Most web sites are more like stage
sets than real buildings; they make a good impression and they look
substantial at first, but when you open a door, you end up back stage in the
dark. They don't generate large numbers of leads, help build relationships
with prospects or generate the desired volume of sales.
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- Is your web site helping you get attention for your business?
- Does it prompt prospects to contact you?
- Is it helping you build long-term relationships?
- Does it generate the volume of sales you want?
Building a web site that works should be more like building your dream
home than constructing a stage set. You want to build a solid structure to
support the growth of your business, not a flashy facade. First, you'd talk
with your partner about what kind of house you want and how it fits into
your long-term plans. You'd discuss your budget and the location, style and
size of the house, as well as the functions of the rooms and the flow
between them. When you were in agreement, you'd seek out an architect to
help you plan your home.
The architect would consider your ideas and objectives, create a coherent
plan to meet your objectives. You'd review these and then she'd produce
drawings and blueprints to guide the construction. You'd need a contractor
to build your house, and the contractor would hire specialists to complete
the job; carpenters, electricians, masons, roofers, etc. Once your home was
completed, you'd need to maintain it; even a brand new house needs periodic
attention.
Building or Renovating Your Dream Web Site Can you imagine building your
dream home without careful planning, or a clear sense of how the rooms would
work together, or a blueprint?
Before you build your web site, did you define how it would function, how
it would get attention, and how it would generate leads and build profitable
relationships?
Did you have a web marketing blueprint?
A web designer is like your building contractor. They will assemble your
web site, but they can't tell you what the site is supposed to accomplish or
how it fits into your overall marketing plan. Before you use a web designer
you first need to understand what you want your site to do and how to
structure it to convert prospects to clients.
Diane Varner, a successful web designer in El Granada, California, asks
prospective clients a series of questions about their marketing before she
starts work for them. She wants to find out what their overall marketing
strategy is and how their web site fits into it. Her expertise is web
design; if a prospect needs help defining their web-marketing plan, she
refers them to me.
4 Steps to A Web Site that Sells
1. Create Your Web Plan and Marketing Content
Before building or renovating your
web site, you, too, should identify how your web site fits into your
marketing strategy. Clarify and delineate the actions you want visitors to
take and how to structure your site to get prospects to contact you and buy
your products and services.
Organize site content and pages to mirror prospects' decision-making
process, moving them step-by-step towards a sale. Write content that
motivates prospects to continue reading and browsing your site and includes
appropriate use of keywords to help boost your search engine rankings.
2. Hire a Web Designer/ General Contractor
Once you have a plan and the supporting marketing copy ready, find a web
designer who can put these elements together to create an easy-to-navigate
site whose overall look and feel supports your positioning objectives. Many
web designers function as general contractors and will sub-contract the
programming required to create forms, manage databases, email or online
shopping cart systems.
3. Market Your Web Site
Most people make the mistake of waiting until their site is built to
think about marketing it. If you started with the previously defined web
plan, you will have avoided this money-losing blunder. But don't assume that
people will find your web site on their own.
Use free promotional activities such as distributing your articles to get
attention. Consider advertising in newsletters and/or using pay-per-click
advertising.
4. Maintain Your Web Site
Just like that dream house, a web site needs regular upkeep and updating.
Allocate the time and money to see that the site is well maintained, whether
you learn to update text yourself, have someone in your company do it, or
give the job to an outside professional.
The beautiful home you carefully planned and built creates the physical
context for you to eat, sleep, relax and enjoy family and friends. Your web
site should create the marketing context to help you get prospects'
attention, build relationships, and generate leads and sales.
Use the four steps above to build or renovate your web site and you'll
have a site that is more than a flimsy stage set; you'll have a web site
that will help grow your business.
The author, Charlie Cook, helps service professionals and small business
owners attract more clients and be more successful. Sign up for the Free
Marketing Plan eBook, '7 Steps to get more clients and grow your business'
at http://www.marketingforsuccess.com
February 6, 2005
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