CATCH UP! (helping irrigators with technology)

As a continuing education provider for Texas irrigation pros, I hear a lot of reasons contractors use to justify having no web site or one that is flat.  These are smart people with reasonably successful businesses.

Most of the reasons are just rationalizations for existing behavior.  But, there are a few reasons that are actually very good.

I’d like to share 5 really good reasons why an effective, working website may not be relevant for your business.

Note: Just because you fit one or two doesn’t necessarily take you off the hook.  But, if you actually fit several (especially 2 and 3), you probably can get by with a flat web site that doesn’t do very much.
 

1. You depend on “word of mouth” advertising:  Word of mouth happens because you’re doing a great job. If that’s working for you, keep it up.  Your prospects are increasingly looking to the Internet to search for or confirm companies for irrigation services.  Word of mouth is the best, but it depends on the right two people to come into contact–and sometimes that just doesn’t happen.   If you’re not looking to grow your company significantly, there’s probably no reason to try to nurture word of mouth so the right satisfied customer can talk to prospects she (or you) don’t know about.
2. You’re not looking to grow:  I used to think web sites needed to be pretty brochures.  Now, I realize effective web sites attract new business.  If you don’t need to grow, you don’t need an effective web site.
3. You don’t have competition:  Bless you. If you have the luxury of being the only irrigator in your area, a web site might impress your mom or spouse, but it will probably do you no good.
4. You expect to walk away from your company:  You’re not looking to sell your business eventually.  An effective web site would create an asset the business could use now, which makes it valuable to someone interested in buying your business. You’re making enough money now so you don’t need to go through the mess of selling a profitable business when you get ready to retire.  Your payback is the income you make from working.
5. The old ways of marketing are working just fine:  

• Yellow Pages
• Post cards
• Home shows
• Door hangers
• Radio ads
• TV ads . . .

They’re all working and they don’t cost all that much.  That’s called “push” or “interruption” marketing.  If your market hasn’t found ways to filter out your ads, you probably don’t need a means of attracting potential customers when they are looking for you.  An effective web site is a way to give information prospects want.  For instance, if you’re so well known and respected, your prospects aren’t interested in what others say about you, you just don’t need a web site.

Maybe I have left out your reason for not needing a web site.  Use the comments section below to tell me your reason and I’ll let everyone know about it in a future post.