So, I just got a message from a brand new connection on LinkedIn which basically read, “I’m rebranding. Going to need a new website and everything that goes with it. Nice to know you are local. Call me on…”
I called straight away because I’m laid up on the couch with a sprained ankle I earned last night while playing volleyball.
#notetoself – Don’t call back within seconds. You look hungry and desperate.
Anyway, within minutes, I was talking about not being the cheapest in town but maybe the best, yadda yadda yadda…
#notetoself – Don’t use the word cheap, even when defining what I am not! It puts the word in the head of the potential customer and they begin making connections to what IS cheap and what IS NOT cheap, and now they are thinking about numbers when all they wanted to do was get excited about rebranding their company!
Not long in to the conversation, I start talking about how I won’t be able to pin down a number until I know the complexity of the website, but I do mention that the kinds of websites I tend to build take between 50 and 100 hours of hand coding, and that I charge $100/hr. The guy stops me and says, “now hold on… I’m starting to put it all together. You said your websites take between 50-100 hours and you charge $100/hr, so now I’m getting a clearer picture on your rates…” I had to back track and explain that I charge $100/hr when I’m called to fix things, or set up a new Google AdWords Campaign etc.. but that I don’t charge that much when I build a website…
#notetoself – Don’t Talk $$$ Money… not at first.
Not long after that the lead starts making excuses and it is clear he is trying to get out of the conversation. I remind him that no matter who he chooses to go with, I’m always here to help and if he DOES go with someone else, when he’s ready to talk SEO, I’d be more than happy to give him a free consultation… yadda yadda… but we all know where the business lead is going… down the drain.
Not because he wouldn’t LOVE what I built for him, not because he couldn’t afford me, not even because I can’t do what he needs done… but because I talked money too soon and instead of his getting excited about rebranding and growing his company, all he can think of is how much it’s going to cost him and how scary that idea sounds…
#bummer
#notetoself – Don’t bum your new lead out… excite them about all of the possibilities and get them jazzed for future success!
