ForumsAdvertising, Sales and Marketing

Iwrite, I don't think my core business (management consulting) is representative of most business operations in this community, but here are my answers to your questions just the same:

My marketing usually looks like (and is) a proposal. New business "leads" always arrive in one of two ways: (1) a formal RFP (Request for Proposal) to provide a specific program or service, or (2) an email inquiry that asks something like, "Can you do this for us, and if so, how much would it cost?" So I'm already on someone's "short list" when they first see any "marketing" materials that I have control over -- and sure, a professionally-written and nicely-packaged proposal definitely has a positive influence on the buying decision (and on funding within that context).

Being on someone's "short list" means they've already decided that I might be the right person to help them get where they're trying to go before we've ever met. I'm convinced that most business owners and managers make that decision based on credible evidence, not on a consultant's marketing or advertising pieces. So I try to provide a lot of credible evidence in a wide variety of mediums (including participation in communities like this).

I very rarely have control over how the final product "looks" in any of those mediums, so my focus has to be on the content. I try to be informative, relevant, and accurate. I do think it matters (I don't believe that people would bother to contact me or consider that I might be able to help their business if all I shared with the world were a bunch of canned responses, recycled blogs, 20-year-old "how-to" articles, or erroneous or misleading advice). That's a point you've made in other posts -- for someone providing professional services, what you actually DO tends to speak a lot louder than what your marketing folks SAY you do.

As for my websites, they were designed to enable communication and collaboration (internally and with clients), and to provide a way for people to find me and get in contact. They aren't there to move product out the door.

As I said, not the typical model. I wouldn't have posted this, except you're in a professional services field, too -- so it seemed applicable.

Hi there Iwrite and Lighthouse. Thanks for the stimulating conversation.

I agree you should do what is appropriate and what works for your market. Showing your ability by taking exception to conventions is one way to set yourself apart. I can tell from your post I already like your style! I happen to be a bit outside the box, so let me offer some counterpoints for the discussion.

If you can do an incredible website that shows your quality, then you should. Saying that you choose not to do something will not impress everyone. I share many of your standards and hold to a maxim of "Those who can...do." I assume you are in a position to want more business because you have some clients and work full-time.

I imagine you intend to be a creative/ functional director to your site but will require specialist help for the quality application you require. Hopefully you can find that specialist to work with you to the same standard of excellence you provide to your own clients. A RFP placed into a handful of strategic forums might yield quotes, work samples, and reference to ...websites!

Perhaps you are stuck in one of those closed loops like you need credit to make credit. However, if you are already amassing clientelle and results that speak for themselves, then you have got the lifeblood of your business down. So the questions are:

How much will it cost you to get the specialized service you probably need and/or take the time to produce your site? What ROI can you project with a site that sets you apart from the competitive online market?

I think the question that brought you to your reaffirmation (you are bettter of without a run of the mill site) is worth scrutinization in itself. It represents a market sample and hints at just how close the internet markets are to your business. The great things about internet advertising have to be niche distinction, local social/ geographic limitation bypass, and connection to clients who are proactive with/ believe in the medium.

So...I guess we wonder if we are special enough, can we do business online, and can we do more business whether locally or remotely by engaging an internet audience- i.e. how much business is going to services such as yours through web traffic?

Personally speaking, the risks/ rewards make sense for me. I have done some extensive research to find services comparable to my own "in development". Dissappointingly, what I usually find out there is run of the mill and easily disqualifiable in my opinion- like I think you are saying. The good news is that represents an opportunity- for the time being at least! What sets people apart to me so far is anything that actually convinces me they are actually doing the work to the satisfaction of real clients, demonstrate their expertise by way of their site design and engagement with the online community, and are successful enough at what they do to be able to afford to do so.

Based on your involvement in this forum, your intelligent commentary, and accepting a premise your business is being conducted and is that good...sounds like a good website could only improve upon your success. Your current way of doing business will be a major compliment to any website you produce and should be incorporated in the design whenever you decide you can move forward on it. I look forward to taking a look at who you are and what you can do.

Thanks again for the intriguing discussion. Your approaches validates some of my own shared views.