Reminders for Website Refresh
Today I am starting to refresh my website, Britain Street Blog (www.britainstreetblog.com). Even though I published it initially several years ago, I have not maintained it well and this will be almost like starting over. To accomplish my website’s objectives, I need to maintain the site regularly and to monitor its performance. Here are some reminders to myself to be sure the new site is better than the old one:
Problem
Britain Street Consulting needs a content-rich and interesting Web site–one that keeps viewers happy and drives sales (for them eventually and for us initially). Here are some of the problems with our current site:
- Not doing anything for us
- Not attracting customers
- Our customers can’t find us
- Nobody knows what we do
- Not drawing viewers who are ready to buy our services
- Not driving business
- Web visitors give a site 30 to 60 seconds—then they move on if they can’t find the information they need.
- Does not stress that people buy benefits, not features.
Solution
Our prospects and customers want to increase their revenue and profitability. That needs to be our focus.
To maintain and improve our rankings, we must optimize our pages, monitor rankings and fine- tune them as needed. And, we need to commit to frequent new search engine marketing campaigns mixed in with other marketing efforts.
In other words, our Web site marketing efforts should become an integral component of our overall marketing plan, with a clear path and schedule that we follow weekly for effective, lasting results that continually grow our customers’ and our own profits!
Goals and Objectives
Here is what we want our Web site to DO for our business
- Be an online brochure/overview of our company
- Generate sales leads
- Educate customers and offer a library of information
- Offer product demonstrations, seminars, training materials
Our ultimate goal related for the site:
- Cultivate more customers
- Sell more services to existing customers
- Cultivate referrals
Target Customers
- Sophisticated, knowledgeable software development managers
- Key decision-makers in the computer software business
- Small or funded startup software or IT services companies
- Existing software or IT companies whose revenue is projected down –either short term or long term
Know our USP (Unique Selling Proposition)
- My [define your business] is the only one that ___________ [offers what solution] ____________ for _____________ [define your audience] ___________ by _________ [how—explain your unique product or service] _________________ .
- Our page title, headline, subheads, body text, and even the navigation should all be written to include the keyword phrases our prospects may use in search engines to find our products.
- The best Web sites have a strong headline, followed by short sentences, subheads and bullets to break up copy and make it easier to read.
- Product descriptions are brief and skillfully written to build interest.
- Charts, tables, and other graphics help support the copy in a user-friendly way
- Provide a customer-benefit headline at the top of your home page. Prospects are looking for solutions to their needs or problems.
- First message demonstrates that you understand their problem and can solve it better than anyone else.
Build Credibility
- Include credibility so prospects will feel comfortable buying from us.
- After you’ve made explained how you can solve your prospects needs, add some sources of credibility to back it up, such as a photograph of you and your employees, your years of experience in the field, a personal story about why you developed the business, product or service,
- Furnish statistics or graphics that demonstrate how your product performs, and a list of satisfied customers—with testimonials and photos of them. (Testimonials must be real and believable. Keep them short, include specific benefits or results your business provided them, and include full names, locations, and even photographs whenever possible.)
Make it very easy for customers to contact us.
- Then make the contact process simple, with as few clicks and fill-ins as possible.
- Give customers an easy reason and method for contacting us.
If you need sales or marketing consulting, technical or MarCom writing or Project Management help, please call or write—513 827 0945 or resmith10@aol.com.
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