You only get 1 chance to make a first impression

Many of our incoming calls are people who need a website for their new business.  Of course, this is nothing new but I feel I must write about a common mistake made by a good portion of these people.

Cheap website could sabotage you

As we discuss their website needs, they often proclaim they are looking for “something very basic” to get them started and go on to say that once their business has been up and running for a year or so, then they’ll spend the extra money to get a really professional site.

Well, my first thought is that the exact opposite is true.  I would think it’s more important to look professional when you’re just starting out.  Whether you need to bring in investors for your business venture or attract new customers, you need to make a great first impression or you won’t need to worry about a year or two down the road because your business won’t make it that long.

Get started on the right foot

So, ask yourself, “Why would you not want to look professional from the very beginning?” No matter what type of business you have, credibility and quality are always an issue.  A new business needs to build a customer base and that’s hard to do when your website looks like your nephew made it.

As a new business owner, you are investing a great deal of time and money into this new venture so, do you really think it’s a good idea to skimp on the one thing that’s working for you 24/7?  Say you take the cheap route and end up with a template, cookie-cutter website, how many customers are you going to lose?

There’s no way to know how many people will leave your website without contacting you.  If a potential client is turned off by your website, will they give you a second chance 6 months or a year down the road?  Remember, you rarely get a second chance to make a first impression.  Don’t blow it.