The Costly Mistake of Engaging the Wrong Website Developer!
- Shelley Ottens
- Apr 12
- 2 min read
Here's a little story about my beautiful friend in Australia.
She's a powerhouse - running a luxury cleaning company on the Southern Gold Coast, aiming to land major contracts with high-end apartment complexes and multi-million dollar holiday properties.
Back in October last year, she invested an eye-watering amount into a new website. We’re talking thousands of dollars for a simple 5-page site.
Fast forward to the end of March… and the website STILL wasn’t online.
Yep. Over six months later, no website, no temporary landing page, just a broken link sitting on her domain. 😳
When I asked her what was going on, she said the web agency had sent her super detailed emails full of questions about her business, services, tone, goals, copy… you name it.
She was completely overwhelmed and stuck. And because she hadn’t been able to fill out the content, the agency hadn’t moved forward.
She felt like it was her fault the site wasn’t done.
She was frustrated, defeated, and had basically given up.
We ended up jumping on a 90-minute Marketing Therapy session to chat through her business, her dream clients, the kind of contracts she’s chasing - and something amazing happened. Not only did I get what she was looking to achieve, she also got CLARITY on who she didn't want to be attracting.
Once we had clarity of EXACTLY who we wanted to attract, I got to work. 💻
She forwarded a few scattered emails she’d drafted. I used them as a starting point and wrote all the copy for her site. I then worked with the existing design (to be fair, the agency had done a beautiful job visually) and tailored the copy to fit the layout and vibe.
And one week later… her site was live. Done.
Here's the thing: websites aren’t just about looking pretty.
They're about connecting with your ideal clients and clearly communicating what you do and why you're the best choice.
This web agency had done the bare minimum - built a nice-looking site and handed over a long to-do list, essentially leaving her to figure out the most important part on her own: THE WORDS.
Without strategic, client-attracting copy, a beautiful design means nothing.
I never would’ve left her (or any client!) hanging like that - especially when her brand is all about trust, professionalism, and high standards. I would’ve been checking in, offering help, asking questions, and making sure we kept moving forward together.
And the wildest part?
When I asked why she didn’t come to me in the first place, she said…
“Oh my god - I totally forgot you did websites!”
So lesson learned for me! 😅
For not sharing enough about what I actually do.
So here it is: If you need a website that not only looks beautiful but actually SELLS, you need to work with someone who understands marketing, not just design.
Because good copy, clear messaging, and a strategic layout tailored to your business goals?
That’s the secret sauce. ✨
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