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This is the 8th article in the 12 part series "Increase Your Sales & Marketing with these 12 Sales & Marketing Strategies." To read the full list of 12 strategies, click here . What does your website say about your business? Look at it from your potential customers' perspective and ask yourself, "Would I buy from this company based upon what I see here?" Think of your website as your online 'store.' Whether or not you actually have online shopping capabilities built into your site, it's often the first impression companies have of you and your business. I like to use the analogy of a sandwich shop. Imagine that you walk into a sandwich shop and immediately notice lots of empty tables that have not been cleaned. Previous customer's cups and plates are still on many tables. The floor is dirty. It's difficult to read the menu and there are not very detailed descriptions of the sandwich selections. The kid working behind the counter is not friendly and doesn't ask if you want a side salad or chips. You might be so turned off by the whole scene that you turn around and walk out. Then you arrive at another sandwich shop a block away. It's brightly lit and very clean. There are lots of people in here, but still plenty of clean tables that have small flower vases on them. Your mouth starts watering as soon as you read the menu because all of the sandwiches sound so delicious! The smiling, friendly person working behind the counter tells you that today's homemade soup special won an award last month for the best soup in the city. You order a cup with your sandwich. You even put a little something in the tip jar before going to your table. Now think about your website again. Is it more like the first sandwich shop or the latter? Not all business websites need to have award winning design and every function imaginable to be effective. However, it's important to have crisp, clean graphics and design the layout so that your potential customers can find the information they need to know about your business. If you sell directly from your site, make sure that your e-commerce feature is easy for your customers to use. Are you products and services described in detail? Do you have photos or video to show exactly what your customers will receive if they order from your site? Make sure you clearly state any of your return policies or guarantees that will make customers more at ease with their order. If your business is a service such as a CPA firm, how does your website reflect your company? Would YOU do business with you after looking at your website? If not, what needs to change? I'll often see professional services sites that have only basic information, maybe a mission statement, and a Contact Us form. Your website is your opportunity to exhibit your expertise and differentiate your business from your competition. If you are a professional services company, you should have a blog on the site and write something to help your client base on a weekly basis (at a minimum). Have a page that displays testimonial letters from your clients or photos of projects you've worked on. Is there information that would help your clients that not everyone knows? It might be basic information to you – after all, you are the professional in your industry. Prove it! Here are 5 things every business website needs to be effective: 1. Design - Clean, easy to read content and graphics. 2. Content - Explain clearly why someone should do business with you. If necessary hire a professional writer who understands how to write effective web content. This is especially important when you are optimizing your website so the search engines will see it. 3. Communication - always be inviting site visitors to contact you via a Contact Us form or phone number listed on your site. 4. Examples - Show your products with photos or videos; post case studies and testimonials 5. Specials - Highlight special offers, whether it's free shipping for a certain time period or a free initial consultation After reading this, go to your website and ask yourself, "Would I buy from this company?" If necessary, ask someone you trust will give you some honest feedback. No website is 100% perfect – there is always something to change and improve. But, make sure your business looks as attractive as possible to your visitors so they will make a decision to buy from you, recommend it to others and become repeat customers. |