know the best size, and would need personal advice from the printer about that.
When I tell my clients this true story, they laugh.
However, lots of websites make the same mistake.
They list all the services they offer, as if expecting the user to choose. But that is not the job of the user. The user comes to you with a problem or a goal, and it’s your job to pick which option or combination from your menu of services is best for them.
There is no point in writing a web page to describe each individual service you offer, if that page is the equivalent of a Wikipedia page on that subject. If the prospective client can get that information elsewhere, then why bother recreating it on your own website?
Admittedly, you might write such a page as a keyword-rich landing page to be found on search engines (although that is not so valuable any more). You might write it just to demonstrate your background and provide some credibility.
But it is better to write your unique take on the subject in a way that tells the prospect what it means for them. Why it is important. What they will experience.
People usually choose a service-provider because of word-of-mouth recommendation. So, in most cases, your website should only include enough information to tease someone enough to contact you.
Remember, the website alone won’t generate sales. It’s just a step in the process. You will generate the sale when the person talks to you, and you mutually agreed there is a fit.
