Part 4: Tips for Running a Successful Web Design Business

Posted by Erik M. Cunningham - December 8, 2006

A month has gone by since we started our series, “Tips for Running a Successful Web Design Business”. This fourth installment discusses how to turn a potential customer into a paying client.

Tip 4: "Close the Deal"

As you likely know from personal experience, potential customers, especially “busy” potential customers, are experts at procrastinating. They have good intentions about starting projects but often need strong motivation to complete them in a timely manner.

You might say that sales leads are a lot like fish. If you let them linger too long without reeling them in, you’re likely to lose them. Here are a few tips for reeling in the fish that’s nibbling at your bait.

1. Respond quickly to any questions or requests you receive from a sales lead. If your potential client worked up enough motivation to seek you out, you want to bring them onboard before they lose their momentum or find a hook with better bait.
2. Give them a quote or estimate and request a non-refundable deposit. You’ll be far less likely to lose a lead if they already have money invested in the project. You may also find that a deposit is a surprisingly powerful source of motivation for your client to finish the project because it gets them thinking about a return on their investment.
3. Help your client get “over the hump”. Clients can become overwhelmed with a project related to design or technology if they have little or no experience in the field. So assign your customer a very simple task, like showing you designs or web sites they like. The feeling of accomplishment might be all they need to get moving to their desired end.

These tips will not only help get you to the payday your looking for, but should also help your customers achieve their business goals. And we all know, that happy customers are the best kind.

8 December 2006 | Web Design, Web Design Marketing, The Business of Web Design | Comments