If You Build It, They Won’t Just Come...

By Katy Dwyer, Partner and Creative Director, Hand in Hand MarketingI got a call recently from a potential client. Let’s call him Doug. In addition to his full-time job, Doug is running a side business. We’ll call it Widget Express. Doug has heard he needs a website for Widget Express. This is why he’s calling. He heard we ‘did that.’ Doug doesn’t know what it costs. Doug doesn’t have a budget. In fact, Doug barely has time to be making this call. In the short 2 minutes that I’ve been talking with Doug, I can already tell a few things: Doug thinks building a website for his business is not a big deal; Doug’s side business is clearly not his main focus at this particular minute; and most worrisome, Doug thinks that if we build his website, people will just come.Why do you want a website, Doug?I know that sounds like a crazy question coming from me. Don’t I always say you need to have a web presence, no matter what? People want to vet you before they call you. You need to be found online. And you need to show that you are a member of the 21st Century.So, I asked Doug “What are your hoping to achieve in building this website?”….Crickets….In other words, Doug, what’s your Goal?Before you plan any marketing tactic, it needs to be part of a strategic goal. Doug’s problem was that he wanted a website because, well, everyone’s got one, right? And when you have a website, people just show up at your door and bam! Instant business!But that’s not how websites, or businesses work. You don’t become successful overnight. Building a web presence and being found online doesn’t happen on it’s own. Good web marketing and the returns that go with it are not an accident.Where Doug Went WrongIf you aren’t willing to invest in your business, who else will? That’s true of any aspect of your business, but it’s especially true in Marketing. Doug’s problem was that he wasn’t focused on his widget business, and he wanted a magic bullet. He didn’t have a strategic goal as much as he had a pipe-dream. Whether planning a website, an event, print materials, promotional items, apparel, or even something as small as your business card, you need to be ready to (1) focus, (2) plan, and (3) execute to be successful. A marketing team (like us!) is a great partner to help you in that three-step plan, but the best results occur when we work Hand in Hand with you.[author]About the Author: At Hand in Hand Marketing, Katy Dwyer works with small businesses to provide everything from broad strokes--like marketing plans--to visual branding, such as logos and websites, and promotional items, apparel, trade show displays, and printing. She's worked professional as a graphic designer and marketer since 1999.[/author]