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Use Your Website to Pre-Qualify Customers

Updated Feb 2006
Recently, an acquaintance went on the Internet in hopes of finding a summer camp for her daughter. She found a terrific one—caring counsellors, great activities programs. There was only one problem: where was this camp?

In vain, she searched the website. No luck. Finally, she telephoned. The camp was in the Southern US, a destination entirely unworkable for her family. Now she's not only disappointed, she's indignant at having her time wasted.

However, she's not the only one to lose out. Consider it from the camp's point of view; her phone call may have interrupted a camp employee during an important task. If the call was on a toll-free line, it cost the camp money without giving them business. Both minor annoyances, perhaps, but multiply them by several calls a day, and the result is a significant drain on the company's resources.

The point is this: not only should your website be clear about what your company delivers, it should also indicate what you do not deliver. Below are some tips for achieving this clarity.


Where are You?

If, like the summer camp described above, you operate only in a specific geographic location, state that location prominently on your Home page.

It's true that if you withhold location information, one or two potential customers may be so enamored of your offerings that they will ignore the distance factor. However, the more likely result is that your staff will waste large amounts of time and/or money answering queries from people who choose not to deal with you when they do find out your location.


Who Do You Turn Away Most Frequently?

If your company routinely gets calls for goods or services that you don't provide, consider stating these limitations explicitly on your website.

You don't necessarily need to use negative statements to do this. A clear, unambiguous statement of what you do provide will often settle the question.

For example, if you specialize in portrait photography but don't do landscape photos, making your website tagline "Fine Portrait Photography" and gearing your copy exclusively to portraits will give most people the message.

If you want to go one step further, use the following technique to turn your limitations into pluses. First form an informal alliance with someone who provides the specific good or service that you don't, then trade reciprocal web links.

For example, the photographer in the above example can add a sidebar to the site that reads: "Looking for A Landscape Photographer?" and create a link to the ally's website.

This strategy creates a 'win' for everyone: you and your ally benefit because the links will help your search rankings and bring you customers. Potential customers benefit because they are clearly shown how to get what they want.


Create a FAQ Page

A FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page is a great way to clarify what you provide. For a month or two, keep track of the most common queries about your business. (Receptionists and salespeople are great sources for this information.) Then weave the questions and answers into a tight, concise page of information. If questions are asked really often, the information should go on your Home page.

In summary, using your website to pre-qualify customers will benefit you by reducing the time and money you spend answering queries from people who turn out not to need what you're selling.