Recently several of our clients have come to us with concerns about how to most effectively deal with their web sites and web presence in uncertain economic times. In most cases, the old adage, “when times are bad, step on the gas” is highly appropriate, especially when it comes to the web.

Over the years, we've helped companies understand the accretive value of their web and web assets bring to their company, and once they get it, their return on investment typically increases dramatically. Since many companies are buttoning down the hatches and preparing for a recession lasting 4 quarters or more, this means that advertising and marketing budgets are the first to go. But historically, this is when most companies lose out to the ones that increase their sales staff, ad and marketing budgets. The silver lining in all this is that yes you can reduce your yellow page, print, TV and radio ad spend, as while these markets are effective in mass communication, they're shot gun blasts at best, with the relevancy of the blast still somewhat nebulous. Where you can increase your visibility AND specifically target qualified, relevant potential clients and customers is on the Internet. In addition, web advertising is immediately scalable, so that it can fit with your budgets on a daily basis, with immediate ROI results quantified.

Now more than ever is the time to really take a look at your web presence, including your main website, extranets, intranets, and ask yourself if they are bringing a leveraged value to your business. In other words, are you able to do more with your website, is it bringing in more leads? Is it doing the work of more people with less staff?

Recently, several of our clients have gone through staffing cuts. The problem is that the workload is still the same, so that means initially that the remaining staff get burdened with a heavier new workload.  While this might be a temporary financial fix, it brings along several new problems of reduced customer services, and hiccups along the workflow or operational chain. This is where your website and web properties can be of great value, and your web agency can assist with temporary human resource problems by taking on additional tasks normally done in house. But in addition, by applying more rigor around the issues, typically will reveal some very interesting opportunities to not only cover tasks, but reduce costs and increase efficiency.

Last month we had a new client ask us to help them with identifying ways that they could 1) generate more revenue from their web properties, 2) cut costs, and 3) increase the efficiency of their staff. (In other words, “do more with less.”) In the initial conversation with them, I mentioned that off the top of my head I could identify at least 3-4 areas they could focus on revenue generation. Later, at the end of a 5 hour strategy session, we had identified 13 new revenue streams, 3 of them that could be implemented immediately, found areas of 'bleed' that could be easily fixed resulting in a substantial and immediate savings to the company, and reworked their web strategy to substantially increase their staff's efficiency on a day to day basis. Up until the strategy session, the company executives had never considered that their website was a viable asset, and actually were still under the old impression from 2002 when a website was just an electronic business card.

What's changed now is the immediate and profound impact that websites play in a company's culture and viability. Many clients, after going through a strategy session, walk away with a totally different understanding to their web properties. They now view them as 'assets' and just like any financial instrument, they understand that they must perform and yield a substantial Return on Investment.

Here's a couple of things to consider in this economic climate:

1)    Have you checked lately on your company's visibility on the Internet? If not, just google it. Are you on the front page? How about your main keywords that describe your business, do they bring your company to the top?  It is not only visible, but relevant?
2)    Secondly, does your website look up to date, with new and relevant content? Do you have a blog on your site? If not, get one, they're the easiest way for your clients to understand your culture and what's under the hood of the flashy corporate brochure.
3)    Finally, are you asking for the sale or creating a 'call to action’ directly on your site? Remember in Sales 101, you have to create a persuasive condition where your customer/client is compelled to pick up the phone and call you.

These three things are the fundamental elements to all successful websites; relevant traffic, brand reflection, and call to action.

Now is a great time to push your website to the forefront of your marketing strategy, making it work in new ways to enhance your ROI. Every dollar counts today, and through a well tuned website and web properties, a company can better manage the uncertain times with confidence.

Scot Refsland, Ph.D.
CEO/FGI
sr@fgi.com