It took me many years to realize the value of having a website. I had a steady stream of referral business, so I did not think that having a website was important for me. Developing a site seemed like a huge time investment and a lot of work on top of a very busy schedule. I wasn’t even sure how I would use it or how I would maintain it. Generally, I was comfortable with the way my business was running.
Then several years ago I noticed that something was changing. Referrals dropped off and it became more and more difficult to bring in new business. At first I did some soul-searching to see if I had lost my edge, but my skills were actually getting better. I tried the traditional route of advertising but it barely made any difference. What I did not realize was how much the business climate was changing and that customers were now using the web to find information and recommendations.
This was the point where I began to talk with Jeff King about the real value of developing a web site. He asked a lot of questions about my business and what I thought I needed. Next he gave me a step-by-step process for developing my content that focused on what I did and how it helped my customers. After I gave him all my content, he quickly developed the site.
The business results were immediate. I actually felt a little overwhelmed by the volume of email and calls from new prospects. After changing a few habits and developing some new intake procedures it became more manageable. I thought it would take about a year to get my business back to a full schedule, but it was there in just two months.
The content development was hard work, but not having a full business schedule was even harder. In retrospect it has made my business life much easier because my site regularly sends me pre-qualified clients. The site is a valuable resource for my customers, and having it has also given me the confidence to pursue even newer technologies such as app development so I can always be there where new prospects can easily find me.
- Jim Thomas
