How to Convince the Boss it’s Time for a Website Redesign

The art of persuasion, or the ability to convince another person to adopt the idea, attitude, or action you are recommending, is an important and often overlooked element of almost any job, especially when it comes to convincing a business owner that it’s time for a website redesign. When approached with this prospect, key influencers tend to say something along the lines of:

“Didn’t we just do that three years ago?” or “It’s not in the budget.”

And if it’s your job to make them see otherwise, then this is when you’ll begin persuading. Because, let’s face it, at the rapid rate of technological advancements, any website (no matter how awesome or how much money is spent on it) is going to become outdated. New programs are introduced, best practices are modified and Google’s ever-changing algorithm raises the stakes on a regular basis; all making it increasingly important to have a fresh website.

Unfortunately for you, not everyone is aware of this, which means it’s up to you to make them see that a website redesign is not only a good idea, it’s necessary.

Show Them What’s Not Working

The last thing anybody wants to hear it that they’re wasting money and that’s essentially what having an outdated or ill-functioning website is doing. Dig in deep and compile a list of all the issues the website currently has. Look for things like:

• Unresponsive design
• Broken links
• Graphics that don’t load properly
• Error messages/missing pages
• Old content
• Lack of browser compatability

But you can’t just tell them, you’re going to have to show them. This is where analytics can help you–people can’t argue with numbers. Run reports on things like click rates, sales conversions and how long viewers are staying on the page. This will give them solid, clear information that’ll be hard for them to ignore. It’s also a good idea to show them the analytics of their competitors so they have something for comparison. If they’re being left in the dust by their competition, they’ll be more likely to take you seriously.

Show Them What They’re Losing:

Time marches on and a company’s online presence must follow. With a website having any of the above issues, they’re undoubtedly lacking:

• An abundant mobile audience
• A decent ranking in online search engines
• The brand awareness social media integration brings
• Increased safety measures

Basically, they’re missing out on a ton of potential business, which means they’re leaving money on the table for their competitors. A few solid charts or infographics showing statistically how important the above are will be an effective way to get a redesign discussion started.

Show Them What They Have To Gain

• Overall cost savings- When money talks, people tend to listen. A website redesign can save a company money they’d otherwise spend on customer service, advertising, marketing materials and lessen the load on their sales force.
• Show them the ROI- Beyond the savings, show them how much they stand to gain on the investment. This would include things like increased traffic, e-commerce sales and Adwords, to name a few.
• Time-savings- They’ll gain time by updating to a CMS, which allows for easy updating in the future. A website can also help save time when your customers can go online to purchase products or have their questions answered.

Like many things in life, convincing someone they need a new website is all in how you approach the situation. If you follow the above steps, the likelihood that you’ll be heard will be greatly increased. If you find you need help, let the experts at Signify Studio lend a hand. We’re professional graphic designers, web designers and marketers with the knowledge necessary to provide a superior, well-performing website. We offer website solutions geared toward taking your company’s online growth to the next level.

Contact us today for a FREE QUOTE or to schedule a consultation.