These are the top 10 signs your web site needs an
overhaul.
# 10 -
The images used on your site include a revolving globe, bevelled horizontal line
separators, and one of those animated mail box icons that were popular in free
image libraries around 1995. If this is you, listen up. If your site looks dated
and unprofessional you will not make any sales. The key to generating sales on
line is with a professionally designed web site. People form an impression of
your business, and whether or not they will do business with you, within 30
seconds. Cheesy graphics used in an amateurish web site will do nothing for
gaining the trust of prospective customers.
# 9 - Your
hit counter is of the free variety and after one year reads "You are the
38th visitor to this site." A site that publicized for all to see that no
one has visited is doomed for sure. Remove the counter, and see point number six
below for help with this one.
# 8 -
Your site starts with the words "Welcome to our site. Please bookmark our
site. Click on the links to find what you are looking for"
If your site starts off like this you need a
lesson in marketing and copywriting. When you read a magazine or the newspaper,
notice how headlines and powerful copy are used to get your attention and
motivate you to do something. Your web site should use the same strategies to
get people's attention. This starts with an easy-to-read layout, and wording
that is interesting, motivating, and most importantly is about the reader, and
not about you.
# 7 -
There is no easy to find contact information anywhere on your home page. Contact
information on the main page of your site is convenient for your readers and
makes you look credible, and accessible. To make a sale, you've got to earn
people's trust, and this starts with giving them lots of ways to contact you. If
they have a problem with an order they place, they want to make sure you will be
there if they need you.
# 6 -
You don't have a way to analyze your web site traffic and determine where your
traffic is coming from. Without this you are marketing your web site wearing a
blindfold and simply praying for the best. Web site statistics software can
reveal valuable information to help you evaluate your marketing efforts.
Information about search engine traffic, including which search engine was used
to find your site, what key words did they use to find you, what pages people
are looking at when they get to your site, referring URLS, and much more!
# 5 -
You don't have a way of tracking leads or prospective customers when they visit
your site. How can you do this? Track visitor information by providing prospects
with a form to complete to request additional information, or to find out more
about your products and services. The form allows you to request important
details including name, address, phone, email address, budget, level of interest
and so forth. You get more detailed information for follow up, and your
prospective customer gets faster service because you have all of the relevant
information before you.
# 4 - You've
not had a lead off your web site for more then 24 hours.
Your web site should complement your traditional
methods of business. Be sure to include your web site address on all of your
print marketing, business cards, letterhead, shipping inserts and more. The more
people who see your web site address the more likely you are to get business
from your site. If you are not getting leads from your web site, or inquiries by
email it's time to rethink what you are doing.
# 3 -
You've NEVER sold one thing at your web site either directly or indirectly. If
you've had your web site online for a year and not made one shiny nickle then
you need to reassess what you are doing. You aren't doing something right. It
could be your web site, perhaps it is not professionally designed. Or it could
be your traffic, no traffic = no sales. Either of these factors can effect your
sales.
# 2 -Your
web site address is of the free variety and is so long that you have no hope of
ever fitting it on your business cards. If this is you, get a domain address,
they are cheap, easy to set up and give you instant credibility for your
business. Free web site addresses make your business look fly by night, a domain
address says "I'm a legitimate business because I've paid for an actual
address for my business site."
and the number one reason your site needs an
overhaul....
# 1 -
Your "last updated" time stamp reads March 19, 1996!
About The Author
Sandi Hunter is the Director of Web Site Development for Worldprofit.com. She,
and her team of expert web site design marketers have developed thousands of
sites for business worldwide. Put her team to work for you! If you recognized
your own web site in this article, don't get frustrated, get help. Reach Sandi at sandi@worldprofit.com.
