This is the first of three short blogs covering: websites; social media; and new client capacity.
We are frequently asked whether having a website is important and is it the main way to find new clients. To be honest, for Top Team Transcripts, most of our new business comes via word of mouth. A happy client will refer you to others and it becomes a virtuous circle. However, having said that, in previous transcription companies where we have worked as administrators, a very large percentage of clients came via website inquiries.
That being said, if you are running an online business you simply must have a website.
Why have a website?
There are many reasons. Firstly, it’s your “shop window.” People who are looking for transcription services will usually start first by looking on their browser. Without an internet presence they are not going to find you. Even if someone has recommended you, a potential client is still likely to go to your website to check you out to see if they think you will be a good fit for them and they you are “legitimate”. And we know this, because our referred clients frequently mention that they have read something on our website.
Your website is an online representation of your business, and will often be the first experience a potential client has with your business. It should reflect you and your business ethics, and should be designed to encourage a potential client to want to do business with you . We covered some of these points in our blog on finding your North Star, but it’s worth mentioning again here.
What will your website say about your business? At the very least, the basic essentials are: your website should look professional; it should clearly state your services (and only list what you know you can do well); should be easy to navigate; and, it should have an easy link to contact you. You’ll also need to think about what kinds of images will be on your site, and what do those images say about you and your business? Think about your content. Do you have credentials you could add? Would an existing client be happy to provide a testimonial? Have you thought about a logo, or brand mark? What colours will you choose?
Do you have good writing skills? If so, it’s worth thinking about a blog. It’s a great way to get original content out onto the internet.
There are lots of companies now that make it very easy to produce a reasonable website with templates and colour palettes and, in the first instance, this is not a bad way to get yourself up on the internet easily and without much outlay. You can always look at designers down the track when you have a more solid income stream.
However, having a website out there only allows people who know about you to check out your business. If you want to have a high ranking on a browser like Google, you will need to understand how to utilise SEOs. And unless you already have the necessary expertise, this is an area where you need to employ a professional. You also need to be producing regular content. SEOs love backlinks, which we will deal with next time.
In our next blog we will be looking at social media. Happy transcribing!
