IT'S NOT YOUR WEBSITE - IT'S THEIR WEBSITE

Paul Carpenter 4th November 2006
Paul Carpenter

Close your eyes for a second, and think what purpose your website has (you'd be surprised how many people struggle with that!). Were the first words in your head "it's for us to..."? BUZZ - wrong answer!

Most people look at their website as a tool that lets them sell a product or service. This is kind of true. But if you really want your website to sing, flip that statement on its head. So instead of thinking what your website does for you - think what it does for your customers.

You can tell websites that have this the wrong way around, because they make it difficult to find the right product. Or you can't find out why you should use their services because they're desperate to tell you what services they offer.

Once you look at your website from this other perspective, you'll probably suddenly see it's flaws. You think your website is there to sell shoes. Actually, from your customer's perspective - its somewhere to buy shoes. A subtle difference, but crucial to converting browsers to buyers.

So measure your website not by the fact that it sells shoes, but the ease by which it is possible to find the right shoe. If I want to buy red stilettos (unlikely - but hey!) do you sell them and can I find them easily enough?

If your site is a brochure site for services, then it isn't there just to list your services. To a potential customer it's there for them to find out how you measure up to Company X, and why they should use you instead. Sometimes, this means making leaps of faith, like being upfront about your pricing... offering something for free... having compelling quotes from your best clients. The kind of stuff that might actually make them remember you a few days down the line when they're ready to pick up the phone.

Moral of the day?

Don't think what your website is doing for you - think about what it's doing for your customers.

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