Why your generalist web design business is not attracting clients
We don’t have the time
We’ve all been there. Walking through the high street during sales season can be a nightmare. With the deluge of offers being thrown at you, your mind goes into preservation mode and shuts out everything that it deems unimportant. It used to be only when you stepped out of your home that you braced yourself for the bright, eye-catching images and the enticing offers, now all you have to do is open your browser or your email. And if that wasn’t enough - Social Media and the Death Scroll , dun, dun, dun!
Okay, maybe that description was a little overkill but the truth of the matter is with every business vying for your client’s attention, it’s never been more important to know how to stand out above the crowd.
Usually a generalist web design business tries to create value in a number of topics and as a result, spread themselves thin. They don’t have enough information in any particular topic - Jack of all trades, master of none - and struggle to be heard in a space where experts in specific fields are shouting louder.
Here’s my process for searching for information on Youtube (my number one search engine):
- I type my query into the search bar - How to cook Jollof rice, for example
- I look through the first few videos in the search results and pick the video title closest to my query - a whole article could be written on keywords and video titles
- I watch the video. if the video is good, I look through the other content made by the creator
- If I see the topic is a one-off, I save the video but if alot of the content is about my topic of interest I subscribe and click the like button.
Did you see what happened there? When I saw that the creator had content centered around a main theme, this conveyed the creator’s expertise so I made the decision to connect (I subscribed).
Our attention is valuable real estate and in the era of constant content, we don’t have time to sift through volumes of information: we’ll naturally engage with people who are most likely to have the solution to our problem.
Main take away: At a time when our prospective client is overwhelmed by information, people will naturally seek out businesses that position themselves as experts in the area that they need help with. The fastest way to express your expertise is to present information focused around a central theme.
Which goes hand in hand with the next point:
Clients trust experts
Generalist web design businesses struggle to gain the trust of their potential clients because they haven’t done enough to convince them that they are in secure hands. When clients assess your business for the first time, without a strong recommendation, what does the client have to go on to evaluate your ability to solve their problem? It can only be the wealth of knowledge that you have built up around a specific area.
Main take away: Showcasing a wealth of knowledge around a specific topic not only helps you to stand out above the crowd but helps to assure your prospects that they are in good hands.
There’s little to differentiate you from the crowd
In a crowded marketplace, where generalist businesses often scramble to meet the diverse needs of a broad customer base, the concept of ‘over delivering for a few’ can be a game-changer. By narrowing your niche and focusing on a specific target audience, you unlock a unique and powerful opportunity: the ability to hyper-personalise your service to cater to the exact needs and preferences of your clients.
The power of hyper-personalisation cannot be overstated. When your business is dedicated to serving a specific niche, you can truly understand the pain points, desires, and unique characteristics of your clientele. This deep knowledge allows you to craft tailored solutions, create highly personalized experiences, and offer unmatched value that enables you to differentiate yourself from the crowd.
Main take away: In a crowded marketplace, you can differentiate yourself from the crowd by offering a hyper-personalised service within a specific niche - something that would be difficult as a generalist business.
How I’m currently implementing these principles in my business
Its important to mention that specialising in a niche doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on business - many of the services you provide within a specific niche can cross over into over industries. If opportuntities open up outside of your target audience, you will have to decide whether or not the opportunity aligns with your business objectives.
I have a background in photography and art and have a passion for being able to helping media artists businesses within these industries to thrive and find success online so I’ve started to design a servive called Shuttergrow that will offer service and guides specifically for businesses within those industries.
I’ve started designing the marketing site for Shuttergrow on Figma and will document my process of building this service here on this site to bring you along for the journey and hopefully share my wins and set backs with a view to help along your business journey.
Stand out from the crowd and specialise
Expertise and specialisation are your secret weapons. In a time when information is abundant and attention spans are limited, people gravitate toward businesses that exude authority and expertise in their chosen fields. People simply don’t have the time to sift through countless options, prospective clients will naturally lean towards those who convey a deep understanding of your specific needs.
By deciding to specialise, a web design business can rise above the crowd and not only attract attention but also earn trust, setting the stage for long-lasting success in today’s dynamic marketplace