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Turn Your Web Site into a Selling Site

Most small businesses have a Web site of some kind and many are relying more
and more on the Internet to help their marketing and sales efforts and contribute to
profits. But wanting a Web site that works hard for the business and actually
getting one that does so are two different things.

There are dozens of ways a Web site can go wrong. Even if you have a
crackerjack designer, they may know little or nothing about building a site that
actually produces sales or leads. An eye-pleasing site by itself won’t necessarily
get the job done.

This is one area, however, where a great deal of help is available to the small
business owner. As small business gains experience with the Web, some clear
steps have emerged that you can take to improve your odds of online success. For
example, while appearance is important, the usability of a Web site from the
customer’s perspective is even more vital.  

How easy is it to get around your Web site? Can customers find what they want
fast? Your goal is to have a site that appears professional and credible to
customers as well as being easy to navigate. For a prospect intent on buying,
there is nothing more frustrating than having to deal with a clumsy or cluttered site.
Categories should be clear and logical.

And while the Web’s almost unlimited space gives you the choice of drowning
customers with product details, you may want to exercise some restraint. Give
visitors the option of clicking to more information if they wish, but don’t force it on
them. Coax customers by stages. Filling out forms is often necessary, but keep
them simple and break them into bite-sized parts.

And by all means make the photos or other graphics on your site compelling—not
the same old generic stock photos you see everywhere. Use graphics of real
people and places to add personality to your site and reinforce the notion that your
business exists in the real world, too.

Every inch of your site should address your customers’ goals and needs, not just
the needs of your business. Make the checkout process on your Web site fast and
simple. Don’t bombard buyers with last-second choices or pop-up ads. And if your
site requires a registration process, don’t force buyers to answer endless
questions designed to fill your need for marketing demographics.

To learn more about technology and Internet issues facing your small business,
contact SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business." SCORE is a nonprofit
organization of more than 10,500 volunteer business counselors who provide free,
confidential business counseling and training workshops to small business
owners. Go to www.scoredm.org on the web or call (515) 284-4760 between the
hours of 10:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. Monday through Friday.