Fighting the perception of instability
April 14, 2005Return to blog homepage
"How do we know you're not going to go out of business in 1 year?"
"Where's your office located?"
"Where are your employees?"
Do any of those questions sound familiar?
I think many Web design firms encounter that line of questioning on a regular basis. The questions aren't unreasonable, and they certainly aren't surprising. What is suprising, however, is that I first encountered them this week. In dozens of meetings, interviews and sales proposals, I'd never been asked those questions - until now.
Adding to the irony is that it wasn't a large company posing the questions, but a relatively small one. A church, no less.
In our business dealings, youth and experience have never been an issue. We simply strive to prove why were the best solution among the applicants, and potential clients seem to respond to that.
Perhaps the majority of those seeking Web developers are more informed about the structure of Web shops (small teams of talented individuals) compared to large, brick-and-mortar companies. On the other hand, it could simply be the region in which we work. Minneapolis is loaded with small businesses. I know many successful local companies that operate out of virtual offices.
After I left the meeting, a few rebuttals came to mind:
- "If a company pays $1,000/mo for rent, does that somehow make their skills more valuable?"
- "Who's to say a company with a traditional office isn't more likely to vanish after a year?
- "90% of businesses don't graduate from their first year. 90% of those don't make it the next year. We've been around X years so..."
I certainly don't fault the company for asking me unexpected questions - they did me a great service. We as Web developers tend to think such questions are groundless. In our world it makes so much sense to collaborate across state lines or in (my favorite) a coffee shop.
It's helpful to know that there still exists a school of thought where success is measured by your office address. We certainly shouldn't scoff at those who don't don't understand our industry. Instead, we can acknowledge their viewpoint, recognize their concerns and offer some guidance in how they can better evaluate a Web developement company.
Here's hoping you're better prepared for your next proposal 'curve ball.'
