Oh, What a Tangled "web" We Weave
In talking to business owners about their "Tekno Plan" one question keeps coming up... "What should I do with my website?"
Most businesses have a website, but, to date, it simply represents something that they poured some money into awhile back and have since largely forgotten it. It's a box that's been checked on the got-to-have list (along with business cards and other key marketing material).
So, what is the first step with this powerful, yet often underused business tool?
1. Decide what functions (if any) you want to automate through your website.
2. Organize your branding and marketing so that you're creating a consistent image online, face-to-face, and through printed material.
3. Design your website so that it achieves a balance of maximum impact with minimum maintenance.
4. Present one or more calls to action (give your customer the opportunity to act on what they've just seen or read).
1. Decide what functions (if any) you want to automate through your website-
Do you get a lot of status check calls into your business (customers checking the status of an order or service call)?
Are you taking a large number of orders over the phone?
Do you have some services (particularly information) for which you might be able to create a subscriber base?
If you answered any of these questions with a "Yes", you probably have some functions you could easily automate through your website.
2. Organize your branding and marketing so that you're creating a consistent image online, face-to-face, and through printed material-
If you already have a company logo, is it used on your website, in your office, and in your printed materials?
Do you have colors that you use consistently in your marketing materials?
Is the verbiage in your marketing materials consistent?
Building or reorganizing your company website can be a great opportunity to create or tweak your marketing consistency, which only strengthens your company's image and reduces confusion among your customer base.
3. Design your website so that it achieves a balance of maximum impact with minimum maintenance-
A clear message (maybe even a slogan or motto) needs to be prominent on your website, and everything on the website should revolve around that message. A customer should walk away from your website knowing exactly what your services and solutions are and why your company is the right one to do business with. When building these elements, they should be constructed in such a way that you don't have to constantly update them (there are few things more counter-productive than a website that demands constant attention).
4. Present one or more calls to action (give your customer the opportunity to act on what they've just seen or read)-
You need to create a parting gift for the customer (some short "how-to" guide, tips & tricks, or a free audio or video snippet) that compels them to keep the experience of visiting your website in their mind. Occasionally, you'll generate a sale immediately, but most often you measure the visit a success if you've generated a lead. If you can collect the visitor's name and email address (through what's called an "opt-in" page or "squeeze" page), you can keep in-touch with them and continue to explore the possibilities of a business relationship with them. At the very least, your company can continue to grow its network and develop a solid, respected name for itself in your niche.
If you would like to learn more about this topic, we'd love to talk with you. TeknoCoach™ is designed to help your company through the process of how to better utilize technology and grow your business. We want to help you "make technology your #1 employee".
Chris Smith is a pioneer in applying "coaching" principles to technology planning for small & medium-sized enterprises. He is founder and owner of TeknoCoach™, a company which is committed to helping small businesses "make technology their #1 employee".
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Oh, What a Tangled "web" We Weave