7 ways to judge your website's cost and performance

1.  Where does a Practice's growth come from?  A Practice talks of how Referrals provide all they need.  However, when asked what that means by way of numbers, turnover, attainment of objectives and a comparison to the Practice's marketing plans there is often little said. 

Referrals may well be enough but it does fly in the face of conventional wisdom that says a Practice needs several marketing strategies to avoid having too many eggs in one basket.  Such a response also means they don't plan.  Two issues were just raised that planning will fix: i. what marketing strategies are best, and ii. planning is the only way to set proper goals for each strategy so objective assessments can be made.

2.  Savings.  A website replaces almost all brochures and Newsletter services, although a Practice will still have a need for some Flyers.   An annual cost for Brochures would start at about $750 and a website will allow you to convert that expense into interactive content  services for your website.  

3. Brochures are also totally inflexible should you want to alter, update or change your message or target different market segments.  A website allows all this and more and represents a flexibility that would cost a small fortune if you tried to replicate it with printed documents.  As marketing requires flexibility a website is then worth many more dollars a year to your budget.  

4.  Efficiency.  A website can also help here.  For example: Review meetings.  Quotes of how long it takes to update client details vary from 20 to 45 minutes.  This leaves very little time to get down to 'tin tacks'.  Our new Online Facts Find, part of our Financial Tools, means a client can update their information before the meeting by visiting your site/digital office.  The saving of this time alone can be worth many thousands a year and even raise the possibility of being able to organise more face to face meetings.

5.  Many claim to be happy with the referrals they get via their website.  However with Planning and better use of website technologies then a Practice will generate new business from either, or a combination of  attracting new clients, getting more from existing clients or maintaining high levels of retention.  Again what are your marketing strategies for these areas for business growth or maintenance?

6.   An up to date website is always marketing, and always there (24/7).  If used properly you'll have a very good employee not just a website.

7.  If you treat your website as another member of staff and include it in your planning then if the Practice attains its Objectives for the year then the site has done it's job.  In this case the question will never be 'has my site performed?   It will be what objectives are we setting for next year and what strategies are to be used to get there?

In the end, if you haven't planned to use your website technologies to implement your marketing strategies then these savings and benefits will not be maximised or will be lost altogether.