I do an average of four presentations a month in front of business folks and it's been great for business for many years now.
The best tool in building my business has been using this site as my reliable follow-up tool to get folks involved in receiving valuable and unique information from me. This is mostly through the use of various customized web forms and auto-responder technology (www.loyalty.aweber.com).
Even though I don't actively pick up clients anymore because I'm in semi-retirement, it's still nice to be able to serve folks in an automated fashion using this website.
Now, ever since I built this site, I've also been approached at the end of my presentations at least once every two months by some kind of well-meaning graphic designer/web designer-type of person. I also get unsolicited emails from similar folks at least once a week.
These folks are usually very kind and eventually break through the awkwardness of bringing up the subject of this website with me. You see, it terms of website excellence- this website is abysmal. And that's on purpose. These designer folks don't get it because they are devoted to beautiful aesthetics, as they should be. I am however devoted to efficacy and actual business development and built this website the way it is specifically for the following reasons:
-I focused on San Diego businesses during my active client-work years and SD folks are mostly of mid-western roots and thus no-nonsense folks that like to avoid flash and slickness. This website feels right to them.
-Whenever someone is intimidated and/or confused, they will not buy from you and so similar to the first reason, I wanted my site to be above all things- approachable. I never want to intimidate or confuse anybody!
-I want to make a point to all small businesses that you don't need to follow the trend of looks, production costs, etc when it comes to effective web marketing and online follow-up. I've made a lot of money with the tools built into this site and so can you.
-I learned how to build this thing over a couple of years as a personal development project. Every couple of years I undertake something new to me that is important but also difficult... I think this helps me keep my entrepreneurial edge.
-I wanted to debunk a lot of the nonsense around branding, marketing, graphics, etc and prove that even a simple, no-nonsense website that violates so many design rules can really be effective if used correctly. And so I have and I'm confident in saying that this site has served me much better than most of these designer folks that are still struggling all the time to nurture and land clients.
So yes, I know this site is clunky. I know it's old-school. I know it's vague. And I know it isn't nearly as slick as my innovative and cutting-edge reputation would indicate.
But, it's very, very effective and so make sure yours is as well.
For the slick versions of my stuff, please visit these sites and let me know
what you think!