First impressions are everything. 25 years ago, your customers first impression of your business might have been directly through you. You were able to control what you said about your business. Maybe you even placed a few ads, aired a television commercial and invested money into direct mail pieces.
Photo by: Jackson Lewchuk
Technology has come a long way since the early 90’s. The Internet provides another channel to market your business. Not only is the Internet in millions of homes, it’s everywhere people are. More and more mobile devices are being purchased and the desktop computer is becoming a thing of the past.
Consumers are turning to their computers to search for businesses that solve their problems. They aren’t flipping through the Yellow Pages.
In today’s economy, a small business cannot afford to have a bad web presence. It might be the first impression your customers have of your business. Each page on your website is responsible for persuasion. The same way a retail storefront persuades passerby’s to come inside. If the way you display your products or services on your website isn’t given as much thought as your store, you may need to reconsider. More and more people, no matter which generation they were born in, are turning online before any other method of business research.
No matter how incredible your services are, your customers will never know about them if you turn them away without opening your mouth.
Flexibility & Functionality
If you don’t have the proper tools or website setup from the beginning, you may not have as much flexibility to update and test your website as you may want. If you fall into this category, you may want to look for a solution that allows you to stay up to date without paying a pretty penny every time. Often times a lack of functionality or control can cause your website to fall into the “bad impression” category.
How Do You Know if Your Website is a Bad Egg?
If you’re not sure what type of impression your website is really giving your customers, why not just ask? Surveys are a great way to ask your customers what they really think. Offer an in-store survey if you don’t have an email list already setup. Ask your customers what features they would want to see on your website. Sarah Lynn Design offers a website analysis if you’re looking for a few ways to improve upon your current website.
