You Cant Just Build A Website And Hope It Works!

Like any area of business your website needs some effort from you if its going to be successful. You'd be foolish to just build any old website and hope it works. Yet this approach, or rather lack of approach, is still widespread on the internet. Businesses still dont seem to understand what the internet can do to benefit them and their customers. They just dont get it.

This is not a new criticism, people have been saying it for years. Notice i used the word people, because thats exactly who suffers. You, me and the millions of people like us who are visiting those sites during our virtual travels. Many of these businesses do actually have great products and services to offer us, its just that they havent put the effort in to find out what we, their customers want. They havent bothered to find out about us, about our needs, about our wishes. They have other more pressing priorities it seems. So they just present them to us any old way and hope we dont notice or are too stupid to notice. Dont they understand they are losing sales, customers, repeat customers, referrals and more?

Whether your business has a whole team working on your website or just you, its going to take some effort and commitment to get to a point where your website is satisfying your customers. A website where you have a direct conversation with your visiting potential customers. A conversation where they feel you are talking directly to them. A conversation where they feel you understand them. You understand their needs and wishes like no other business has done before. In short, a place where you connect with your customers and they connect with you. A place where you are entirely focused on them, NOT on you. Not on your products, not on your credentials or ego, not on anything else about you.

For example, instead of just detailing information about your products, present your information in a way that is valuable to them. Of course, they will want to know what your product does and some key information about how it works, etc. But present it to them so that they know instantly and precisely how they benefit from it: How much money they will save with it. How much time they will save with it. How it will make their life better. How it will make their life easier, etc.

Focusing wholeheartedly on your customers is not easy, it takes time, motivation, commitment and innovation. Which i suspect is ultimately why it doesnt always get done. Dont let this happen to your site. Do it well and you will see the results. But be sure about it, you've got to take on the responsibility to do as much as you possibly can if you want to see those golden results. Ensure your customers visit is a positive one that will stay fresh in their mind for some time.

How can you tell how well your site is doing? Answer the following questions to get an indication:

  • Do you regularly promote your website to carefully targeted customers?

  • Do you know exactly how your customers benefit from your website?

  • Are you getting the sales figures and incomes you want?

  • Are you getting new customers regularly?

  • Do you get regular positive customer feedback?

  • Do you get regular positive website feedback?

  • Can you describe your customer and their needs and wants easily?

  • Are you regularly looking at ways to improve your site and products for your customers?

  • Does the text on your site speak to an individual person?

  • Is it easy to contact you via the site?

Generally, the more questions you answered yes to, the more successful your website can be. You should of course aim for 90-100% (9-10 yes's). Lower than 90% (9 yes's) indicates that you need to improve.

One of the great things about the internet, unlike other more traditional media, is its ability to be updated immediately. You can change anything on your website at anytime and as often as you like. Use it to experiment with offers and products. Experiment with the way you present them to find out what works and what doesnt. Use this great feature to improve your site for the better. Better for your customer that is.

Tips:

  • Listen to your customers.

  • Dont be too precious about your site content and products.

  • Dont become too attached to anything on your site. Change or remove it if it doesnt work.

  • Ask for honest feedback.

  • See the bigger picture.

    Good luck!

    About The Author

    Need to get your business online? contact me now to find out how you can do it for less mailto:peter@dynamiq.co.uk You can see more of my articles to help you get results online at www.dynamiq.co.uk/ezine.

    peter@dynamiq.co.uk

    In The News:

    • pen paper and inkwell


    cat break through


    5 Tips To Supercharge Your Website Sales Copy

    The art of turning website visitors into paying customers depends... Read More

    Adding Word Rich Content to Your Website

    You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print,... Read More

    Sticking To Your Plan

    So you have a good idea for a business and... Read More

    Selling Your Site: Outsource or Homemade?

    To the starting internet entrepreneur, there is nothing more discouraging... Read More

    Ebooks for Webmasters

    Internet has opened a whole new world for web developers... Read More

    Build a Web Site that Works...Even for a Safari Hobby!

    My life's greatest passion is a safari hobby. And what... Read More

    Five Reasons You Have to Stop Your Web Site

    That's right. Your method, behavior and strategy you are now... Read More

    What Your Customers Say About YOUR Site! Part 1

    The following is a list of patterns that many visitors... Read More

    10 Simple Steps: Its Magic If You can E-Mail You can Update Your Web Page Dynamically

    Dynamically Update Your Web Pages Via E-MailIf you can Send... Read More

    Revealing the Firefox Secret Used by Top Web Developers and Power-Browsers

    Profiles are one of the best kept secrets around regarding... Read More

    A Web Site for Your Small Business: How to Set Up a Website

    Your web site will be your window to the world.... Read More

    What and How to choose the Right Keywords for Mega Traffic

    Keywords in Search Engine Optimizing and Search Engine Marketing are... Read More

    Get to Know People through Websites

    Web sites are not just places to sell things; they... Read More

    How Disabled Users Access The Internet

    In 1995 a new era of accessibility for disabled people... Read More

    Do You Really Need A Website To Succeed

    Rosalind wants to share her inspirational poetry with a wider... Read More

    Tips to Protect Your Downloads or Products

    1. Upload robots.txt file in to your root directory and... Read More

    You Need To Treat Your Website Like An Employee - Heres 5 Ways To Do It

    People often come to me in a state of crisis... Read More

    From Concept to Website

    You've decided to create a website to market your products... Read More

    Improve Conversion Rates ? Load Times

    Your site is getting traffic, but conversion rates are horrible.... Read More

    Web Coach Tip: What You Should Know About DIY Web Sites

    Recently, a friend asked "What's the deal with those DIY... Read More

    Three Things Every Website Should Do

    When I started my company in 2002, I knew I... Read More

    KISS Your Website!

    Many web developers today are starting to KISS their website,... Read More

    Enhance Your Website With A Yahoo-Style Directory

    Does your website have a links/resources page?Do you exchange reciprocal... Read More

    Creating a Sticky Web Site

    When used to describe a web site, the term "sticky"... Read More

    Internet Marketing Website Promotion -The 7 Biggest Mistakes I See People Make With Websites!

    1. Many people are not getting good or complete advice.... Read More

    12 Tips To Great Websites

    Why do some sites succeed while the vast majority of... Read More

    The Evolution Of Search

    There have been many significant changes to the face of... Read More

    Do Dancers Need A Website?

    Dance is how you pamper your soul and satiate your... Read More

    Do This One Thing to Create a Powerful Product-Selling Web Site

    Spend time planning your Web site. Before you design a... Read More

    Direct Sales and Your Corporate Website - A Creative Marketing Plan that Works!

    Creatively marketing your corporate site takes time in the set... Read More

    Maintaining Your Business Website

    QUESTION: Should I build and maintain my business Web... Read More

    Website Sales: 10 Reasons Why People Dont Buy From You

    You've put up a website to promote a product or... Read More

    Entangled in the World Wide Web

    I am just a learner who likes to delve in... Read More