Orange E-Business Advocate
The key to building a successful website for a small business is treating it unlike any other marketing and communication channels. A basic website that regurgitates the text found in your brochure will become outdated and stale. It will not generate the volume of leads or new business you'd expect. Posting a description of your business along with an address and phone number, and hoping to be contacted, is a very passive strategy that will yield little results.
As a small business owner, you understand the power of personal contact. You know the importance of customer loyalty and trust. In order to foster a long-term relationship with customers, it's often beneficial to provide certain services for free as an act of good will. In a similar vein, your website must be an extension of real-life business practices. It should offer something of value, it should engage your customers, it should keep them coming back.
Naturally, an interactive, useful, and dynamic website sounds much more attractive than a stale, static website. Most business owners who are thinking about developing a site are often very excited about the internet but unsure how to turn such a project into a success. Like a brochure, a simple website can be viewed, read, and discarded. Much better is a site that can be felt, explored, and remembered. Here are some key factors for establishing a successful online presence:
1. Design. A well-designed site stands out from its competition. It communicates clearly and cleverly to the user what your company is all about. Not just the products and services that your business offers, but the personality, branding, and culture of your business as well. A visually appealing website is the first step in grabbing the attention of a potential or returning customer.
2. Navigation. It should be clear to the visitors of your website what they can accomplish on your site and how to reach the information they need. Use visual elements on your site to drive traffic to particular sections that you feel are the most important. The site should feel easy to move around in, but deeper than just a few pages, to make your visitors feel that there is content worth exploring.
3. Tone. The words you use to describe your business and offer information are very crucial in establishing a relationship with your visitors. Write in a style that appeals to your customers, and they will read more than the first few words. Keep your information fresh, conversational, and in tune with your visitor's needs. Anticipate the motivations for customers to visit your site, and make it easy for them to find what they are looking for.
4. Utility. Your website should serve a purpose beyond providing superficial information about your business. Brainstorm ways that you could accomplish something faster, easier, or in higher volume through the use of a website. Depending on your business and your customers, the possibilities for your website are endless, and probably much cheaper to implement than you'd expect. Not sure what you can do? Ask other businesses, technical professionals, and especially your customers!
5. Consistency. You website should convey a consistent message with your other marketing efforts. Instead of thinking about your website as an external, static channel, keep your website in tune with your other campaigns and business practices. Visiting your site should give customers the same feeling as walking into your store or office. This consistency helps build your business brand and demonstrates to customers that the website is part of the larger presence of your business within the community.