So, instead of a/b testing my current pitch to my family and friends who, let’s face it, don’t really want to know because either a) giving input that could mean the difference between winning or losing thousands of dollars stresses them out or b) they simply don’t care enough to have an opinion that would be helpful, I’ve chosen to put my pitch here for YOUR input.
Scenario 1 – I walk in the shop and ask to speak to the owner/managing-director/top-decision-maker
Hi, listen, I realize this may come as a bit of a surprise to you, but I’m not actually here to buy something… I’m actually here to give YOU something… *big confident grin
But before I go through some lengthy description of what it is I am here to help you with, I have a very simple metaphorical question to ask… if you were going to a business dinner party with other business folk and potential future customers/clients in the hopes of convincing them that YOU are THE authority in your area for [insert business type]… if you were going out to dinner on business, what would you wear?
I’m assuming you would at least take a shower and put on if not a suit, maybe at least a nice pair of slacks/seasonal dress, and you’d probably take a shower, brush your teeth, comb your hair/do your hair… what kind of shoes would you wear? flip-flops, your bare feet?! or would you put on a nice pair of loafers/heels?
What if I told you that you were invited to that very same business dinner party EVERY DAY, ALL DAY LONG, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year….
You’d probably go out and tattoo all of those things on your body so you didn’t have to worry about it right!? 🙂
Well, that’s just the thing you see. Because, you are not only invited to that party, you are HOSTING that party… for real… right now… and you have been hosting it for a very long time… the only problem is, you didn’t know people were already showing up at your door, and HAVE BEEN showing up at your dinner party… for YEARS.
Maybe, years ago, you knew you were hosting a party, so you put on some really nice clothes, THEN. But you’ve been wearing the same outfit since [insert year website was initially rolled out] and well, it’s old, boring, and does not look very professional anymore.
I’m fairly certain that 100s if not 1000s of people have come knocking at your door, and once opened, turned right around and walked away…
So here’s the thing… that business dinner party we’ve been chatting about… it IS real… it’s your website.
It’s old, out dated, has old pixelated images, an old boring design that is NOT user friendly, the bulk of the content looks like it hasn’t been updated in a very long time and it is most certainly NOT MOBILE friendly.
If you wouldn’t want to show up to a business dinner party dressed in your 1980s duds, why in the world do you think it’s ok to present yourself in an outdated unfriendly fashion online?
Now, I realize you don’t know me from Adam, and around these parts I probably sound like I talk funny [I’m a Texan in the UK currently], but how many people have taken the time to come out TO YOU to explain just how important your website is from a simple business perspective? And how many of them can deliver on their promises… FAST?
I come with references, I specialize in small to medium businesses – most admittedly in the US – and I deliver!
If you would be interested in an initial FREE 45 minute consultation either NOW or in the next 2 days, I’d be equally interested in showing you what I have found about your online presence and strategies I have come up with to improve it.
I’m in the business of helping businesses make more money. So what do you say, are you ready to make more money because I’m right here ready to help?
Scenario 2 – The shop is closed and/or the owner/decision-maker is not available to meet face-to-face
Crap, I really don’t have much of a game plan for this scenario. I HAVE to speak to a decision maker or I’m wasting my breath… but the thing is…
I can’t just call or write an email. I’ve tried that, and the owner was super unimpressed with my input and was rather rude on the phone. And I get it… I mean, I AM a web designer and I’ve received calls and emails galore from mythical web design companies ready and rearing to help ME build MY website! So.. of course, every business owner in the past 5 years will have been hounded by vultures, and I do not want to be classed in the same category as them!
So, I haven’t really come up with a solution for this scenario. If I can’t do it #face2face, I think I’m going to have to #WalkAway…
What do you think? Should I send an email anyway even if it means I’m throwing my hat into the pool with all of the other vultures out there? Even though I will have TRULY researched the business’ online issues and created strategies to genuinely improve them?
What from the first scenario’s pitch do you think WORKS and what do you think DOES NOT? Seriously, I really want to hear your input before I run with this #PavementPitch, and I’m likely starting my newest marathon in 2 days!!!
No seriously, what do you think!?
