Remember the world before smartphones?Even after smartphones came out you thought you didn’t need one, right? A flip phone was good enough, you didn’t need all of that “extra” stuff.But now you couldn’t live without a smartphone because all of that “extra” stuff became essential to your daily life.This same concept applies to your website. Unfortunately, most small business still have “dumb” websites. A dumb website makes for a dumb business. A business website should be functional, it should be more than the online version of a business card.
A dumb website makes for a dumb business.
On the other hand, a smart website makes a small business more effective by automating repetitive tasks and streamlining your workflow.
Smart websites for smart businesses
So, what does a “smart” website look like?Imagine Joe’s Landscaping business. Maybe it’s just Joe, maybe Joe manages a few landscapers, but Joe manages his business the smart way. Let’s talk about how he does it.Joe lets prospective clients request estimates online. He also lets them book consultations right through his website.To avoid time-intensive site visits for every estimate Joe lets customers submit lawn pictures through his website’s online quote request form.Joe also uses Skype and FaceTime to get a real-time look at lawns and give accurate estimates for complex projects while talking prospective clients through their options for that personal touch. For larger projects he uses Google Earth to get a detailed, aerial view of the lot.
Small business website automation
Joe also uses his business website to automate the tedious back office stuff. For example, when a work request is submitted through his website the following things happen automatically:
- An invoice is created in FreshBooks
- The client is tagged and added to Highrise, his company’s CRM
- The client is also subscribed to his email newsletter in MailChimp
- An appointment is scheduled in Google Calendar
- A new task is added in Trello, which his business uses to track work
- Joe instantly gets a text message via Twilio with a summary. This lets him immediately follow-up if he has any questions.
There are hundreds of apps that could be used to do thousands of different things, but these are just the ones Joe uses to automate his business with his website. How would you do it?
Could your business use a smart website?
Would a smart website help your business? What tasks would you automate? What apps would you use?If you have questions about smart websites or wonder what apps you should use just ask us. This is all we think about and we’d love to give you ideas, even if you don’t use our services.But if you’re ready to upgrade your business with a smart website try us free for 7 days. Once on a paid subscription we can help you add a logo and custom color scheme, transfer content from an old website, and integrate apps with your website all free of charge.Upgrade your business. Start today!