Power of the Word

I've had a very interesting conversation with a web design firm in Toronto over the weekend. They called to request assistance with a Joomla! project for one of their clients, after they found us on a Canadian directory for Joomla developers. Fair enough.

This prompted me to check our entry on said directory. Since we don't pay for the listing, it's not at the top of the page, nor does it stand out in any way...

 

So, when I spoke with them again, I asked what made them call us... instead of the many companies listed before us. Here's their response:

 

"I selected more than one provider and talked to a couple. I was, ideally, looking for someone local to come in with me and help me through it. 

 

I chose you after I could not accomplish that first goal, because you seemed to have the experience and knowledge I needed, and also because your listing was straightforward and to the point. No fancy claims - just experience! [Your] Portfolio also seemed better than some of the others. Your website, wording, grammar, etc...an overall impression."

 

 

And there, my friends, you have it. Especially, that last sentence.. Website, wording, grammar, etc... an overall impression. People, I have been preaching this for years... You only have ONE chance to make a first impression! If your home page contains spelling or grammatical errors or if it reads and feels as if it was designed for search engines only... it's not going to entice your potential clients/customers to contact you! Equally important... don't make claims that are unrealistic. Only say and promise what you can back up.

 

With that said... English is not my first language (and I pretty much write ALL of our content). I'm guessing that our website reflects this on occasion. If you have, and are willing to spend the money... an experienced copy writer/editor is probably a good idea. If not, do your best with the tools available online, Microsoft Word, etc...

 

Or give me a call. I'll do what I can for you and your first impression.