As web professionals, I’m sure we would all love to be able to close our deals online, without putting on a nice outfit and driving to the prospect. Unfortunately for most of us, that just isn’t the case.
Yet, if we were to break down why we can’t close deals online when we can in person, only a few reasons come to mind.
This is how I plan to eliminate them.
1. Display testimonials.
Still to this day, people do not trust that you’re really you, or that you really do what you say. By displaying as many testimonials as you can, you begin to alleviate that uncertainty. A contact number might also be nice. :)
2. Explain everything.
As much as we wish that our clients would just “get it,” the fact is that they don’t; and many never will because they simply do not care. We as web professionals have to understand that despite our love for standards, obsession with separation of content and presentation, et cetera; our clients don’t share in those.
Online, in order to get people to understand just enough about why I’m the one for them, I break everything down into very small, non-technical sections: all downloadable and easily understandable by non tech-savvy folk.
3. Forget marketing filler. Talk normally.
In a prospect meeting, we usually won’t be found talking up our services by spouting off something to the effect of “a custom, compelling, CMS-based web presence that cuts load times and increases ROI…”
That’s just not us. So why do it online?
4. Allow prospects to ask you one question.
What I’ve learned is that no matter how much time and effort you spend explaining every important thing, and making sure to cover every base possible, there are always questions.
So let them ask you, but only one.
Before you let them walk away completely, and talk themselves into not using you, ask them why they still aren’t sure. And allow them to ask you one question: the question with the answer that they believe would be the most insightful for them on deciding to move forward with you or not.