Would You Consider Just Anyone To Represent You or Your Company?
I am pretty confident that you answered No to the question above. If you said Yes, I would love to know how that works out for you.
Your website is your best Sales Rep. A Sales Rep is not only hired to sell, but to also represent you and your company. Since this person is in contact with your customers on a daily basis, they must be knowledgeable, impressive and capable of producing results. In comparison, your web design should demonstrate these qualities because this is the face of your company. While a Sales Rep meets with one potential client in person, your website has the potential of generating an ENDLESS amount of leads. From this point, you should understand the vital role your website plays in the success of your business. So, now that we know how important your site is, we have a few decisions to make.
First and foremost, the layout of your website is crucial. This is where you make your first impression with the visitors. Is it easy for them to find what they are looking for? Is your message appealing to your specific target market? A “call to action” message is another way to capture the visitor right away. “Free Shipping on Orders Over $75.”
You should also clearly state the service or product you are providing. “We Service All Makes and Models…” You may consider placing an introduction video of your company on the home page for the viewers to watch. A lot of times it is easier to explain your company in person than it is in text. Investing in a video will definitely bring additional value to your page. The color should be relevant to your logo or type of company. This initial component is key to your website because the atmosphere and feel you develop for the visitor will either be positive or negative.
The next factor is your content, meaning the information you want your viewers to see. A lot of times, this is where your best Sales Rep will be able to help you if you do not already posses the literature. Important questions to ask yourself when deciding on the content would be:
What does your company do?
Who is your customer/audience?
Why is your company important to the viewer?
What makes you different from your competitors?
What use can they get from your site?
How can they contact you?
If you can answer these questions you should have enough information for the site. Keep in mind the “sales” mentality because you are selling yourself and your company. You have to give the potential customer a reason for remaining on your website and a reason to react (positively) to the information. If it pertains to what they are searching for and the wording is simple and to the point, then they will find your site beneficial to them.
The last option you need to consider is the flow of the pages. You want it to be seamless and easy for the visitors to use. Like the questions listed above, there is an easy transition from one subject to the next, this keeps the visitors from having to search for the answers. If they are having to work for the information, most likely they will give up and lose interest, causing you to lose a potential client. This is why your website should be customized to your company alone.
There are web templates geared for specific industries, but these templates are still basic and general. I’m sure you can come up with many reasons why you are different from your competition. So, why would you want your website to be like all the others? just because it is geared for your industry? You do not want to be like everyone else in the industry, therefore, you must separate yourself from your competition.
Many people will use free or (very low priced) templates to save on cost. Although, these templates seems very appealing, they cannot represent your company to the fullest. Like I said before, you would not hire just anyone to represent your company, you would hire the best. This is the same investment you need to consider. Template web designs are functional, but a custom website will allow you to inform, impress and provide results. This is the face of your company, your forefront on the internet and you have complete control over it.
You can get a full custom website for as low as $5,000. For this cost, you can open up some many doors for your company and continue to grow. Seems like a no brainer to me. Do your research, compare quotes and make sure you have a reliable company to back the site up. If you cut cost with your website, then you are cutting potential business.
Leila Moghim
Maus Media Group Blog 
Posted on October 14, 2010
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