Today we want to talk about a fictional company – “Dreamy Websites Inc” (DWI), and its challenges. Dreamy Websites (DWI) makes websites for new entrepreneurs. Dreamy makes compelling product placement websites. They tout themselves as a one-stop shop for new entrepreneurs.
DWI operates in a fiercely competitive market, where customer acquisition costs are exorbitantly high, and it is hard to go against powerful platform players. Recently, DWI has lost several key accounts. The management team is deliberating about how to turn the ship around.
In this landscape, understanding what success truly means for its customers is not only crucial but also a defining factor for DWI’s sustainability and growth. At first glance, success for DWI’s customers is centered around their primal need: building a visually stunning and functional website. As a web design company, Dreamy Websites absolutely needs to excel in fulfilling this requirement. Their ability to deliver exceptional website designs and seamless navigation are the table stakes.
One of the DWI product managers undertakes to talk to some of the existing customers (entrepreneurs). Excerpts from his discussion:
So, is having a website optimized and having the infrastructure to handle a massive influx of new customers sufficient for you?
“Yes and No,” says the entrepreneur. “Our biggest challenge is getting the website visitors.”
“Is it just the net new visitors or also the repeat visitors? asks the PM.
“Both.”
The discussion keeps going. The DWI product managers synthesized that not only are the entrepreneurs trying to build great websites, but they are also trying to get traffic to their websites; they also want their visitors to hang around and do something.
The next order question is whether a beautiful website with a ton of converting traffic represents success.
“For the most part, yes,” says the entrepreneur.
The entrepreneurs seek to attract web traffic and engage their visitors in specific actions, such as making a purchase, sharing opinions, or enrolling in their movement. They recognize that a beautiful website alone is not enough; they need their web visitors to hang around and do something meaningful.
“Their need is not just traffic but targeted, engaged and converting audience.”
In the current situation, with a plethora of website-building tools available – DWI’s narrow focus on just delivering websites may be a losing proposition. To truly be a one-stop shop, Dreamy Websites needs to expand its perspective and broaden the definition of success for its customers. The success of entrepreneurs extends beyond mere website visits and engagement. The ultimate goal is to create an environment where visitors take desired actions that result in tangible business outcomes.
Imagine a scenario where entrepreneurs enter a conveyor belt process, starting with nothing but ideas about their website, and emerge at the other end with a stunning website and a substantial volume of real-world traffic. This seamless experience, addressing multiple needs, represents the epitome of success for Dreamy Websites’ customers. The conveyer belt metaphor captures the comprehensive value chain where Dreamy Websites guides entrepreneurs at every stage, from conceptualization to operationalization.
On a side note, with this simple idea, could you make a dent in this universe? If done well – I bet you could. I don’t know many companies that do that conveyor belt solution.
Just to be clear, this is not to say that for every business broadening the lens view is the right strategy. Because it is not. Start-ups have limited funds with a finite runway. So, sometimes it is better to sharpen the focus and go narrower. You may need to adjust the scope based on available information and customer needs.
The more salient point is that when we truly focus on what makes our customers successful, our own success will follow.
