Make Your Website the Best Salesperson You’ll Ever Hire

Whether you’re a self-employed tradie or running a growing team, everyone wants more customers. You could hire sales staff, and take on the wages and risk that comes with it. You could advertise in the local paper for a corner spot nobody reads. You could hand out flyers on the street. Or you could do the one thing that actually works around the clock: make your website the best salesperson you’ll ever hire.

Cold hard fact: a huge share of new business for agencies like ours comes straight through the website, and that share keeps growing. That’s not because other channels are drying up, it’s because the web is simply overtaking the need for referrals and cold sales. When you make your website the best salesperson on your team, it doesn’t sleep, doesn’t force anyone to sit through a pitch, and can present more information in a few minutes than any person could explain in hours.

But first, let’s deal with the excuses

“It’s expensive.” Not entirely true. Web design isn’t free, but it’s not out of reach either, there are affordable options at every budget. And a website isn’t really an expense, it’s an investment that pays dividends when done right. You wouldn’t skimp on building a strong sales team, so don’t skimp here either.

“I already have more customers than I can handle.” That’s the goal of every business, and growth is what keeps it healthy. A website helps you grow consistently and frees up your time. More importantly, your target customers are already searching for businesses like yours on their phones. If you’re not there, you’re invisible to them.

“I have social media, that’s enough.” Social platforms are great for marketing, but they don’t give you the control your own website does. There’s only so far you can take a customer on Facebook before you need a proper website to move them through the rest of the sales process.

“I don’t have time to manage a website.” If you can find time for a coffee, you can find time for this. Many web design agencies also offer managed solutions, so you don’t have to lift a finger after launch.

Get the basics right

Get a website, first and foremost. It’s surprising how many businesses still don’t have one, and it’s the single biggest thing holding them back online.

Get a good design. Websites need to look good, plain and simple. Strong use of colour, type, and photography keeps people on the page longer. A cluttered, unappealing site loses visitors almost instantly, and that’s bad for both your bottom line and how Google sees you.

Find a happy medium. Don’t overload your homepage with every piece of information you have, and don’t set it and forget it either. Add a blog post or two a week, tweak your text and images, refine your approach, use social media. Consistency is what makes it work.

Embrace the learning curve. The internet is a different medium to anything that came before it, and it takes some getting used to. Surround yourself with people who know what they’re doing, whether that’s hiring someone to manage your site or learning the ropes yourself.

Take feedback seriously. If someone tells you your website isn’t working, find out why and fix it. Trends move fast online, and a website is never really finished.

Play the long game. A well-built, well-optimised website can generate enquiries steadily over its lifetime, often at a fraction of the cost of ongoing advertising. The upfront investment usually comes back many times over.

Make it actually convert

Getting visitors to your site is only half the job. Here’s what turns them into leads and customers, and helps you make your website the best salesperson it can be.

Nail your call to action. Be clear about what you want visitors to do, call your office, sign up for a trial, share their email, whatever it is, and design your page around that single action.

Keep your copy clear and concise. If your content rambles on, visitors will skip it, and then skip your website entirely. Speak to your target audience’s problem, not just your own achievements.

Don’t sacrifice function for form. A visually stunning site that’s hard to use won’t work for you. User experience matters as much as aesthetics, arguably more.

Show, don’t just tell. Rather than saying you make the best product, show visitors how it solves their specific problem. If you sell office chairs, show how they reduce back pain and improve productivity, don’t just say they’re comfortable.

Capture leads, not just visitors. Not everyone who lands on your site is ready to buy. Build an email list with a newsletter sign-up and something valuable offered in exchange, then nurture that relationship over time with an autoresponder.

Follow through on what you promise. If someone signs up expecting a discount code or a download, make sure they get it immediately. It builds trust and protects your credibility.

Use your 404 page as an opportunity. Technical hiccups happen. Instead of a bland error page, use it to leave a good impression instead of a frustrating one.

Consider video on your homepage. It’s one of the fastest ways to communicate your value proposition before a visitor reads a single word.

In conclusion

No matter your industry, someone out there is looking for exactly what you offer, and the first place they’ll look is online. Treat your website like your hardest-working team member, and make your website the best salesperson your business has ever had. Contact Digital Developments today for a free consultation.