Through the course of the M&A work I’ve done over the years, I have been astonished at how wrong most IT consulting firms get it when it comes to their company website. How important your website is to your future business may not be immediately obvious to you, but, trust me, it has a dramatic impact on your potential success. If your website isn’t fit for purpose, not only does it ruin your chances of winning business with prospects doing online research, but it also lengthens the odds of you ever being acquired. Read on to learn more about who is looking at your website, and how to make a better first online impression…

Having reviewed thousands of IT consulting company websites during our buy-side assignments we have the ability to see the industry in the minds eye of an individual trying to find you in the crowd, assessing the nature of your business and your ability to service their requirement.

When researching online, potential buyers or clients are aiming to find out:

• Who exists in a particular space (service, expertise, market)
• The ones that stand out in the crowd
• Answers to the Who, What, Where, Why and How questions

The reason why many consulting firm owners take little notice of their websites is because they can’t see all this activity going on in the background on the web, they have no idea that their company is being sought out and researched by…

• M&A people like us looking for target firms
• Job hunters looking for quality firms
• Students looking for quality data to support their thesis
• Researchers in companies supporting a project, business case, or CEO
• Journalists looking for expert opinion
• Prospective partners looking for alliances
• Prospective clients looking for suppliers
• Referred prospects validating the lead
• Current clients looking for ideas.

These people are coming to your website all the time, presenting you with opportunities for PR, resources and business. If you honestly don’t believe these things are happening right now, then it’s probably down to one of three reasons:

• You haven’t looked at your website statistics and visitor data
• Nothing’s coming through because your website is not fit for purpose
• You can’t be found on the web!

In our experience and based on extensive research, these are the typical issues that in full or in part, transcend about 90% of the industry:

• The company website does not exist
• If it exists, it requires determination to find it
• The site is riddled with incomprehensible jargon
• It requires extraordinary commitment to find useful information
• The basic questions in the mind of a prospective client are not answered

If you think your website suffers from any one of the above, then you almost certainly need to make some changes. I’m not going to cover it here, but if you don’t have a website or it’s difficult to find, then you need specialist help. However here are some simple steps you can take to get your website up to an acceptable standard and answering the basic questions in the minds of most of your visitors.

1. Does your site pass the ‘Ten Second Test’?

On the home page and all other important service pages, do you have a simple statement that clearly describes what your company does, who you serve, and what value you add? This can make all the difference between losing a visitor straight away and keeping them on your site.

2. Can your granny understand it?

The abundant use of business jargon will give your visitors verbal indigestion and make them go away! There’s no need to use Mickey Mouse language and you do need to use the professional terminology used by your target audience, but complex phraseology doesn’t really impress anyone, try to keep it simple and straight forward.

3. Who do you serve?

Clearly list and describe the industry sectors and sub-sectors that you have served or are capable of serving. Also identify the typical people you work with in terms of clients and job responsibilities, highlighting the typical problems they come to you to get help for, and what you have helped them achieve. This will tell your visitors that they are in the right place.

4. Who are you?

Identify the key people and fee earners in the company, demonstrating their experience and expertise. These days, before you attend sales meetings it would be quite normal for your prospective client to have visited your website first to get an overall feel for you and your company before you arrive.

5. What services do you provide?

Again, clearly list and describe the key services you provide to which industry sectors and sub-sectors above. Also include examples of projects and with descriptions of the problems and solutions. This will help to persuade your visitors that you have a product for them and one they need to talk to you about.

6. Where do you work?

If you’re based in London, UK, unless you only want business in London you need to explain which geographies you cover on a local and international level. This will help to eliminate time wasting enquiries and affirm your credentials in markets local to your target audience.

7. What do clients think about you?

Quotations and referrals from existing clients are as close to demonstrating proof of the quality of your service as you can get in the consulting world. Sadly it’s not always possible to view the IT consulting ‘product’ before it is purchased and so your website must include feedback by way of testimonials from existing satisfied clients to make up for this. Frankly the more you can include the better! Make it a rule that no project is complete until the case study is written and the testimonial is squeezed out of the client. This is the online equivalent of the ‘referral from a friend or business contact’ that drives a lot of work in consulting. Take the idea online and reach a much broader audience.

So in summary:

We’ve looked at a hell of a lot of IT consulting company websites over the last two years, and I can honestly say that if your website is up to scratch and fit for purpose then you’re in the minority! The difference between the top performers and the rest is a belief that the company website is an important business tool. This is a self fulfilling prophecy; those that believe in it reap the results in equity growth and market visibility, those that don’t find it difficult to understand what all the fuss is about. However if want you to continue to grow efficiently and eventually sell your firm, then maybe it is time you gave your website an overhaul.



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About the author

Tony Rice is a Partner at Equiteq LLP, a UK based business advisory firm on M&A to the consulting industry. An experienced practitioner of B2B sales and marketing techniques for professional services, Tony helps consulting firms build marketing tools that are not only lead generating but valuable for the long term future of the business.