Many companies in sectors like construction or engineering often say, "We thrive on referrals and word-of-mouth - it's our reputation that counts, not our website." While relationships are undoubtedly key, dismissing your website can be a costly oversight. Even if referrals are your main source of business, your website plays a pivotal role in the buyer's journey. Here’s why:
Mapping the buyer's journey
Every customer, even for high-stake contracts, follows a decision-making process - typically moving through stages such as awareness, consideration and decision. In B2B scenarios, the consideration phase is often the longest and most intricate, as potential clients research options and involve multiple stakeholders.
Ask yourself: when decision-makers visit your site, what do they see? Even a glowing referral prompts them to verify your credentials online. If your website fails to answer questions, address concerns, or highlight your expertise, you risk losing prospects before the conversation even begins.
Moving beyond the ‘shop window’ mentality
Too many businesses treat their website as nothing more than a digital storefront - a static display rather than a dynamic strategic tool. In reality, your site is the first place prospects turn to determine if you’re worth engaging with.
Consider an NHS procurement manager who receives a contractor recommendation. Despite a trusted referral, they’ll search online to examine case studies, read testimonials and verify past project successes. A confusing layout, outdated content, or hidden key projects can quickly turn them away, regardless of your bulletproof offline reputation. I’ve seen it happen: stellar companies missing out simply because their websites didn’t reflect their true capabilities.
Harnessing the power of personalisation
The real opportunity lies in tailoring your website to meet your customers’ needs at each stage of their journey.
Tailor the experience: Imagine you're an architecture firm bidding on a stadium project in Japan. If you know the client is in the shortlisting phase, why not feature your previous work on Japanese projects and stadium designs front-and-centre? Temporarily re-ordering your case studies could make your site much more relevant during critical decision-making periods.
Address objections proactively: Use your content to pre-empt and answer common questions or concerns. This approach not only reassures potential clients but also demonstrates that you understand and have solved similar challenges before.
Facilitate easy sharing: Often, your prospects need to convince internal teams about your suitability. Equip them with easily shareable material - downloadable case studies, informative videos, or concise project summaries - that can help advocate for you within their organisation.
The technology to achieve this is already available. Personalisation tools and AI-driven content solutions can transform your website into a dynamic resource that not only attracts but also converts visitors. While there's an investment involved, just one additional conversion per year can often justify the expense.
Understanding your customers
Here’s another point: when did you last engage directly with your target audience? If it’s been a while, you might be missing crucial insights into their evolving needs and challenges. Tools like customer journey mapping can reveal how your clients make decisions, helping you adjust your website accordingly - whether that’s by streamlining navigation, testing new layouts, or refining your messaging.
Seize the opportunity
In industries reliant on word-of-mouth, many companies are yet to leverage their websites as strategic assets. This is a golden opportunity to differentiate yourself. For every deal you secure, there could be several lost simply because your website isn’t performing its full potential - and you might not even be aware of it.
If you need assistance in understanding your users’ needs, building a user-centric site, or adding personalised features to your current website, drop me a message. Let’s explore how you can turn your website into a powerful tool that captures every opportunity.
