A Genuine Article

Dealing With Common Objections to a Website Pitch

By Marc Carson · Monday February 3, 2014

[Above: Hikone Castle in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Photo by 663highland]

If you’re pitching a new website for your organization, or want to upgrade your existing website, you may encounter people in your organization who resist your ideas. They moan, they groan, and they fear the unknown! Here are some common objections and potential solutions.

(Please see my newer article, Seven Ways a Website Pitch Can Go Disastrously Wrong, for even more information on the subject of pitching.)

“We don’t have enough money for that.”

If you hear this complaint, try to get an estimate first so you can talk about actual amounts rather than imaginary piles of cash. Here are some other helpful points to make:

• The web is a focal point for customer service. Visitors rely on our website for (insert reasons here).
• The website can make us money from product and service sales.
• Other businesses in our sector use their websites for (do some research—how are they different?)
• Websites can make us money from new lead generation (marketing / sales funnel).
• Poor website appearance may drive away potential customers.
• Unfriendly website usability may drive away potential & existing customers.
• Our graphics and branding need to be updated to keep up with current trends (or the current century, epoch, etc.).
• Website HTML / CSS need to be updated to keep up with technology (iPhone, iPad, car displays, HDTV, kiosks, smart refrigerators…you never know when your customers will get the urge).

“Show me how a website will make us more money.”

Don’t just say, “ads” or “social media.” Use your creative mind—websites bring in money all the time.

• Cite new tools and how they can make money. Websites are excellent shops, marketing tools, and more. Websites are not just brochures! For example:
  • A website could allow people to buy products and services from you directly from the website
  • A website could allow people to test-drive your service
  • You could offer people a sample of your product in exchange for e.g. newsletter signups
  • The website could teach people more about your process
  • You could educate specific groups of your market—emerging users of your service, for example—more than the competition does
  • Improved SEO can bring more people to the website
  • You can integrate new features from third parties—connect services useful in your industry with end users through your website
  • Marketing can drive traffic to new landing pages on the website which are aimed specifically at selling visitors on new products / services / features
  • Improve your social media integration—integrate your service more closely with visitors’ day-to-day lives (make more people aware of your presence on social media networks)
  • The website could integrate with and drive connected technologies (website editors can update kiosks, email newsletters, etc. with fresh content)

“Our existing website is fine”

Key advice: Review the website. Make a list of everything that is broken or that needs improvement.

• How many areas need improvement? How big does the change need to be?
• Is the current provider responsive to your needs? Does it take them 2 weeks to return a phone call?
• Does the website work well on mobile devices?
• Is the website easy to navigate?
• Is the website bringing you enough sales leads or interested customers?
• Is your traffic low? Are you getting analytics reports on the amount of traffic to your website?
• How do your peer or competitor websites compare? Not just visually, but what features do they have that your website lacks?
• Are there any features specific to your industry that you can think up? For example, rather than “we need a LIKE button on our About Us page,” how about “if we build a savings calculator into our website, more customers will be ready to buy our product, faster.”

“We can only afford to spend (low amount)”

Usually this is some ridiculous amount that would barely buy a week of office lunches, but it really depends on your business or organization. Some options:

• Ask for specific features that you think are important, rather than pursuing an imaginary amount of cash.
• Check to see if you qualify for a grant (especially NPOs)
• Find out if another group in your business will back you up (often if sales & marketing want something done, it happens)
• Ask if the quoted budget amount may change next quarter, or next fiscal year, etc. Better to spend 3x the amount over three years than spend 1x once.
• Refer to the competition, or to your peers. Call them and ask them how much they spend on their website (if this sounds scary, ask somebody else to call).
• Show how each feature could bring in more money. For example, “when we mail out ten samples, one person buys. If people could order samples through our website directly, we’d mail out more samples and more people would buy.” Or, easier: “We show people our products on social media sites and they love them. But right now we don’t have a way for people to custom-configure the product online—they have to call us.”

Things to Never Say

The way you present your ideas says a lot about the value of the project. Avoid the following phrases:

• “It doesn’t need to be anything special.” Then why change anything at all? Emphasize why it needs to be special, instead.
• “I designed it myself.” Oh shoot. Don’t attach yourself too closely to the idea, or your boss will think about you every time she thinks about the website. Better that she thinks about, say, money, or doing good things for people, or people clicking on a big “Like” button under her business name, or whatever. Save your design ideas for after the project has a green light.
• “I know a guy.” Skip the “I know a guy” part and go right to the “features and price” part. Trust me. You can talk about how the web designer is your favorite cousin later.
• “Our website is ugly.” Let someone else bear that harsh news. No one forgets that someone else said their website is ugly. If they oversaw the building of the last website, they might feel hurt or defensive if you use this message. Instead, say things like “our customer base seems to really like the new hand-made look,” or “look how this company changed their design for the new year.” That way, you’re putting solutions in clear view.

Other Tips

• Get an estimate from someone who builds websites. I should know: People do this all the time. It is much, much easier to talk about “let’s get a website” or “let’s improve our website” when you have an idea of what it will cost. Remember: For all you know, the entire cost could be covered by new sales within a month. Plus, you don’t need your boss’s permission to ask for an estimate.
• Keep specific features in mind when you talk to your boss. Instead of referring to just “the website,” refer to specific features if possible. For example, “since you’re thinking about the budget, here’s the estimate for that improved member directory website,” or “can we talk about putting our gift shop products for sale online?”

Conclusion

I’ve talked to many people who are very web-savvy and yet feel stuck—they can’t figure out how to convince their boss or business manager or board members to let them upgrade the website. Getting an estimate is a huge first step; after that I try to help people understand the competitive landscape and talk about specific features that will make them stand out.

I hope this has been helpful. Best of luck with your improved website!