Honest question - I've been doing this for 9 years without a website and I'm doing fine. All my business comes from referrals and direct outreach. My accountant is bugging me to build one for credibility but I'm not sure it's worth the investment. Anyone actually getting clients from their website?
Website - Is It Even Worth Having One?
I wouldn't say I get clients FROM my website, but I definitely lose them WITHOUT it. When I cold call or get a referral, the first thing people do is Google me. If nothing comes up, or worse if some sketchy directory listing comes up, I've lost credibility before the conversation even starts. A basic professional site is table stakes at this point.
I built mine on Squarespace for about $200/year. Nothing fancy - home page explaining what utility bill auditing is, a services page, some case studies with dollar amounts (client names redacted), and a contact form. It took me a weekend. Totally worth it just as a business card you can point people to.
The case studies page is key. I have about 8 of them on my site with headlines like Manufacturing Plant Recovers $67,000 in Overcharges and Hotel Chain Saves $12,400/month After Rate Reclassification. When prospects read those before our first call, the conversation starts at a completely different level.
Phil, I'd say a basic website is a no-brainer in 2019. It doesn't need to be fancy or generate inbound leads - it just needs to exist and look professional when someone Googles your name. Think of it as a digital business card, not a marketing engine.