Everyone seems to tell you that you need a website for your business or your website could be performing better. What they don’t tell you is that you need to think about why you need a website and therefore consider which type of website solution you really need otherwise you can end up wasting money rather than making it!
Getting Started
Your future website may need to take a leading role and be complimented by your other marketing activities. With good branding you can get recognition for what you do or sell within the marketplace you are trying to appeal to whether that is high end or mass market. Strong branding is the key!
Define Who You Are
You know your business better than anyone. Define who you are and who your customer is so that you can work out what you need.
- Are you a manufacturer, supplier (wholesaler/distributer) or retailer?
- Is your customer the private individual or the hobbyist or other businesses ?
- Do you trade locally, nationally ot internationally?
You may work on one or many of these levels already or you may be wanting to break into new marketplaces. Once you have defined who you are you need to consider what you want from your website. Basically define it’s purpose.
Website Purpose
Know the purpose and you are part way to knowing the type of site you need. So do you want to:-
- give information?
- offer support?
- provide a service?
- sell products?
- entertain?
You will need to determine if your website is primarily for selling products, generating enquiries or leads or whether it should promote your service. Of course it could be a combination of these. Getting a ’return on investment’ (ROI) should be every company’s aim particularly if you have products to sell, so it is worth spending time analysing how your website can help you achieve this.
Call to Action
So what do you want from your visitor? Do you want them to leave feedback, get in touch or buy your goods? If you know the purpose of your website then it has the potential to provide the right information to prompt a ‘call to action’.
Visitors will be guided into acting a certain way depending on their website experience. Clear creative design and intuitive navigation can help guide your customer through your website. Your aim is to emphasise your quality service, your great products, your fabulous customer care. Your website will be a success if it makes your customer feel that you can deliver goods and services efficiently.
Internal Systems
If your business has been established some time then no doubt you will have other ’systems’ that help keep your business ticking over. Perhaps a Sage accounts package (line 50 or line 200) or a CRM (customer relationship management system). If you rely heavily on having up to date stock information or you have customers who require bespoke product pricing then you need to consider how this will work when your products are placed in an on-line environment.
Integration into other business software or having a bespoke reporting facility built into your site can mean you are not just building a website but you are developing an important business tool. This may not be transparent to the visitor but from the administrative point of view your life will be easier, time will be saved on duplication and your website can really earn it’s keep.
Website Type
Websites can be broken down into several types:
- brochure sites: which may be a simple replica of your company literature perhaps with an enquiry form
- content driven: which provide information sometimes quite in depth about specific subjects or services
- product based: which includes catalogues, on-line shops (eCommerce)and even eBay
These might be better considered in reverse. If your aim is to sell then you can still fulfil the requirement for information but it is not so easy to add products to a site that is meant purely for information. Determine at the outset if there will be an element of selling on line and ensure this is clear in your brief.
A Brief
Once you know what your ‘call to action’ is you are in a position to put together a plan or brief. You can request the right website solution for your business based on a clear definition of who your customer is and how you want them to behave.
Be clear on whether you are using an existing logo and branding or whether this needs to be addressed otherwise it could delay your development.
Your brief should be specific about whether you are selling products (wholesale, retail or both) and if so whether your customer is local, national or international.
Your brief needs to include any interaction you may need with existing systems. If you have elements of your business that differentiate you from your competitors then identify what these are. They may become unique features on your site.
If you have identified that you need sales or enquiries from your website then you need to be clear on the fact that marketing of your site is paramount. Many companies fall down at this hurdle thinking that once they have launched their website it will automatically generate leads or sales!
Choosing a Website Partner
You can choose from a plethora of design agencies so here is a guide to selecting a suitable website partner.
- look for companies who know or have experience in your business sector or marketplace
- look for specific skillsets be it fabulous design, specialist development skills or strategic marketing experience (depending on your requirements they may need to be strong in all three areas)
- be guided by testimonials and recommendations
- find people you like and can work with
A Result
So, if you are one of those businesses who approach a website company and say ‘How much for a website then?’ what you are really saying ‘ I don’t value my business, my products or my customers’.
To get the result you want from your website requires planning, understanding and preparation. Time spent knowing your business, your products and your customer contributes to getting your ideal website solution.
Above all when you have the right solution be sure to market it well.
Purpose Media always offer a free consultation to find out more about you and your business needs. As a developer of eCommerce website we offer websites tailored around your specific business needs. We also offer a range of website marketing services to help your achieve more sales.
For further details about websites from Purpose Media contact Matt on tel 01623 600694 or email matt@purposemedia.co.uk
