It’s hard to believe that I started building websites in 1999 using Front Page. I thought I had taken a huge leap by learning Dreamweaver after that. Then the advent of online template driven websites came out and I created my first personal site using Wix in 2010. A lot has changed since then!
As I was searching for a software solution for a client of mine today, I came across a handful of websites that looked like they were from the stone ages. You don’t have to be a web designer to know when a website looks out of date. Know what happened? I left the sites after a few seconds. Maybe you’ve found yourself in a similar situation. I think I gave a couple more than just a glance to see what they had to offer. Then it occurred to me that if they can’t be bothered to update their own site, how can I trust that the software they’re trying to sell has been updated or will continue to be updated in the future? Eventually, I left the site wondering how business was going for them.
Although 6 years ago doesn’t sound that far back, technology has advanced greatly. When I first started in the industry, people didn’t have email addresses. I remember asking, “What’s the Internet?” That was about 23 years ago. Pagers were cool and if you had a bag phone, you were FAR more advanced than anyone else. Some of you may be asking, “what’s a pager and a bag phone!?”
But I digress… If you have an outdated site (or none at all), you should really think about either upgrading or investing in one. Websites have not “gone out of style” and Facebook is not a suitable substitution for one. The great thing about websites these days (especially WordPress) is that you can easily update the look of it without losing any of your data! Think of it as putting clothes on. You have the same body and personality but change your look depending on what you wear. So even if the template you have chosen a year or two ago has gone out of style, you can upgrade to another one to keep up with the times.
Simply put, if your site is out of date, you are losing business. If you have low resolution pictures and typos or you don’t have a contact page, you’re losing business. Don’t rely on newspaper ads or the phonebook for results! I’ll let you in on something else…people don’t like to pick up the phone to ask for information. Most want to do it electronically which is why having a contact form is a requirement these days. If you’re not responding within a few hours of receiving an inquiry, you may be losing a customer too.
You might be intimidated by the look of a professional website and think, “I can’t afford that!” But don’t be fooled, you can get a high quality site at a reasonable price and outstanding service. A website is an investment, not an expense. Don’t get kicked to the curb so you can save money, when in reality you’re actually losing it instead. Just contact me and tell me what you need and I guarantee you’ll be happy with the results.
