In this article you will learn the importance designing your
website around your customers and their needs. A websites
form and content is what will determine if a visitor will
stay just a visitor or turn into your next customer. Today
we will discuss how to accomplish the later.
To succeed at your online business (whether you are selling
your own product/service or are selling for other merchants
as an affiliate), you need a Web site created just for that
- a simple, focused site. One that is easy to build,
maintenance-free, low cost, credible, and a powerful
traffic-builder and customer-converter.
Having the right tool and the right product alone doesn’t
insure the success of your website. There are many factors
to be considered while designing a site. Unfortunately, most
of these are easily ignored by Internet business owners.
Build It for Speed
It's a fact of modern life - people are in a hurry. This
means that you have between 10 and 30 seconds to capture
your potential customer's attention. Tominimize your load
time, keep graphics small. Compress them where possible. Use
flashy technology (JavaScript, Flash, Streaming Audio/Video,
animation) sparingly and only if it is important to your
presentation.
Target your Market
Know who your market is and make certain that your site
caters to their needs. It is critical that your site reflect
the values of your potential customers. Is your market
mostly business professionals? If so, the site must be clean
and professional. Is your product aimed mostly a teenagers
and young adults? Then your site could be more informal and
relaxed. The key here is to know your market and build the
site to their preferences.
Focus the Site
Make certain your web site is focused on the goal, selling
your product or service. A site offering many unrelated
products is not necessarily unfocused, but this is often the
case. If your business does offer many products, dedicate a
unique page for each instead of trying to sell them all from
one page.
Credibility Is Crucial
The most professionally designed site won't sell if your
customers don't believe in you. A clear privacy statement
is one way to build your credibility. Provide a prominent
link to your privacy statement from every page on the site
as well as from any location that you are asking your
visitors for personal information. Provide legitimate
contact information on line.
Navigation should be simple
Make site navigation easy and intuitive. Simple and smooth
navigation adds to the convenience of the visitors. Add
powerful search and catalog features. Many times a lot of
visitors do not have the patience to navigate through the
whole website to find what they are looking for.
Consistency is the key
Make sure the site is consistent in look, feel and design.
Nothing is more jarring and disturbing to a customer than
feeling as if they have just gone to another site. Keep
colors and themes constant throughout the site.
Make your site interactive and personalized
Make your website interactive. Add feedback forms as well
as email forms that allow your prospective customers to ask
you any questions they might have pertaining to a product.
Personalization of your website is another key element that
can lead to customer delight and can increase your sales.
Personalization technology provides you the analytic tools
to facilitate cross-selling and up-selling when the customer
is buying online. It would give you an idea of what products
to cross-sell and up-sell. For example, when a person buys a
CD player, a disc cleaner can also be offered.
Content is King
Good content sells a product. Ask yourself the following
questions. Does your copy convey the message you wish to get
across to your visitors? Is it compelling? Does it lead your
visitor through the sales process? Have others review,
critique and edit your copy to insure it is delivering the
intended message. Always double check your spelling and
grammar.
These eight, simple rules will go a long way toward the
improvement of your website and most importantly, turn
visitors into customers.