• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Services
    • New Website Development and Design
    • Website Updates, Maintenance, and Redesign
    • Web Consulting and Education
  • Portfolio
  • Website Tips & Resources
    • Articles on Websites and SEO
    • Successful Web Design Tips
    • Guide to Starting a New Website
  • About
    • Web Design Process
  • Contact

Adam Barkafski, Website Consultant

Websites for people who make a difference.

Adam Barkafski, Website Consultant

July 1, 2013 by Adam Barkafski

Is Your Website Hurting Your Business?

How can you tell if your website is holding back your business?

Recently, I had a conversation with an entrepreneur about her website. She contacted me because she wanted to redo her website since her current one wasn’t successfully reaching new customers. This happens more than you may think. In fact, you probably have experienced bad websites yourself that you know how frustrating they can be for a potential customer. You certainly don’t want this to happen to yours!

But further conversation with this entrepreneur revealed that more than just her website was at work here.

You see, this entrepreneur had paid for two new websites in the past two years. Each previous website had failed to produce new customers for her business. She knew she needed a website. But she was increasingly frustrated, and rightfully so, that she couldn’t get her website to work for her. However, she was looking in the wrong place to fix the problem.

The greatest website myth

Probably, the greatest myth I’ve encountered in working with many business owners on their websites is the Field of Dreams myth: “If you build it, they will come.” So many people expect that launching a new website will automatically bring in new business. It just doesn’t work that way. Likewise, opening a bricks-and-mortar store and then sitting inside it, waiting for throngs of customers to enter, doesn’t work, either. So if you hold on to this myth, you’ll do yourself a favor to get rid of it.

What a website needs to succeed

For any website that relies on attracting new customers, new sales, new donations, or anything else new, it needs to be marketed. You have probably heard about search engine optimization, or SEO, as a way to market a website. While it is true, there’s more that’s involved. In a nutshell, if you expect your website to bring in new business, you need to take action, like the following:

  • Include useful, entertaining, unique, or otherwise compelling content that encourages others to share or link to your site.
  • Get involved in social media (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest), and share compelling content there. Interact with potential customers.
  • Include your own custom media (photos and videos) on your website.

While your own plan needs to be customized for your particular business and website, it will probably include similar elements. Working with professional marketers, copywriters, photographers, and videographers will go a long way in making compelling content for your site.

The most important question to ask

The entrepreneur’s website didn’t suffer from these issues, however. She knew that she needed to do some work to attract business to her website. She could have been doing more focused work with a marketer (couldn’t we all?), but she was doing something. Actually, her larger website problem was in not asking the most important question there is to ask of any website. You should be asking the same question of your website, too.

Does my website meet my customers’ needs?

Sometimes, we get so caught up in the latest SEO technique, social media campaign, or website redesign that we we fail to remember that if we’re not meeting our customers’ needs, they won’t buy. The problem may be that there’s too small a market for your business, too much competition, targeting the wrong people in your marketing, ineffective pricing or packaging, inaccurate product or service descriptions, or any number of reasons. Usually, working with a professional marketer or trusted business advisers like SCORE will help you get to the bottom of these issues. No website, no matter how perfect, will fix these issues for you. And that was the problem with this entrepreneur; she needed to work more on her own business before she could plan a successful website.

Before you blame your website for not bringing in customers, remember to make sure you’re meeting customers’ needs first and foremost before you begin to market it.

Filed Under: Web Design and Hosting Tagged With: Content, Customers, Marketing, Web Design

About the author

Adam Barkafski has been designing websites since 1998. He founded Dream Seed Multimedia in 2006 to offer affordable web design specifically for small businesses and nonprofit organizations. Since 2016, Adam works exclusively with WordPress websites for individuals who seek to make a positive difference.

Primary Sidebar

Need a new website?

Click here to learn what you need to do!

Articles to Help Improve Your Website

  • Internet and Technology
  • Marketing
  • Search Engine Optimization and Website Marketing
  • Web Design and Hosting

Footer

I’m ready to help

Let's start your new website.

What people are saying

  • My needs and preferences were thoroughly assessed and listened to, which made drafts and concepts right the first time and made the whole project flow smoothly.
    Lori Baer, Writer
  • Adam, you are great! You listened to what we wanted, and you produced it. We are extremely happy with the website! We will definitely come to you for all our website needs.
    Ronda Brubaker-Brooks, Beaver Creek Farm Cabins
  • Adam took the time to learn my business and to answer all my questions to help me learn how my website operates. Great job! Thanks!
    Bob Sims, Steel Expressions
  • You taught us so much, but the biggest thing was holding our hands through the process! You were awesome! We get great reviews on our website.
    Jody Sambrick, Red Rose Coffee Roasters
  • I truly felt my website and my business were as important to Adam as they are to me.
    Lori Baer, Writer
  • It has been a pleasure working with Adam. All my questions were always answered and our requests completed. Customer service is excellent, and the overall experience was very positive. We will definitely refer Adam to our coworkers and friends!
    Evelyn Billings, Billings Bilingual
  • Adam treats me like a friend and always takes the time to listen to me and understand my needs. I never feel like I have only two minutes to say what I need to.
    Linda Fisher, Wings of Angels
  • Thank you so much for your hard work and keeping our website up to date. We are so fortunate to be able to do business with you!
    Nadinne Ziegler, Unitarian Universalist Church of Lancaster
  • You worked hard to fit my needs when others proposed more expensive unneeded elements. Thanks for all your hard work and advice. You do an excellent job!
    Lance Noel, Spinning Moon Press
  • Not only has Adam been extremely helpful during the building of our site and in helping us to maintain it, but he has gone out of his way to provide ongoing assistance, tips, and education designed to help us succeed.
    Jennifer Murray, Bournelyf Special Camp
  • Adam’s professionalism and clear communication throughout the project made for an efficient and effective web development process.
    Lori Baer, Writer
  • You helped me through some confusing decisions and pointed out some important considerations that I hadn't thought of. I've gotten nothing but positive comments on the site. Thank you!
    N. Dianne Gadbois, Hana Bento
  • I am so impressed with Adam’s communication and can-do attitude! This project was a complete success, and I am so happy with the end result!
    Barbara Hostetler, HostetlerBenefits
  • You do create something from nothing, or at least from just a sketch on a page and create something ‘magical.’ You’ve taken our website ideas and made them come to life, and I just can’t thank you enough!
    Karen Mann, Grace United Church of Christ
  • No problem is too large or small…thank you for finding an answer to them all!
    Michelle Miller, Wheatland Custom Homes
  • Adam Barkafski is SUPER DUPER who is very interested in learning about his clients, their likes and dislikes. Working with Adam to create a website for my church was so easy. He is fun to work with and has some very good ideas and suggestions. Website updates are done very quickly. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
    Karen Mann, Grace United Church of Christ

Get in touch

  • Adam Barkafski, Website Consultant
  • Adam Barkafski
  • Email here
  • business 717-723-8680
  • P.O. Box 423
    Smoketown, PA 17576 United States

More

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Site Map

Copyright © 2021 Adam J. Barkafski and his licensors. All rights reserved.