Sales Don'ts You probably know what you should be doing to help make your Web site design and hosting business successful, but do you know what you may be doing to hinder your success? Don't assume that the prospect needs a Web site. Find out what their business does, and look for ways that a Web site can help them do it better. Don't assume that you know what the prospect needs. Even if you have 20 years of experience in the prospect's industry, don't presume that your past experience has any bearing on their unique situation. The only way you can learn what the prospect really needs is by asking. Don't discuss pricing before the walkthrough. If your prospect does not understand how a Web site will improve his or her business, any price you quote them will seem too high. As you show them all of the different tools and features that will make their business more profitable and successful, your prospect will begin to see the value in what you are offering. Don't price a Web site beyond what your prospect can reasonably afford. What you think a prospect can afford, and what the prospect can really afford are often very different. Do some research to find out how much businesses in their industry (and area) have paid for a Web site, and try to get an idea of how much money your prospect has budgeted for advertising and marketing. Don't walk into a presentation unprepared. At the minimum, you should know what business the prospect is in, who the decision makers/owners are, and if they currently have a Web site. If possible, try to find out if the prospect has ever had a Web site, how they currently advertise and market their business, and what goals they have set for the upcoming year (increase sales by 50%, double the number of existing clients, etc.). The more you know about the prospect, the easier it will be to connect the needs of their business to the features in our Web sites. Don't present a Web site to a single decision maker if they need to consult with others before making a final decision. If you have not shown all of the decision makers the features and benefits our Web sites offer, you are allowing them to make an arbitrary decision based on incomplete or inadequate information. Always ask your prospect, "Who would you consult with before making a final decision?" to ensure that your presentation includes all of the decision makers. Don't complicate the sales process by introducing too much information during a presentation. If you overwhelm the prospect with technical details and features, they may have trouble understanding how their business will benefit from a Web site. If you are using Sales Support, allow the Product Specialist to manage the presentation and focus on the tools and features most relevant to the prospect's business. Don't pressure the prospect into buying. Customers that are won this way seldom stay customers for long, and almost never refer friends or business associates. Don't be overly aggressive. There is a fine line between being assertive and being aggressive—a line that many people fail to recognize. Aggressive salespeople tend to focus on closing deals by pushing the prospect into making a decision. Assertive, confident salespeople focus on the prospect's needs and try to help them see the value in a Web site. Don't intentionally mislead the prospect or make false statements. Many of your prospects are depending on you to help them learn more about Web sites, e-commerce, and the Internet; if you don't know the answer to a question, just say "That's a great question! Make sure to write that down so we can ask my Product Specialist." Don't waste your time on dead leads. The longer it takes to close a deal, the less likely the prospect is to buy the site. Instead of calling the same prospect (who is always busy or out of the office) over and over, make better use of your time and try to find a couple of new prospects.

E-commerce Templates To sell online, or not to sell online: that is the question many business owners are faced with when deciding to buy a Web site. If you are working with a prospect that is interested in selling products or services online, make sure to create their sample site with one of the templates that includes a product catalog and shopping cart. Currently, there are 21 industry-specific templates that integrate a catalog and shopping cart into the Web site: *Bookstores *Clothing Sales *Collectibles *Computer Equipment & Supplies *Computer Services *Embroidery *Florists *General Retail *Gift Baskets *Gifts & Collectibles *Gift Shop *Golf Services & Supplies *Hair Supplies & Services *Health Foods & Vitamins *Lawn & Garden Equipment *Motorcycle Supplies & Equipment *Retail Clothing *Sporting Goods - Retail *Toy Store *Travel & Tourism 2 *Wedding Supplies & Services New industry-specific templates are being added to our system on a regular basis, so be sure to check back for more e-commerce-ready templates in coming months! If you have any questions about industry-specific templates or any of the other features in Version 3.0, please call Customer Care Monday through Friday from 7am to 7pm Pacific Standard Time at (866) 932-4357.     @ Facts Commonly known as the "at sign" in English, @ has many different meanings in languages around the world. Germany - In German it is called Affenschwanz, meaning "monkey tail" Israel - In Hebrew it is called shablul or shablool, meaning "snail" Greece - In Greek it is called papaki, meaning "little duck" Norway - In Norwegian it is called grisehale, meaning "pig's tail" Turkey - In Turkish it is called kulak, meaning "ear" Czechoslovakia - In Czech it is called zavinac, meaning "pickled herring" Hungary - In Hungarian, it is called kukac, meaning "worm" Thailand - In Thai there is no official word for @, but it is often called ai tua yiukyiu, meaning "the wiggling worm-like character"       Holiday Online Spending Did you know that consumers spent a record $18.5 billion, excluding travel, shopping online during the 2003 holiday season? This represents a 35% increase in spending over the $13.7 billion spent online during 2002 holiday season. SOURCE: Nielsen//NetRatings 01/05/04     Do you have a good sales or marketing tip? Any questions or problems you'd like to see covered in upcoming newsletters? We value your input, so please take the time to e-mail us at newsletter@mawebcenters.com, and please let us know how we can better meet your needs.