What is a muse to do with site owners who have sites that are 6,7,8 years old because they have ignored most of what folks like me advise? Some actually having the attitude that they somehow know better — which gives them the excuse to ignore all prudent recommendations.

Marketing isn’t necessary, keeping updated in both information and looks hasn’t been important either. Things should just happen as they want with no action or expense on their part. They chose over the years to not spend money on their Web program with a multitude of excuses that only serve to reflect their lack of understanding in regard to the potential they are blatantly disregarding.

One in particular had form scripts that had been deactivated by their hosting company — years ago!! When advised that they needed to change to a more secure recommended form — they did nothing because they didn’t want to incur the expense. Imagine all the lost inquiries and opportunities because one didn’t want to spend any money to have their contact form updated and secured? Personally, I can’t even fathom that train of thought! Leave a non-functioning form in place? What does that say about your business, priorities, attention to detail?

Then out of the clear blue sky….Stop the presses — we now want a new look! “It should be easy since I already have a site, right?” (That’s cheapskate site owner code for I want a new look but I don’t want to pay for it.) Wrong; new look = new code, new graphics — update everything — not “easy.” They also let you know it needs to be perfection — down to the pixel (this coming from those not having a working form for years!) and it needs to be up in just a few days — for hardly any cost none the less! Sheesh!

What is a muse to do? With some, those red flags hitting me right up side the head guide me to advise they find a new consultant more in line with their methodology. Why even take on a client that I know will disregard my advice and have me eating Tums within hours of starting their project?

For those I think I can muse to the other side, what I do is calmly explain what is involved and do the best I can. If they get too demanding or unrealistic, I let them know the truth whether they like it or not. If their expectations come from a lack of desire to learn and apply, spend and do — then, I let them know they most likely are throwing good money after bad unless they take my advice to heart and accept the challenge ahead of them.

And what if they don’t like that approach? For every Judith, there are 100, more like 1,000 unscrupulous developers who will be more than willing to take their money and tell them want they want to hear. If ignorance is bliss; then working with me is not.

At your service,
Judith

This week alone I received 4 calls from folks who wanted to build or at the very least maintain their own Web site. No problem! That’s what I do — empower folks with the reality of knowledge and skills that are required to succeed online (whether you choose to hire me as your consultant or not).

When I started to explain what they would have to learn and embrace (and we’re talking the bare minimums here — like learning how to use WordPress or InstanteStore software), silence on the other end of the phone line…. Then, one gentleman in particular commented “I don’t have to learn all that — just like you I have FrontPage!” That’s when I went silent to gather my words carefully. I simply responded that I had never owned or used FrontPage and if that is all that was required to have a successful Web site, he wouldn’t be calling me for assistance, right?

3 of the 4 folks didn’t want to have to learn anything. They just wanted to be able to “do it.” One showed me the site he already created and was quite proud of. Everything centered down the middle, no consistent navigation or look throughout the site. Crummy graphic quality, poor written content, I could go on…. The site was clearly created by someone with zero knowledge or skills in regard to creating a professional and polished presentation. The site was sooo 1990s!

Now understand, I am not trying to insult those who build their own sites. I’ve seen some great sites created by those who made the effort to understand the basics and hone their skills. However, just because you build your own site , in FrontPage or otherwise, does not mean by virtue of that alone that it is a good site. When your little boy or girl comes home from grade school with a drawing that is a hodge-podge of clashing colors and scribbles — you tell them how great it is. The one and only reason that drawing is great is because your child drew it. Is that how adults are supposed to act? They made it, so it is good enough and no one should tell them otherwise? Believe me, from my experience if you are less than complimentary of their efforts, you are the bad guy.

Yes, you can DIY. But you have to be realistic, if you want to succeed, about the work and skills that are involved. Folks like me who have been doing this gig for over 10 years, many times 10 hours a day, know intuitively what looks good, what works and how to do it quickly and efficiently because that’s what we do! We have the skills, experience and the knowledge to be good at what we do because we’ve worked at it — for years. We’ve polished our skills and it is our profession. That’s why folks hire me — to handle what they don’t want to learn while they run their businesses.

In this rabidly competitive environment each business owner has to decide if they want that initial perception of their business to be compromised by lack of skills, design and marketing experience or if they want to be taken seriously and viewed as a credible legitimate enterprise. Folks visit more than one Web site when on a quest for products, services or information and if your competitors “get it” and have partnered with a professional who knows what they don’t so they can succeed, they will get the contact, order, business.

A key trait of a successful business owner is one who is brutally honest about their own skill set, ability, experiene and knowledge — they know what they don’t know. They also reflect the professionalism to not devalue or minimize others who do have the skills and experience they desire but would take years to acquire.   Online my friends, that’s what separates the men from the boys….

At your service,
Judith