You’ve got a business, you’ve got a website. But is that website working as hard for your business as it could be?
A few years ago Marta Alvarez, who runs language school Spanish Connection, was paying a third-party company for her website and pay-per-click advertising but she began to doubt whether she was getting value for money.
That’s when 123 Reg stepped in.
“I received a call from someone at the 123 Reg Make Me A Website team, and he asked me how I was doing in terms of promoting the business. And I wasn’t quite sure, because it wasn’t going as far as I wanted it to go,” she said.
“And there was one key question that he asked me, and it’s a very simple question. He said: ‘How come your telephone number is not on the main page?” And that made me think. And I said: ‘I’m paying all this money to this company and my telephone number is not there.’ And that changed things.”
Like most people, Marta was slightly reluctant to move away from a company with which she had an existing relationship.
“It’s a big step when you are stuck with a company and you have to move away from that. Since then, I’ve changed to 123 Reg and it’s been a real joy.”
According to Marta, one of the best things about the move has been the fact she no longer has to worry about whether her website is doing the job it’s supposed to do when it comes to attracting customers.
“Most people don’t know how to build their website, and they have no clue where to start. And this is where I found, with 123 Reg, that they show me step by step, but without having to use a lot of my time.
“You know, you have to be involved, because if you are not involved in the website then it’s not the kind of image or profile that you want out there for people to see. But on the other hand, it [the process of using Make Me A Website] was not overwhelming at all.”
The team at 123 Reg were also able to offer extra little tips to help make sure Marta’s website pulls in as many customers as possible.
“Another thing that was very important for us was the testimonials. When you don’t have a shop on the high street, you rely on testimonials. And people do read them. So I was advised by 123 Reg to have them constantly. Like, you click on the testimonials, and they’re all there.”
And the work 123 Reg did for Spanish Connection went beyond just the website. The team were also able to help out with email marketing – a vital way to connect with potential and past customers.
Marta explained that many of the company’s customers go away travelling, or are otherwise busy for an extended period. Email marketing helped them reconnect.
“These marketing campaigns are extremely important to reach out to people who have been dormant or working or, you know. But they’re there, and they’re happy to sign up,” she explained.
And for anyone looking start their own business, Marta had this advice: “It’s good to have a dream and to pursue it, but always with a bit of logic as well, and common sense. And if you know that you have something that you can offer, then try it out first, and then go for it.”
Want to see what the Make Me A Website team can do for you? Give them a call on 0333 014 4550.
