“Starting a company is like chewing glass and staring into the abyss.”
That’s a quote from Elon Musk. Actually I think he was quoting someone else when he was quoted but that’s neither here nor there, the point is that on some level, it’s sort of true. Ok, the chewing glass part might be a bit exaggerated for some business owners (others can probably relate), but I think we can all appreciate the feeling of “staring into the abyss.”
I started this business in 2010 with the intention of building websites for small to medium sized businesses and organizations, which I did. And I was good at it. My business has continued to grow year after year and I now have clients on 2 continents and spread all over the United States.
What I’ve recently realized is that having a website, while necessary in today’s business world, is only the beginning. I watched with pride as clients took their websites and ran with them, writing blog posts, growing email lists, cultivating online reviews and growing their business. I also experienced the helplessness of watching clients forget entirely about their new websites, instead pushing customers and clients to follow them on social media platforms, only to be cut short by changing terms and conditions of those social media networks or getting lost in the shuffle of newsfeeds and timelines.
So what separated the clients who successfully grew their websites from the ones struggling to fit the website into their business model? They had the same tools and resources at their disposal, after all.
After some reflection, I realized the answer and I also realized I was not currently part of it. There is a phrase that is probably equally as hated as it is loved but I think it perfectly captures this dilemma.
“You don’t know what you don’t know.“
How could I expect a website to succeed if the person(s) managing it, through no fault of their own, didn’t know where to take it? After all, these were business owners and managers who specialized in their various industries and were smart people. But they weren’t social media experts or web developers. They didn’t think about the intricacies of crafting the perfect blog title or creating compelling “calls to action” in their email campaigns. Getting the website was just the first step, I needed to take it further.
What I realized is that most web development companies are great at building user-friendly, amazing looking websites for their clients and, while they offer ongoing support and help if customers need it, they don’t teach customers how to use their website to actually grow their business. It’s like they build for them a shiny new Corvette, only to never teach them how to drive or even get the thing out of the garage.
That’s where this blog comes in. This blog is meant to be a knowledge-base, not only for my own clients and customers but for anyone who wants to take their website to the next level.
It’s geared to walk you through different aspects of a successful website, using step-by-step guides and tutorials. My intention is to truly make this a resource for the average business owner who has more questions than answers when it comes to their website (and maybe even less experience.)
It’s Green Tree Media, by the way, and I want to answer your questions and help you crush it online with your website. I want to know what your struggles and pain points are as a business owner with a website, so I encourage you to leave a comment below and let me know what you’re struggling with and I’ll do my best to help. If I don’t know the answer I’ll research it and we’ll all learn together.
Thanks and I’m looking forward to taking this journey with you!
– Alex Brinkman
