Case 1: a client of mine had a few projects they wanted to get done before the end of the year. While we were estimating time and cost, I figured out a way to handle one of the big requirements in such a way that it wouldn’t cost the client a dime. Now, they were expecting to pay upwards of $1000 or more for this new requirement alone. But I did the right thing and showed them an alternative which as I said would cost them nothing.
Case 2: I had a client looking for me to install a new feature to their site. Similar to Case one they were expecting to pay and had even budgeted for the project. But again when looking for solutions I found a cost effective one that I could implement for free.
Case 3: One of my clients does a lot for charity. They were working on a nonprofit project and entrusted me to build and manage the site for them. This was coming entirely out of their pocket, and all the proceeds will go to the charity. When I got done and was creating the invoice, I discounted it greatly. To me that is the essence of doing nonprofit work. It isn’t just another client. It is somebody looking to do good in this world.
So all these cases point out that perhaps I am not the greatest businessman that ever lived. But I would counter that this makes me a better, smarter businessman.
On the short-term I cost my self revenue, there is no doubt about that. But in the long run, all three of these clients were thrilled and I can count on referrals down the road. Too many companies look for the big hit and don’t take a long term view of their business. Loyalty is a big deal in business and especially during the pandemic. Now, I am not telling you not to bill for your services, that is your right. But once you have good clients, treat them fairly, and you will prosper in the long run. As I have been doing this since 1996, I think my hypothesis is proven.
In the article “7 SCIENTIFIC BENEFITS OF HELPING OTHERS” the author shows there are actually benefits to helping others including living longer and being happier.
If you need help building or managing your website, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I am happy to either assist or point you in the right direction.
Many times people come to me AFTER their company has opened for business. This unfortunately is not the best time to begin thinking about having a website.
You want to have a website up and running BEFORE you open the doors. The reason is simple, you want to give search engines the opportunity to find you.
So by having your website up and running in advance of commencing business, when you do open your doors, your site has already been indexed by google.
Now that doesn’t mean you have to say you’re open. In fact, it’s a great idea to let people know the official date at which time you hope to start conducting business.
An additional benefit is that you will be able to take your time and get your site completed in the right way. When we tend to rush in business, that’s when we made mistakes or put out an inferior product. This of course is the same with web development.
One of the main reasons is that no matter how hard you try and work on your website content, once you see it online, you always have changes.
To me the right time to start is a soon as you know that you are going forward with your business plans and have an approximate date at which time you will be operational. At that point you want to start at the beginning, which to me is always a logo. This is because you want your site design to follow the same color scheme as your logo and branding efforts. Once that’s done, it is time to pick you web design and web development team. This way your website will be built and ready to go once you open for business.
TIP: Make sure your developer is not only schooled in the art of design but also familiar with search engine optimization. Designers tend to be good at the artistic piece, but not the functional. In the long run the functional piece is even more important.
We at RooSites learned long ago that you need to understand every part of developing the site. This is why we developed service plans which cover all our clients needs.
The sooner your site is out there and visible to and contained within Google index, the sooner you will be found and the sooner your website can begin paying dividends. So Launch Your Website Before Your Business. If you need help, please contact us.
