10.4 Know what your customers want  (Page 2/2)

Know the basics

Whether you already have a site that’s an offshoot of a current business you’ve done work with, or its a stand-alone site (brochureware)—or whether you’re considering creating a Web site, the information you provide is key. Looking at some of the best known websites, several sites stand out for their information, creativity, usefulness and easy of use. One such site, video how-to site (External Link) , is a gem. At one time or another we have all tried to do things without reading the instructions. Howcast.com not only addresses this, but provides video as well.

The key elements of any site are a user-friendly, clean appearance and consistently improving content. As you determine your needs for a web site, one of the important goals should be to allow your customers to access your site and avoid the time-consuming process of surfing the Web for similar products or services. They can visit your site and be taken to useful, informative sites.”

The have-to’s of an effective site:

• An introduction of your products or services: what is it, who uses it and why to buy it
• Basic information up front: contact information, product or services information, etc.
• Listing of products or services, grouped together by topic.
• News. Post the latest information about how your organization is changing, how your product or services is being accepted or who is buying them. Consider an e-newsletter in PDF form with tips readers can hold onto.
• Articles. Post in PDF form an article by your marketing or product development team on what’s new or what’s coming
• A contact mechanism—a way for customers to ask a question, request information, register for warranty of your product or services, gets your newsletter or get a referral.

The next layer of your site:

• Where and how to send a customer information they’re seeking.
• Printable/downloadable forms for transmitting.
• Product / Services tips and tools.
• Product updates.
• Upcoming events, such as industry or company seminars, with an agenda and how to register or request information.
• Community outreach information that shows how your organization is helping members of the community.
• Periodic satisfaction surveys that poll customers

The enhanced, “special customer” layer to your site:

• Password-protected forms
• Password-protected customer sensitive data
• Credit Card Encryption
• Personal Data (i.e., date of birth, social security number, contact info, etc.)
• Enhanced articles and updates
• Special programs and communications

Emarket your website

Register your web site with search engines, some registration domain sites may have this available (check their pages and see if they do this) and what it will cost you to have your web site pulled to the front of the list. The more search engines that you register with the more the site will be displayed to those looking for products or services you offer. Note: a number of these site are fee based, the more times your site comes up in a search the more it may cost you. At a minimum, you should consider registering your web page with both Google and Yahoo (instruction with registering on these search engines can be found on there respective sites). Both of these sites as will as MSN.com are the most commonly used web search engines sites globally.

In this process, when you view your web page, at the bottom you will a see box called MetaTags (Meta tags are text within the source code of a web page. It provides information to search engines about the content of a specific page or site) Information. This is where you put in key words or phrases that the search engines will pick up on when someone does a search.

Examples:

• Fish Store: Fish, Fresh Water, Fish Food, Guppies, Angel, etc.
• Pet Store: Dog, Cat, Hamster, Dog Food, Cat Food, etc.
• Computer Store: Computer, Hard Disk, CD, Hard Drive, DVD, etc.

If you are in a business that does not sell on the internet, you may want to hold off on paying for this option as local people will go to your site from advertising, word of mouth or local web searches.

As noted earlier, having a web presence is a very important part of business today. You must make sure to take the time to plan and design your site so that it has the professional look and a certain “panache” or style that will help your business distinguish it from others. A site that not only will encourage visitors to return, but offers the information they are seeking the first time they visit. With careful and thoughtful planning and decision making you can create a small business site that can and will compete with larger company, enhance your business and increase your margins and profits.