What first impression does your website create?
posted 12th February 2022
Does your company website deliver the best possible impression of your business? If not, you need to fix it.
If someone arrives at your home page, you only have a few seconds to convey what you do, why you're different to the competition and why a prospective customer should choose your company - so does your current home page deliver on these aims?
Tell your audience what you do - and do it fast
In the digital world we live in, your company website is a vital 'shop window' for your products and/or services AND for your company brand.
Many consumer and business relationships havee moved online in recent times, especially since the pandemic. So, having that online presence for your brand is no longer a 'nice to have', it's now an essential business asset, and part of your sales and marketing strategy. It's the home for your content, the hub where you point your prospects and customers and the marketplace where you sell your goods and services and connect with your audience.
Now is the time to take a step back, look at your website afresh and ask yourself some important questions about its ability to achieve all these aims.
Ask yourself:
- Is your home page informative enough? - does your homepage tell visitors what you do, in the most simple and straightforward way? And does it do this without resorting to jargon, abbreviations and technical language? If you can explain your key vision and value to a prospective online customer in simple, plain English terms, you stand far more chance of both a) engaging them and b) converting them into a customer.
- Do you have an 'Abouts Us' section? - your site should explain should explain who YOU are as people and me what your values and expertise may be. If your site is full of declarations about how brilliant your products are, but has no introduction to you as people, it's very hard for prospects to properly engage with you or your brand. Add credibility by sharing. Add credibility by sharing who is on the team and e and explain what you're like as people. IncludeInclude photos, so peoplepeople can put a real human face to your business. Explain what your background is, what your skills are and what the values are that drive your business.
- Can I tell what you sell? - does your site quickly explain what products and/or services you deliver? Make it easy for me to find your products/services and explain what they do in the same simple, plain English way as the rest of the site. Don't blind me with science, explain what the product is and (crucially) the value of me purchasing this item.
- Is it easy to purchase your products/services? - If you run an eCommerce site, make the online sales process easy, quick and intuitive to use. Is the process of signing up and paying as seamless and hassle-free as possible? Do you have multiple payment options, so customers don't find it a hassle to pay you? Can customers track their purchases with the delivery partner to ensure they get their goods on time?
- How do prospects make an enquiry? It's likely that a prospective customer will have questions to ask. Include an enquiry form for prospects to fill out. Request some basic information about their enquiry and/or business to improve the initial review and filter process when vetting new enquiries and customers?
- Can people book time for a consultation? If you're a service business, you'll want to make it simple for someone to book a time. Make sure you have a clear 'Book a meeting' landing page or button. Provide your sales team and/or account managers with an option like Calendly so prospects and customers can book in a suitable time by consulting your team's online diary.
With so many customer relationships starting online, it's never been more important for your business to have an effective and highly engaging website.