O.K.. Ohhhh-Kaaaay. Okey-Dokey! Seems I am saying these words more and more often as potential entrepreneurs ask me questions about getting online, having a successful Web program, how to market effectively.
Why am I okey-doking all over the place? Presumably I am asked these questions because I have years of successful experience, skills and expertise to answer them. When advised a client has chosen another path other than my recommendations because they may not “like” my answers or prefer to believe other information that is not credible, as difficult, expensive and/or requires less effort on their part - that’s when the okey-dokeying kicks in.
In the technology industry, the customer is NOT always right simply by virtue of being a paying customer. This in no way devalues the importance of customer service and ensuring concerns and questions are addressed to a client’s satisfaction. But should “customer service” include going so far as to state untruths simply to land a new client or maintain a current one? Should we ignore what I know to be effective so I don’t have to tell the client they are mistaken? Not here at The IStudio®.
“As scarce as truth is, the supply has always been in excess of the demand.”
~ Josh Billings
There is more misinformation and scams online than reality when it comes to how to succeed with technology. That is why I take my job so seriously. I assume that clients want the truth, reality and unbiased view of what is required by them to have a quality online program. Isn’t that what they will be paying for?
If I am hired, you get the truth, without the sales pitches or sugarcoating to lure you into a false sense of ease and quick results just so I can add another notch to my client list. I also will not enable clients that have been provided details and information on what is required of them online, including issues crucial to how they will be perceived, to discount this advice. Unfortunately, I have found some have a larger sweet tooth than desire to succeed.
“It is hard to believe that a man is telling the truth when you know that you would lie if you were in his place.”
~ H. L. Mencken
This article, is my top 10 list of the questions that I get asked on a regular basis which produce answers that are not what the questioner wanted to hear. I’ll give the Short Answer, which is generally what many prefer or assume my response should be, then the Long Answer I actually provide that causes them to cringe.
Although some of my answers may not match the noise and hype seen elsewhere, at the very least the truth allows me to leave each day, look in the mirror and know I’ve done the best job I can. (Although, as of late, I get the impression the truth is not necessarily desired.) If you want to succeed online, the truth is your friend.
“When I tell the truth, it is not for the sake of convincing those who do not know it, but for the sake of defending those that do.”
~ William Blake
- I want to do my own site maintenance and add ons. That should be no big deal, right?
Short Answer: No problem; it’s easy!
Long Answer: You must learn the basics of HTML so that you can read the code and know what to change so you are not entirely editor dependent. Then, you will have to download/purchase FTP (File Transfer Protocol) software and learn how to use and configure it to upload your modified files. You then will need to learn how to FTP the changed files from your computer in the proper format to the correct location on the server. This will require training and my support ($) until you are able to completely do this on your own without errors. Understand that anything that gets broken or no longer works due to changes made by your side that will require me to repair and/or reinstate will be at my hourly rate. Another option would be to create a Web based interface to allow you to make changes without the above, would you like a quote?
“The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple.”
~ Oscar Wilde - Why can’t I have only a large photo of our building/logo as our top page?
Short Answer: You can.
Long Answer: Download time is critical to those making that snap decision to stay at your site. Stats show they make this decision in 2-3 seconds. To have your building’s photo or your logo take up entire top page not only takes away from our search engine efforts but you can bet visitors won’t wait just to see the picture. We need to have certain core basics in place on your top page to court visitors to continue at your site and for search engines to give us our best chance for decent relevant listings. A photo or graphic alone will not accomplish this goal.
“This one step — choosing a goal and sticking to it — changes everything.”
~ Scott Reed - Since I have to have content on my top page, here are the 2 pages of new verbiage. What do you think?
Short Answer: I think it is great. I’ll integrate your text promptly for you.
Long Answer: As I mentioned previously, we need to keep the blah-blah-blah for the internal pages of your site. Potential customers don’t care about all that “about you” stuff when they land at your site. They are scanning… remember the 2-3 seconds I mentioned above? They will scan for a link or button that fills their need/desire/mission and then they click it - many never making it back to your top page.
“Choice of attention - to pay attention to this and ignore that - is to the inner life what choice of action is to the outer. In both cases, a man is responsible for his choice and must accept the consequences, whatever they may be.”
~ W. H. Auden - I made my own site with Front Page and want to hire you to do Search Engines. Then, if the site produces based on your ability to gain us listings maybe we’ll consider you for a revamp. Agreed?
Short Answer: Great!
Long Answer: You are putting the cart before the horse. All the best listings in the world will not turn a low-end site into a success. Although I know how to get Web sites ranked, I don’t want you to think these efforts alone will produce orders. After a quick review, your software-generated site doesn’t even display properly in FireFox nor does it give the perception of credibility and legitimacy. If you would like to partner with me on your Web program, I need to recommend you get a new properly created and structured site first. Then we will begin to worry about getting listings.
“It is always the best policy to speak the truth, unless, of course, you are an exceptionally good liar.”
~ Jerome K. Jerome - I need my new site up in less than a month. Can you guarantee this turnaround time?
Short Answer:Sure! We’ll whip something together!
Long Answer: I set all new project launch dates 90 days from the date of your signed contract. In over 13 years in this business rarely are we done sooner once clients realize what has to be considered, investigated and created. This has no relationship to my turnaround time. The speed of this process is client driven. Based on the information you provide, how you provide it as well as responding to my queries on a timely basis.
“One thing you can’t recycle is wasted time.”
~ Anon - You will let me know all the hits I am getting right?
Short Answer: Yep.
Long Answer: You will have access to this information 24/7 by simply logging into your server’s control panel where you can view all that data. From page views, to paths traveled, hits and unique visitors, the control panel will walk you through the charts including little help areas to explain what the data means.
Follow-up Question: Can’t you just e-mail me how many hits my site gets?
Right to the Long Answer: No. You need to become familiar and comfortable with your server’s statistical data. How else will you understand what is happening (or not happening for that matter) on your site so you can make educated business decisions moving forward?
“Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information upon it.”
~ Samuel Johnson - How many domains can I have on my site? I want to register them all with Search Engines so that I have more listings!
Short Answer: As many as you like. Register away!
Long Answer: Depending on where your site is located will depend on how many “secondary” domains are allowed and what the costs will be. Generally, you can have as many as you like. I have several domains pulling my site in addition to theistudio.com. This allows me to use different domains depending on the tone or market I am approaching. That aside, you do not want to start registering multiple domains for the same site with search engines. This is considered spamming by the search engines and can result in your site being banned.
“Good questions outrank easy answers.”
~ Paul A. Samuelson - How long before I get my first order? My friend got 10 inquiries the day he launched!
Short Answer: Only 10? We should be able to double that!
Long Answer: Did those 10 inquiries come from friends or those who knew where to find the site? New sites incur a search engine aging delay that cause your site to not be indexed for 6-9 months or more. In addition, inquiry levels are unique to each site. Based on the online market’s desire for your product or service, your pricing, polices, marketing efforts, support and service levels. Also, if you do not work at being found with PPC campaigns and networking your first order may not happen for some time.
“A lie told often enough becomes truth.”
~ Lenin (Vladimir Ulyanov) - Will you be willing to sign an agreement that prevents you from working on similar sites in my industry for a X-year period after the site launches whether we are still working together or not?
Short Answer: Sure.
Long Answer: My contract includes a confidentiality clause that both parties are bound by. I have worked on many sites within the same industry. Each site is unique to its owner with strategies based on that specific site owner’s goals and decisions. My professionalism prevents me from discussing one client’s strategies with another in the same industry. Certainly you cannot expect me to reject future opportunities without compensation from you to do so?
“Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud.”
~ Sophocles - Someone was at my site and said they received an error message. Can you fix it ASAP?!
Short Answer: Fixed!
Long Answer: I just ran thorough tests on your site and forms with no error messages. When did this happen? What browser and version was the party using? What was the exact error message they received? What were they trying to accomplish when the error was produced?
The answers to these questions help me begin the troubleshooting process. Connectivity, the user’s computer system resources (low memory) and incorrect use of functionality on a site amongst many other things can produce a plethora of error messages - none of which will necessarily indicate the problem is with your Web site or that something is “broken”. Having the above information allows me to get right to the crux of the issue and resolve it for you.
Whenever there is an indication of a perceived problem, get the answers to the questions mentioned above and get them to me as quickly as possible to the time of the occurrence so I can troubleshoot the issue for you immediately. Keep in mind however, that there are so many unknowns, many user related, that have nothing to do with your site. Unless I am able to duplicate the “problem”, I cannot “fix” it.
“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”
~ Aldous Huxley
These are the top 10 questions whose answers I am told make “online” more difficult than it has to be. Hopefully, for those of you new to technology this article may relieve you of some of your incorrect perceptions.
That said, for those business savvy professionals who are truly sincere and dedicated to their own online success, the above long answers produce a response of gratitude and satisfaction because as is all too common when participating in technology, you learn something new every day!
“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you mad.”
~ Aldous Huxley
- How to Get Great Organic Search Engine Listings
- Don’t 4Get Your 404
- Ranking Report: Find Out How Your Site Ranks on Search Engines
- Top 10 Domain Tips
- The Truth About Free Search Engine Rankings
Tags: how to start a web site, successful web sites, web site success, website business startup
