Have you ever been searching for a tradesperson, business or solution provider in the Yellow Pages, and your eye has been caught by an ad featuring the advertisers’ website . You connect to the internet in order to find out more about the business (as their ad invited you to do), type in the company’s web address and… nothing?

Why is it that many businesses publish their web address in their advertising or on their stationery when in fact they don’t have one?

Sure, the Yellow Pages only comes out once a year, but the intention to one day have a website is not a reason to advertise one to your prospects.

You only get one chance. Your prospect is ready to become a buyer. Why on earth would you handicap your chances to turn them into a customer by not delivering what you advertise in their first contact with you?

What does that say about your business? You disappoint them at the outset by not providing what you have advertised. Perhaps, in the customer’s mind, you will also not provide what you say you will when it comes to the job itself?

Think about it… would you ever invite your prospects to ring you on a phone number that isn’t connected, or visit your office or shop at an address that doesn’t exist? That’s exactly what you do if you advertise a non-existent website. It’s just unprofessional.

Posted on August 21st, 2008 by Wendy Riley-Biddle
Filed under: Marketing