A website is an effective marketing tool because it allows your customers and suppliers access to your company at their convenience. Websites are non-threatening mediums for potential customers to explore your business at arm’s length. Most people will check you out online before ever calling you or stopping by your place of business. Since this is often the case, having a website removes personal contact and because of this, some of your control is lost. It is vital that your website has clarity as unclear or worse, inaccurate information will cause your prospects to look elsewhere before you even get a chance to talk to them. Think of your website as both a marketing tool and a front line staff person. This is the first impression that many customers will have of your company.
Too much information can be dangerous. Many companies do not consider how easy it is for the competition to get all of the details on their company, including prices, with the click of a button. Make sure you are not giving away all of your trade secrets. At the same time, you want your potential customers to have some sense of where you stand in the market. Don’t post sensitive pricing information but do give enough information for a customer to understand that your company can meet their needs. If you offer too much information on your website, you may eliminate the need for potential customers to contact your company directly. A website is an effective marketing tool, but it should not have all of the marketing control. Never underestimate the importance of personal contact with your clients.
Use your website:
 To give vital company information – post your phone, fax, e-mail and mailing address, physical location, directions, a map and hours of operation. Ensure you have direct contacts throughout your site such as e-mail hyperlinks and phone numbers.
Show your mission statement so that prospective clients have a chance to get to know your company and what it represents.
To educate your customers, clearly defining your features & benefits – include newsletters (put back issues of your newsletter on your site and let people know newsletters are available online), upcoming and past events, charity involvement, special promotions, awards, reward programs, contests, question and answer capability, ‘ask an expert’ and blogs.
To build relationships – post staff pictures and biographies. This allows your customers to put a face to a voice and name.
To build trust – include testimonials, a client list, warranties, awards, how many years you have been in business etc.
- As a visual enticement – Your goal is to retain a visitor’s attention for as long as possible. The longer they stay, the more they will learn and the higher the chances that they will contact you. Attract interest with photographs or video clips of your product, how product is produced, building, events, virtual tours, and customers. Don’t forget to add excellent audio where appropriate.
As a means to present large amounts of information – displaying catalogues, inventory, and links to suppliers makes this a very affordable marketing tool.
- To sell products- E-Commerce has become easy and affordable for small business.
As a means to obtain customer feedback through online surveys.
- To provide links to Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter or any social media websites you are a part of.
- To attract employees- Use testimonials from current employees along with your job descriptions as a cost effective tool for finding new talent.
Have links to cross-promoters - Linking your site to cross-promoters, and vice versa, greatly increases your exposure.
- Always remember have calls to action throughout the site- Call today! Book today! Drop in today! Contact us today!
As a medium to quickly update changes - Printed material is costly to change. A website is not.
Getting Started
Your first step is to secure your domain name and a host company. Make sure that you search for a domain name that is easy to spell and remember and that it represents your company, product, or service. When you register your domain name, make sure that you are the owner. Don’t let an employee register the name with their personal credit card; if they leave the company, then legally they own your “front door”. Make sure that ownership of your domain name is clearly yours. Netfirms.com is an affordable company that can be used to find and secure your domain name. They can also host your website and they have amazing website templates and affordable web design services. I strongly recommend you check this company out.
Put your website address on everything you print. All advertising, business cards, vehicles, buildings, posters, magnets. Everywhere! It takes up very little space but it can open up doorways to your business.
Think about search engines. There are 2 kinds of search engine strategies:
1) Most businesses simply need to make sure that the website has well written copy, good page titles and good metadata (metadata is the descriptions of website elements that search engines use to index a site – think “keywords”). Avoid frames and home pages with no text and lots of graphics – search engines can’t read pictures. Have your website submitted to the major search engines (Google, Bing) once. Once you’re in their system, they come back to check up on you automatically.
2) The second option for search engine strategies is investing in a search engine optimization campaign. A well built and properly written website will score well in search engines on its own, but an Optimization expert will give you recommendations on how to score higher. This is usually done by looking for what words web users actually use in search engines (i.e. if you call yourself a “home revitalizer” but web users always look for “interior decorator” then using that kind of language in your website copy will bring more traffic) Your optimization campaign could also include ongoing paid submissions to major search engines which can help your site rate higher on the search results list.
Remember, search engines are only one way to bring traffic to your website. I challenge you to explore the exciting world of social media marketing..
Written
by Lori Colborne, President - LSL
Marketing Consultants
Lori Colborne is an international speaker, consultant & author of “Innovative
Marketing Made Easy!
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