Tales from the Crypt of Online Marketing 9: Why Cheap Websites Are More Expensive Than You Think

Tales from the Crypt of Online Marketing – Vol. 9

Your website may be underperforming because it is underpaid

During one of my regular Facebook excursions, I came across a post where someone made the case for properly investing in a website and listed all the reasons to do so.

Heck, I could have written that post myself!

And as usual, then came a lot of replies saying more or less the same thing: “But what if I don’t have any money?”

Oh yes, the money objection is a big one. And a valid one too! So valid that it’s something every parent has told us when we were kids, right?

I remember one summer desperately wanting to get a pair of those beautiful black riding boots, the kind you see on horse shows on TV.

Of course, she had no idea how much they cost, but she knew she had to have them in order to fit in with the “in” crowd at school. I mean, this was something important!

My mom and I went to the local co-op to find my precious boots and once my mom saw the price tag, she got the wise wisdom that I’m sure we’ve all heard:

“Money does not grow on trees”.

So, he bought a cheap pair of fake rubber boots. And sure enough, the black tint faded soon after, showing how cheap they were. They were completely useless in achieving the desired result of me becoming a member of the esteemed “in” crowd at school.

As a result of hearing that age-old wisdom many times after the devastating boot debacle, I became quite greedy myself as an adult. I’m pretty sure my kids have heard that same song numerous times. (Sorry kids!)

It wasn’t until I married my first husband that I realized there was another way to look cheap.

One of our first major purchases was the exciting new, though now defunct, VCR (that’s a videotape recorder for you youngsters). I remember going to the electronics department at our local Gosling’s store in downtown Abbotsford.

We were overwhelmed with all the options. Different brands and different price tags too.

My then-husband educated me on courage that day, and his words never left me. He said it’s much less expensive to buy a higher-priced, quality item now than it is to have to replace it tomorrow.

Better quality lasts longer.

We went for the Hitachi model and it lasted for years.

And the same principle applies when creating your company’s website.

If you decide to go the cheap or DIY route, your business will:

• You won’t get the sales and conversions you need to grow your business, because it won’t look good or perform well.
• It will seem fond to visitors, who will not trust what you say.
• You will end up attracting customers who are looking for cheap prices, because you are sending the message that your brand is cheap.

As a result, you will soon realize that you need to invest even more than you would have if you had chosen quality. I know this because we have had many clients come to us over the years lamenting how much time, effort and money they wasted on a cheap website option before they found us.

Then we had to redo everything for which they paid pennies.

Here’s that common question again: But what if you don’t have the money?

I am a firm believer that there is always a way if you want something bad enough.

Here are some ideas to consider:

• reduce spending in other areas that are not absolutely necessary at this time. For example, signing up for another course to teach you another 10-step process probably won’t work.
• Find a job. There is nothing shameful about earning a living while working on building your business. Many people do! Do whatever it takes to make sure you have money for your personal and business bills.
• Look for investors. Maybe you have an amazing idea that you just know would take off if you had the money. Find investors who believe in your vision and provide you with the financing you need to succeed.
• Remember you are starting/managing a business. Most businesses need startup capital to get started. Consider the money you spend on your website as an investment in the future profits of your business. Write a business plan and take it to the bank to apply for a loan or line of credit.

These are just a few suggestions, and I’m sure I have some money trainers reading this who can contribute more! I hope I have inspired you to start thinking outside the box and realize that your business is worth the investment of a properly built website.

If not, I’d say you’ve decided you don’t WANT to spend the money. I am right? You have other priorities that matter more.

If you’re nodding, that’s fine. It’s your choice.

But know that if you go the cheap, DIY route, it will take you longer to reach your goals, and you may never get the results you want.

And in case you were wondering, I never got that coveted “in” crown in school, despite my tireless efforts. Was it because of the cheap boots? Maybe not, but they sure didn’t help me either!

Therefore, I strongly recommend that you avoid losing valuable leads and sales by not having a professionally designed and built website. Instead, having a cheap one is actually costing you a lot more than you think.

Around here, we’re not cheap. But relatively speaking we are not expensive either. Cheap means you get what you pay for, but you don’t have to get the Lamborghini version from a site either. Just one that represents your brand to the right target audience, with the right marketing message.

That is what will turn your visitors into brand ambassadors.

Call me or contact me online to find out how we can transform your broken website into one that brings you valuable leads and sales.

For the success of your business,

Suzanne

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

1. Visit us to watch our video teatime advice: Buying an SEO or web design company based on the lowest possible price? Find out the true costs of “cheap”, “low cost” and “inexpensive” in business. Watch: How much does cheap SEO and website design really cost you?
2. Book: Think and Grow Rich! The Original Version, Restored and Revised™.
3. Visit us to read our article: What you need to have in place before finding a web developer or web development agency to design websites and create quotes for your business. Read: 9 things to be clear about before hiring a web developer.
4. Visit us to watch our video tip: Get an insider’s perspective on what a web developer needs to know to create a professional, attractive, and effective business website: How to Hire the Right Web Developer for Your Business.
5. Article: Cheap and Convenient WordPress vs. Lost Leads and Sales: This is the Top Reason You’re Not Getting Valuable Website Leads and Sales – Why Your ‘Just Another WordPress Site’ Might Be Costing You Sales valuable.
6. Visit us to read our article: Entrepreneurs Think As Long As They Can Build A Website, They Should Except They Don’t Know What They Don’t Know. This article explains: Why Entrepreneurs Shouldn’t Create Their Own Websites.
7. Financial Resource: Canada Small Business Financing Program.