A new year a new start, and now we’re rested and full of energy time to start the year with good intentions and set our marketing wheels in motion.
If only it was that easy…
Websites are one of the big tasks that businesses set themselves, and they often require a large investment in time and money, but of course the rewards gained by having an efficient website are even larger. So the best time to get started is now.
If we could give just one piece of advice, it would be to put yourself in your customers’ shoes at each and every stage of the process.
- Attract – Who are your customers, what do they search for of where do they hang out, and how can you get some of them to visit your website?
- First impressions – What do your customers want you to do for them, and is it immediately clear that you do this? You have literally a few seconds of their attention before they click away.
- Convince – What do your customers want to read before they get in touch or place an order? Note that this is rarely the same as what you want to tell them.
- Contact – Is it quick and easy for the customer to get in touch by whatever method they want? Any added complexity at this stage, or you don’t answer the phone or respond to an email, will cost you money.
In principle at least it is really that simple. Find your customers; get them to visit your website; keep them interested in the crucial first few seconds; convince them to buy; make it easy for them to get in touch.
Of course in reality there’s more to consider and it sometimes the simplest of concepts are the hardest to implement.
That’s where a decent web design agency can help. In our industry we do more than just build a website, we can get people to visit it, and when they are there, get them to buy from you. We also play devil’s advocate and are good at putting ourselves in your customers’ shoes. This is what you’re paying for with a quality agency, not just the website build itself.
A website isn’t about ticking a box, and it’s certainly not about making something to impress your staff or boss, it’s about making something that relates to your customers and works effectively.
If you want to design and build a website yourself sure, go ahead, just remember to have an open mind and put yourself in your customers’ shoes throughout.
If you want help, whether that be managing a website build from scratch, touching up something that you already have, or simply acting as a consultant and offering advice, then get in touch.
We are Webbed Feet UK , we’re here to help you make 2017 a great year!