3 ways to communicate the value of your web care business to potential and current clients.

Every time I have helped a business with their WordPress website, I have seen tons of problems with their website, security vulnerabilities, and more.

Every. Single. Time.

There has never been a better time to be in the WordPress Web Care business. Many businesses don’t know what they need to know.

Sure, some are going to want to DIY things, but they often run into major roadblocks. Don’t burn that bridge. Let them know how you work when the time comes.

WordPress itself is looking more like a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution. We can build a custom site or customized site, and then help our customers keep it going, for a fee, of course.

Certainly, you can choose how you work with clients, if they are your clients or if you happily take on clients with sites already built.

But, how hard is it to sell them web care? What kind of value do you bring to the table and can you communicate that to potential customers?

I can promise you, once a business owner has something to go sideways with their WordPress site, they will look for someone with more expertise than they have.

Today, we look at three ways to communicate the value of your web care business to potential and current clients.

1. Show them what it means to be an owner.

When I worked on the car lot in 2010, one thing we did was let the customer (potential) drive the car. There were some things we had to do like get the driver’s license, etc., but the customer would have a chance to drive the car.

Letting customers take a test drive was to help the them feel what it was like to drive the car and imagine themselves owning the car.

How can a web care consultant help the client know what it is like to own the site?

This kind of advice is specifically for consultants who just built and launched a website for a client.

One way you can do this is to give them a “test drive” on how to update the website. This is a hands-on approach. Have them log in and look around. Show them how to make a blog post and how to make a page.

Then show them more complicated administration tasks such as making backups and updating plugins and such. Explain that sometimes an update can break a site. Basically, you are giving them a warning of things that can go wrong.

Many consultants fail to do this when they launch websites.

If you need some help, The Admin Bar has put together an excellent resource called the Website Owners Manual.

The Website Owner Manual (WOM) does a great job and it helps you create a nice presentation to go through with the new website owner. The document highlights various things the customer needs to know, like hosting and domain login information, WordPress login administration, and much more.

It is the ideal complement for helping your client with a “test drive” of their new website. At only $37, the WOM is a fantastic tool to have in your toolbox.

2. Tell a story of someone whose site went down and how you got it back (tell two stories).

We all have them. Stories. We have stories of nightmare scenarios by clients and former clients.

How many clients have you picked up because of an issue with their WordPress website?

There are two stories you can tell.

First, you can tell the story of the client whose website had massive problems, and then they needed you to fix the website for them. You likely signed them up for a web care plan.

The second story you can tell is of a client who is on your web care plan that had something happen and you restored everything to working order quickly with minimal loss of business.

You can explain how you restored things quickly and recall some of the things your client said as you expedited recovery.

These two stories are called Value Stories. They convey the value of your service within the story.

Your prospect will connect with your client and feel the relief of recovery from your services. You want to bridge the gap from the feature offered to the feeling the client has of your work.

A story is one of the best ways to do this because we, as humans, are wired for storytelling.

3. Remind them of the need to keep one of their most business assets secure.

My friend Chris runs a cyber security business nearby. He helps businesses keep some of their most precious business assets secure. But first, often he has to convince them.

It’s one of those things you don’t know you need until you need it.

Well, your client’s business website is one of those assets, especially if it makes them money.

Here, you may have to help your client reframe their website as an asset or an investment. They have made an investment in their website and keeping it secure and running appropriately is critical.

The two analogies I like to use are a home and a car. Anyone who has ever owned either understands the importance of maintenance and upkeep and has likely experienced heartache when something wasn’t maintained.

Your client now has ownership of the website, meaning it is their responsibility. Some clients may not understand that the website build comes with lifetime updates.

Helping your client understand the gravity of website ownership is important so that they understand their responsibility to maintain the website. (see Website Owner’s Manual, above)

Your client has to understand they have to pay for that maintenance and upkeep.

Wrapping it up

Selling your service can be frustrating for many consultants. It doesn’t have to be.

Consultants need to be ready to communicate the value they offer. Showing clients what it means to be a website owner, sharing a story of success, and reminding them they need to keep business assets secure can go a long way in helping.

How do you show the value of your service? Let us know in the MainWP Users Facebook group.