In the digital age, a good website is vital to selling your product or services. It’s even become your sales team/sales representatives. Think about it: when you walk into a store, the design and upkeep of the interior will influence whether or not you decide to buy. Most companies design their physical locations to fit the brand they’re building. An upscale furniture store will have fancy couches and beds with high-end tables and rugs placed carefully around as if you’re in a fine living room. A discount furniture store will have a ‘warehouse’ feel, with couches, beds, tables and rugs laid out in with a less high-end feel. If you’re not impressed with the feel of the store, chances are you won’t end up returning.
A website needs to be created the same way. Ask yourself what kind of feel you are trying to create around your product or service. Does your website reflect that? Before you begin any sort of marketing campaign, you need to be sure your website is exactly the way you want it. Building awareness of your company will drive traffic to your site, but what will the visitors do when they get there? Will they actually invest in whatever it is you’re selling? Does your site offer all the information they’re looking for?
Three Girls recommends the following for every single website:
- Information about what your product or service is and why consumers should care.
- Email and phone contact information for any questions potential customers may have.
- Clear links to navigate the site easily.
We also recommend crisp graphics and a clean feel to the site – it will build a more professional feel into your site, making it easier for consumers to trust your product or service. Small business owners and entrepreneurs can use all sorts of methods to drive traffic to your site, but without a solid website those efforts are wasted.
For a few examples of excellently-designed small business and non-profit sites, we recommend the following:
- Eat My Dust Janitorial
- Expanding Your Horizons
- OhMiBod (WARNING: Adult Content)