I build websites for businesses that get them web generated business leads and sales. Building a self-generating web strategy gets business in the long term, it’s not right now business. If you need business today, you need to add some additional strategies that yield a quicker payoff.
Hunting activities and Farming activities are separate skill sets and both are needed for business success. Hunters go for “today business” and Formers cultivate “long term tomorrow business”. Your website is integral to both strategies because most potential clients go to your website to see if you’re legitimate.
Each of these strategies get potential clients into your sales funnel or pipeline. It is essential to have a “sales process” in place to convert prospects to clients.
Hunting Activities:
- Cold Calling: Approaching potential clients without an appointment and inviting them to buy your product or service. Cold calls are made in person, by phone or by email. The cost is your time. The payoff is about 2 – 5%.
- Flyers, Door Hangers or Direct Mail: Putting your marketing message in the direct path of potential clients with an irresistible offer and selling potential clients when they call you. Daily Deals are the latest variation of this strategy. The cost are a few hundred to several thousand dollars. The payoff is .5 – 2%.
- Advertising: Placing your marketing message and offer in a mass media channel which reaches your target market and selling them when they contact you. Advertising includes performance based internet advertising, the Penny Saver, Commercials on Cable TV, Radio, News Paper and/or Network TV. The cost is several hundred dollars to many 10s of thousands of dollars. The payoff is less that 1/4% to about 3%. With advertising the numbers can be huge. GoDaddy launched on a Super Bowl commercial and recently sold for $2.25 Billion.
- Active Referrals Solicitation: Approaching your existing client and vendor base and asking them to endorse and refer you to their network. The cost is your time. The payoff is 3 to 10%. (I have a good script of this approach. Use my contact form to send me a message and I will happily share it with you).
Farming Activities:
- Networking: Connecting with and building relationships which over time will yield referrals to potential clients. The payoff is zero to infinity. The cost is typically both your time and money.
- Organic SEO: Building your online web presence in a manner which have the search engines recommend your website to potential clients searching for your product or service. The cost is your time and/or your money.
- Newsletters: Consistently and reliably staying in touch with your clients, prospects and network to help you stay top of mind.
- Customer Service: Delivering a consistent product or service which creates a consistent user experience. This may include a client rewards program.
- CRM System: A Client Relationship Management System is a way to keep information on your clients, prospect and network in a structured and retrievable way allowing you to better serve their needs with your product or service.
Both Hunting and Farming are needed for long term success in your business. If you need business today, start Hunting. For business tomorrow keep on Farming. All the while refine your sales process to close more sales.
To develop a web presence that self-generates web leads, send me a message via my contact form and we’ll start the process.
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