How many pages does your website have?

According to one source I found, “a personal website typically contains 4-10 pages, a corporation's website might have anywhere from 10-50.”

The CAL Business Solutions website, www.calszone.com, has 239 pages. (Plus an additional 539 pages as blog posts).

I spoke with one Dynamics ERP partner recently who was redesigning their website and taking a very minimalist approach. He told me, “We want to provide just enough information to interest someone and then they have to call us to learn more.”

I take the complete opposite approach. On our website I want to provide absolutely every bit of information that I think a reader could want, and more. I feel confident that when they can easily find the answers to their questions online, they will still call us.

I believe that providing information proves that we are trustworthy. It shows we have nothing to hide. We want to make things clear and easy for the reader. And when they work with us on a project, they can expect to continue to receive full information.

This is especially true for pricing information. We were one of the first websites to openly publish the software list price for Dynamics GP software plus additional Dynamics GP pricing information on specific project costs. Other companies want to keep this secret so that the prospective buyer has to call them and engage with them to get a quote. We disagree. Just be open. People like to work with a company that is open.

Another example is information we published about “How to Divorce Your Dynamics GP Partner”. There is no reason that this process should be shrouded in mystery. Neither should information on upgrade policies or the fine print on promotions. People are going to find out anyway; it’s better to be the first one to tell them. Just be open.

Does it work?

I recently received these three unsolicited emails:

“You have no idea how many times I go to the CAL website. J I mostly have been frequenting the website for troubleshooting tips & tricks and also for comparative features between GP versions for years”

“Dear Sales: I saw your detailed article on the ERP Software blog regarding 43 questions you should ask before heading to the cloud. I have been working on getting information and would like someone to contact me regarding moving to the cloud. I am looking to a move in the next 4-6 weeks.”

“I have been using your YouTube videos and tips to learn all I need to know about Dynamics GP and Management Reporter. If I found these resources 3 years ago it would not have taken me so long to learn GP. I am on your website all the time.”

I am confident that our open information strategy is working. Our www.calszone.com website gets over 30,000 visitors per quarter. This is substantially higher than other Dynamics GP partner websites I have evaluated.

This year, 63% of our new Dynamics GP clients found us from our website. (The rest were referrals).

So the next time you find a good piece of information and wonder if you should publish it – just be open! Share information and the prospects will call you.

By Anya Ciecierski, Collaboration Works Marketing

www.cwmktg.com

Follow me at @AnyaCWMKTG

image by placeit.net