I think it would be safe to say that if you asked the majority of businesses the number one goal they have for their web site, it would be to get more business.
We all want our web site to increase sales and leads.
In order to get those web driven sales, the prospect has to be able to contact you. Here’s the thing to keep in mind. Even though the customer might have found you through your web site, the web site might not necessarily be the method that the sale is made through.
Yes I know that there are ton of businesses out there whose entire revenue is generated through online sales without a single personal contact made.
If you already make your living through turnkey web sites, skip the rest of this post.
Your Website Is Your First Sales Call
Most of your customers will visit your website before they ever contact you. Make sure it’s working as hard as you are..
If you are still reading, here is your tip for the day. Make sure your phone number is on every page. Don’t make people dig for it on some contact form three levels deep. If you have a storefront, list that as well.
Even though much of my business is internet based, every single new client has had some form of personal interaction. They don’t just hit “buy now” on the web site.
Another example is vendor sign ups for an event I organize, Picnic on the Park. Even though there is a web site with all of the details, a downloadable vendor application, as well as an online payment option, 90 percent of the new vendors still call me first to get information on the event before they submit an application.
Returning vendors will download and mail the application or submit online without calling first, but very few of the new vendors will.
Beyond the trust and customer service issues, people may be using your web site to locate you.
Three times this week (and the week isn’t even over yet), I’ve used my Blackberry to go to a business’s web site to get their phone number and haven’t been able to find it.
Two of the businesses didn’t list their phone number on the site, or at least the main page. As the design was not PDA friendly, I didn’t stay long to search through all the pages.
I couldn’t get any information at all for the third business because it was all Flash without an alternate HTML version. Another example of why Flash is evil.
That is another thing to remember when commissioning a web site design. People don’t just visit the web through their computers anymore. It may be through PDA’s, smart phones, PS2’s, and playstations.
If a potential customer can’t get the information they need from your site, they will just go to your competitor that is next on the list.
So remember, make it easy for your customers to contact you. Post your phone number!
Leave a Reply