As the founder of a digital-first design and development studio, we pride ourselves on creating bespoke digital experiences that convert while delighting users. We spend our days crafting engaging, high-performance websites that help our clients achieve their business goals. Yet, somehow, when it came to our own digital presence, we had fallen into a classic trap: the cobbler's children had no shoes.
The convenience trap
Like many studio owners, I found myself stretched thin across client projects, team management, and business development. In the name of efficiency, I optimised our website for my convenience rather than for our prospects' experience. The centerpiece of our lead generation strategy was a prominently displayed Calendly integration that allowed potential clients to book discovery calls directly into my calendar.
On paper, this is a win-win. Prospects could instantly schedule time with me without the back-and-forth of email coordination, and I could efficiently fill my calendar with potential business. The reality, however, told a different story.
We began noticing concerning patterns:
- High-value prospects were meeting with competing agencies before speaking with us
- No-show rates were creeping upward
- Many scheduled calls were with leads lacking appropriate budgets for our services
- Other potential clients bypassed the scheduling tool altogether, sending vague emails that required extensive follow-up
What I had designed for my convenience was undermining our business development efforts. The frictionless booking process meant we could not qualify leads or establish value before the call. And without contextual information about their projects, we entered conversations at a disadvantage.
The revelation
The turning point came during a client project where we were optimising their conversion funnel. As we analysed the data and redesigned their lead capture process, I had an uncomfortable realisation: we failed to apply our expertise to our website.
We regularly tell clients that successful digital experiences balance business objectives with user needs. Yet our site prioritised neither. Ironically, it wasn't serving prospects or genuinely serving our business.
The transformation
Armed with this insight, we embarked on a complete overhaul of our website with two primary objectives:
- Create a lightning-fast, engaging experience that reflects our capabilities
- Implement a lead generation approach that better qualifies prospects while capturing crucial project information
Performance first
We rebuilt the entire site using a modern JavaScript framework, focusing on performance optimisation at every step. This technical foundation ensures visitors experience our site as we intend—quick, responsive, and friction-free. It reinforces our reputation for technical excellence before a single word is exchanged.
Strategic lead capture
The more significant change, however, was our approach to lead generation. We replaced the calendar booking tool with a simple form that requests the prospects contact information, a budget indication, and prompts the prospect to provide information about the project without feeling overwhelming.
The form submissions are instantly posted to a dedicated Slack channel, alerting me to new opportunities while simultaneously being logged into our database for tracking and analysis.
Higher quality leads
By requesting budget information upfront, we now quickly identify prospects aligned with our service level. This transparency benefits everyone—clients find agencies matching their investment level, and we focus our energy on opportunities where we can deliver appropriate value.
More informed conversations
When we do schedule discovery calls, we now enter them with substantial context. This allows us to prepare relevant case studies and questions, demonstrating our expertise from the first interaction and accelerating the trust-building process.
Lessons learned
This experience reinforced several valuable lessons:
Apply your expertise internally
As service providers, we must apply the same rigor to our business that we bring to client work.
Convenience isn't always optimal
What seems efficient in the short term may undermine long-term objectives.
Qualification is mutual
The proper lead capture process helps prospects determine if you're a good fit for them, not just the reverse.
Technology choices matter
Building on modern, performant frameworks isn't just about technical preferences—it directly impacts user experience and business outcomes.
Moving forward
Our website will continue to evolve as we gather more data and feedback. The current version isn't perfect, but it represents a significant step toward aligning our digital presence with our capabilities and business goals.
For other studio/agency owners, I encourage you to step back periodically and evaluate whether you're applying your expertise to your digital presence. Are you falling into the convenience trap? Is your website genuinely conveying your value proposition and capturing the necessary information to succeed?
Sometimes, the most important client we serve is ourselves.