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How Industry Partners can Add “Wow” to their Websites
By Fred Berns
Their web sites are hindering rather than helping many industry partners.
That's my conclusion after surveying hundreds of web sites created by retailers, manufacturers, showrooms, and other IPs throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Most of the sites are long on meaningless generalities, short on specifics and lacking in useful information about design services and products.
Many sites are difficult to navigate and wordy.
Their home pages are full of vague references to things like "multidisciplinary offering of design products," “value added facilities solutions,” “conceptual expertise,” and “stylish flair.”
Huh?
The web sites I reviewed do a dismal job of differentiating these companies.
Then, too, the words contained on their sites are too big and the photographs they use to show off their work are too small.
It doesn’t take rocket science to overcome these “web woes” and create a killer website.
It takes 19 steps.
1/ Keep it Simple. The average website visit is 4 seconds and two clicks. Get your message across fast.
2/ Make it Easy to Use. If visitors get lost, you are the Big Loser.
3/ Speak to Your Specialness. What’s your USP?Your Only? Your Brand?
4/ Sell Yourselves. “You” are the one thing prospects can’t get elsewhere.
5/ Describe All Your Products and Services. Under-educated prospects don’t buy.
6/ Solve Problems on Each Page. Visitors have questions. Does your site have the answers?
7/ Get Them to Return. Don’t stagnate, update! Offer fresh articles, tipsheets, links, client profiles, etc.
8/ Make it Interactive. Q&A columns, surveys, and search boxes get visitors involved.
9/ Choose Killer Keywords. Track down the words others type in to find you.
10/ Use Killer Keywords. Put the right words in the right places: the title bars, atop pages, at the front of paragraphs, etc.
11/ Think Links. They increase your visibility, credibility and search engine rankings.
12/ Call for Action. Give visitors a “next step:” call, buy this, download that, give your contact info, etc.
13/ Make it Easy on the Eyes. Steer clear of busy backgrounds, fancy fonts, animation and flash.
14/Make Photos Work For–not Against — You. Small photos of big funiture don’t work. Large photos of small details do. And remember: little captions can say a lot.
15/ Make Your Home Page “Rock.” It’s all 50% of your site’s visitors ever view. It’s gotta be great.
16/ Create Credibility. Include testimonials and your physical address.
17/ Make it Measurable. Monitor numbers of visitors, page views, when people visit and for how long, what sites send you traffic, etc.
18/ Keep it Current. What’s new? What’s now? Update us on your services, staff, awards, clients, etc.
19/ Spread the word. Promote your site via email, ezines, postcards, voicemail, news releases and other ways.
Industry partners are better off with no website than a bad one.
Follow these steps, and your website will “wow” ‘em – and substantially increase your sales..
Fred Berns helps manufacturers and showrooms dramatically increase their sales by promoting themselves more effectively. For information on his speaking and coaching services and books and audio programs, visit www.fredberns.com or InteriorDesignBusiness.net. Contact him at 303-665-6688, or Fred@FredBerns.com.