Keep your Website Fresh and Current

I have often talked about how my business has been referral-only for a few years. What I mean by that is that my new clients come to me through referral from another client, a colleague, and that sort of thing. I typically don’t respond to requests for proposal, or go searching job boards or forums for work. The work … for all intents and purposes … comes to me.

This is a great position to be in from a business perspective – however it’s important that you don’t ‘stop’ marketing your business if you are in this stage. I learned a valuable lesson because I did just that, and I want to share it with you.

I had a consultation call with a potential client. She was a referral from an old client of mine, like most of my new business is.

As we talked on the phone, she mentioned that she had looked around my website. Most of my referrals know what I do for the client that referred them to me (which is why they get sent my way) and some of them don’t even have my website address. This one happened to find my website and look around my site in great detail.

Problem: I hadn’t updated that site in some time because I wasn’t really marketing my business … I really just used it as a place to put some of my services and my portfolio.

She talked at length on our phone call about my website and the qualifications, services and information that she found there. I heard myself say, “I guess I should update my website because I no longer provide that service.” What on earth did I say that for? When I heard the words come out of my mouth I cringed … but I had to tell her because I truly didn’t want to do the things she was considering having me do.

Her response to me was, “From reading your website, I would think that was one of your specialties.” Ugh. She was right!

It was a really sticky situation … at least it sure felt that way. I got myself out of the conversation and I promptly updated my site!

Your website is your online business card, and more. It’s important to keep it up to date and looking great for the people that will look to it to help get to know you and your services better.

I learned a valuable lesson. I did not sign that client on that day. I’m sure my fragmented efforts to explain my inattention to the details on my website didn’t instil much confidence in her … how could it? I wouldn’t have hired me! 🙂

So now I am very cautious to keep my website up to date with my current qualifications, service offerings, pricing (where necessary) and even testimonials.

Referral or not, you want to be sure to present your best image and profile to anyone who may want to work with you. It goes a long way in developing that know, like and trust that we know is so important!

So … if you are advertising your website anywhere … in your email signature, your social media profiles, or on your business card, stop what you are doing and get it fixed up now. You never know who may be looking and it, and making the decision to work with you (or not!).

I’d love to hear your comments on this article – and be sure to leave me your website address so I can check it out!