[thelist] Advice on Getting That First Client

[Marc Seyon]

Message from Joshua Olson (5/10/2002 11:26 PM)
> > The biggest thing is to find your own sales pitch. Mine is different for
> > different people but for the most part it's talking to them about what
>they
> > do and then say - Hey you probably need a website don't ya (obviously alot
> > better).
>
>This is where I always run into a problem.  Not every business needs a
>website, even though they seem to think they do.  For example, consider a
>two-person, non-affiliated hair salon.  What in the world gain could a
>company like this have with a website?

Reputation. Becoming known as *the* authority about something.

>I asked her a few questions, and it quickly became apparent that she wanted
>an online brochure.

Perhaps because she didn't understand the medium sufficiently to recognise
it's real benefits.

Sometimes for companies like this, the web isn't about driving customers to
your door. It's about being able to create opportunities down the road,
that may be tangential to the current business

For example (purely hypothetical situation), say Ms. Hairdresser had in the
course of her business experimented extensively with various brands of hair
colour, and knew which ones were best for different hair types/desired
duration, etc. Surely, publishing this knowledge online, and being
recognised as the source of this information might potentially lead to
being approached by a Beauty Magazine to be a columnist, etc?

The web isn't about commerce. It's about information.

Any professional who is in a business, has knowledge that is valuable to
someone else.

Just my thoughts (late to the thread).

regards.
-marc