Getting What You DON'T Pay For

For the second time today, I had a conversation with someone about a website. And, for the second time today, the topic turned to the idea of going the "economic" route, and having someone internally putting the site together.

I cringe every time I hear someone say they have an accountant or a sales person who "dabbles" in web, or graphic design, or whatever it may be. Because 90% of the time, they make the decision to put that person in charge of the project, most of the time to save money.

I have an ex-client who did this not once, but from my count, 3 times. And, if they were to look back, and if they were honest with themselves, I am sure they would see that the cost and the heartache of this decision in the end was not worth it.

If you want to pay the neighborhood kid to do your website, that is fine. But, it will look like the work of a neighborhood kid did.

There are many great small agencies and freelancers out there, and I believe that it is worth doing it right the first time. Need some contacts- visit www.kcfreelanceexchange.com for starters (disclaimer- I am a member and the president). They have a lot of remarkable talent.

You do get what you pay for, and in this case, you get what you don't pay for.

The Lost Sale

I subscribe to a lot of random email newsletters- for both personal and business purposes. There is one I am particularly fond of, that feeds my shopping habit on a daily basis.

A variety of companies use this email blast to promote their sites, or new products they are coming out with. The other day, I received an email from them, with a new product that I just had to have. I clicked on the site, and all I got was a screen that said OUT OF STOCK. Now, I know that businesses can not keep an infinite number of items on hand. But, I checked the site within minutes of getting the email. I thought surely there was an error, so I checked back the next day. Same screen.

There have been other times when I have clicked through newsletters, only to get the error that the site is down, due to high traffic, etc. So, I delete the email, never to return.

This should be a reminder to all of us that online marketing is extremely affective, but you have to be prepared for it. Otherwise, the customer experience is frustrating, and I would wager, these potential clients will never find their way back to you.

Diversify Your Investments and Your Business

Diversification is a term we have all been hearing a lot lately, with the financial crisis we are facing today. This crisis is causing a lot of struggle with business owners, but, I have also been seeing businesses on the positive end of this spectrum.

There have been a lot of examples of how being "niche" has helped companies stand out from their competition, and I am not discounting that. But, in times of turmoil, it is those that have a little broader aim that seem to weather the storm a little easier.

Take for example September 11th- anyone who worked in the travel industry suffered for years afterward. Being at an agency who worked on an aircraft manufacturer, I was able to see that first hand. But, what got us through was all the other categories we had in our portfolio.

Today, it is the same phenomenon. Times are harder. And although record sales numbers may not be the norm, there are those who are still in the black.

The new year is approaching, and now is the time that many of us are analyzing our strategies, preparing for the new year. Think about your target audience, and what the potentials are not only in good times, but in bad. Walking a fine line between niche and diversified may be difficult, but worth it in the end.