In our last article, Internet Marketing Essentials for Local Business, we presented a 7-step internet marketing recipe that can help your local business attract more customers and increase sales and profits.
Success Tip #1:
Get A Website That Works
97% of consumers use computers or mobile phones to find local businesses before they buy . . . but 50% or more of local business owners still do not have a website or web presence!
If you already have a website, you are ahead of the game! The next step is to ask yourself:
Does my website really work?
Is my website doing a good job of growing my business by generating more leads and helping me close more sales?
Most small business websites — especially “do it yourself” websites — aren’t designed with sales in mind: they don’t capture leads, they don’t follow up fast or efficiently with prospects, and they don’t have a system in place to close sales effectively.
Does Your Website Really Work?
If your website is:
- helping your best prospects find you fast when they are ready to buy
- generating phone calls and email leads for your business
- following up with leads automatically around the clock, 365 days a year, even when you sleep
- cultivating long-term loyal relationships with prospects and customers
Three Must-Have Elements of Successful Websites
Successful websites share these characteristics:
1. They Have a Clearly-Defined Goal
2. They Are User-Friendly
3. They Lead Visitors to Take a Desired Action
Step 1: Clearly Define Your Website Goals
Do you know what you want your website to do for you? Do you know how you will measure its success?
For example, do you want your website to:
- Generate more leads?
- Increase sales and profits?
- Educate prospects before the sale?
- Reduce staff time spent answering customer questions before the sale?
- Follow-up automatically and effectively with prospects and customers?
- Strengthen customer relationships?
Your answers to these questions will influence the overall design and content of your website.
Step 2: Make Your Website User-Friendly
Can your website visitors find the information they want and need within seconds of landing on your website?
Or do you put your visitors through a scavenger hunt, searching here and there for the information that can help them make a buying decision?
Today’s consumer takes just 8 seconds or less to decide if your website is helpful and relevant to them. That’s why your most important information should be easy to find.
Your business name, business address, business phone number(s), and link to a contact page with an email form should be immediately visible as soon as a visitor arrives at your website.
If your visitors have to spend frustrating minutes hunting for essential information in tiny type or wandering through a bewildering navigation menu of options, chances are they will click away and move on — and you will lose potential business.
Step 3: Lead Website Visitors to Take the Desired Action
What do you most want website visitors to do when they arrive at your website? What one action will move them forward in the buying process?
- Do you want them to call you?
- Do you want them to schedule an appointment online?
- Do you want them to sign up for your email newsletter?
- Do you want them to visit your store?
Tell your visitors what to do next … and use eye-catching visual elements to lead them to the most desired action.
Do You Need a New Website … or a Website Makeover?
If you need to get a new website, or already have a website that needs a makeover?
Call us: (540) 937-7234
Or click here to send an email inquiry
Do It Yourself Website Solution for Small Businesses
If you are looking for the best do-it-yourself website solution, we recommend the The Small Biz WordPress Theme: a premium WordPress website solution designed for small business websites and top local search results.
Herbst Marketing has built several websites for Northern Virginia small businesses using the Small Biz Theme, and we can attest that it is a solid website-building tool.