SaaS Vs Custom Site: You Get What You Pay For
If you are a small-sized company or company with no marketing expertise in-house is the most prone to falling into the mistake of thinking that a new and shiny website will make your company recognized, branded and buzzing vault market dumps. It's tempting to believe that you'll be able to relax and let the website do its magic. And then suddenly, the phone rings! But then it doesn't.
Take a look at this: A shiny new website with no marketing strategies isn't that much different than a shiny new business card that you don't give out to anyone. That's right... You keep that box of 500 cards on the shelf in case you ever need them. When you need one, they aren't there! This is why most companies fail to achieve a successful website or e-commerce strategy. They fail to grasp the fact that having a beautiful new site is only the beginning step of many that lead to success online.
Let's go beneath the surface and look at the differences that may not be that obvious, but will have a significant impact on the success of your website, and, yes, your business's go-to market strategy.
First off, I totally get the appeal that comes with "free" and the appeal of paying "only" $$/mo for a website that gets your business operating online. These types of SaaS websites are able to take their place in the world. There are times when I suggest these services to my clients.
I recently noticed that a popular marketing message for more SaaS web builders is centered around entrepreneurs, often described as "get 'r done" types who pull out their tools and chart the waters of website design with burning passion for their work. Apparently, all these determined entrepreneurs require is a few useful online tools that appear smarter than they are and the Internet is theirs to take. Yes, it's an appealing message for all those Type-A's, but unfortunately, it's not that simple or straightforward to succeed in the online world for most companies, small or big.
As a marketing director for 16 years in the high-tech industry, where I helped develop new B2B services designed and implemented as software-as-a-service, I have experience on both sides of the fence. The article isn't a rant, but an explanation of the difference between an established Digital Agency from an Online Service Provider. These distinctions can make a difference for your business, and once you are aware of what they are you can give your website the best chance of success.
Here's my message-in-the-bottle to those that have been marooned on a deserted website island, unable to make their SaaS (or template) website successful by any measure, much less turn it into a thriving place to generate sales leads as most business owners want.
The first thing business owners must learn on how to use the Internet is that simply having a "cool" website design (however you'd like to define that) will not be enough to get you the direction you'd like to take. Fortunately, a fumbled website strategy will cost you significantly less than this huge mistake Imagine building a stunning store that no one visits because there aren't roads.
"Preposterous!" you say? Sure, and this is the core of the issue when you have just a cool website and only a few other things to help its goal.
