Guest Post: 5 Sales Arguments for SMB Websites

Websites are key to building a strong digital foundation for small businesses. Yet many still struggle to understand the value of an online presence. According to a recent study by Visa, more than 50% of SMBs still aren’t online, but with digital presence playing a more important role than ever, SMB service providers must refine their sales tactics to position themselves as the SMBs’ trusted digital advisor.

Plus a wider variety of SMB-facing channels are offering their customers digital marketing products like websites, making it more important than ever to provide guidance for how to sell these products to SMBs. I’ve gathered some of the most common objections that sales reps face when selling websites and my arguments against them:

No. 1 – “I don’t need a website. My customers just call me”

Historically, customers have have called or visited a business’ physical location to make an appointment or shop – but nowadays new leads come from a myriad of discovery channels including online search. SMBs without a website are run the risk of losing business to competitors that are already online and who are presenting themselves in a professional and trustworthy manner. According to the LSA’s 2017 Digital Consumer Study, 63% of consumers use company websites to find local business information. That’s why small business owners need to showcase products and services on website, in order to build a reputable brand and have a foundation to market themselves online.

No. 2 – “I have a Facebook page instead of a website”

Many consumers use social media to find information about local businesses, but is this really enough? Social media platforms can be useful to capture the attention of new customers, but also have diminishing returns in terms of organic search, as algorithms favor paid content.

Having a website with a branded domain helps establish business credibility, so much so that 30% of consumers won’t consider a business without a website (YP & LSA, 2016). Additionally, search engines and other aggregating platforms look to proprietary websites as the ultimate authoritative source for up-to-date and accurate business information.

No. 3 – “A professional website is too expensive”

Having a custom website built from scratch is often expensive. Luckily, there are many digital service providers that cater specifically to the needs and budgets of SMBs.

With years of experience and proven workflows, digital service providers can quickly build a unique SMB website at an affordable price. A modern and professional website is no longer reserved for big players, but also a valuable investment for SMBs. And with a company website functioning as the foundation of an SMB’s digital presence, there is little or no value in investing valuable marketing dollars in other digital channels without a proprietary website to point to.

No. 4 – “Thanks, but I don’t need your services – my friend can build me a website for free…”

With limited budgets, small business owners often enlist the help of a tech-savvy friend to build their website. But once they start building, they realize that it isn’t really free; from paying for hosting to themes – it all adds up. And not only that, it’s not future proof.

In this day-and-age, a professional digital service provider does more than just help build a new website; they help SMBs expand their digital marketing in pace with consumer preferences. From email marketing to e-commerce, working with a digital service provider ensures that SMBs are covered on all fronts, including: SEO, personalization, technical set up, security and more.

No. 5 – “I already have a good website”

Good enough is not good enough. Is your website mobile-friendly? Optimized for traditional, local and voice search? Does it leverage personalization? What about e-commerce?

From search algorithm changes to new e-privacy legislation, the expectations for websites are changing all the time. So while an SMB may be happy with their website that was built just three years ago, you can argue that changes in technical requirements, as well as evolving consumers expectations to website performance may actually warrant a revamped website.

Securing the website sale

Ultimately, securing a website sale is all about helping SMBs understanding that an investment into a professional websites generates better quality leads, allowing them to spend less time on marketing and administration – and more time doing what they love.

Editor’s Note: The Tech Adoption Index blog accepts guest submissions from individuals in the small business software community who have something of value to share, from tips on sales execution to new ideas on go to market strategy or thought-leading pieces on the future of the SMB market. If you have an idea for a guest post, please contact Charles@TheLSA.org.

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