Practical Sales Training™ > How To Lose The Sale > The Outdated Effect
What is it?
When it comes to making a good first impression, an outdated website, blog or social media presence can really work against you
Why does it work?
It’s off putting because it may imply a lack of attention to detail or robustness in your offering. We generally judge people on how they do things and use correlation/causation to think about how they would doi other thinghs.
This means that an outdated website implies a lack of attention to detail which may also imply you have a lack of attention to detail when it comes to the actual work that you do…
How can you use it?
If you want to make a poor first impression, then choose from one or more of the following:
- Old website
- Old social media logos
- Old phone number
- Faded signage/shop
- Abandoned blog or socials.
- Referencing older technology
Hypothetical Example:
A potential client is considering hiring a marketing agency. They visit the agency’s website and notice the latest blog post is from 2019, the design looks dated, and the company’s Twitter account hasn’t been updated in over a year.
The prospect thinks:
“If they can’t even keep their own brand up to date, how can I trust them to handle mine?”
Even though the agency delivers great work for current clients, their outdated online presence creates doubt and kills trust before they even get a chance to pitch.
See also:
