Does A Pretty Web Site Deliver?
I have heard many business owners say: “I want a nice looking web site for my business.”
They find a web designer and the web designer delivers exactly what the business owner asked for – a nice looking web site. The business owner really likes the look and feel of the web site, but after a month or so the business owner notices that nothing is happening with the web site. No one is using the web site to find out about the business and contact the business owner about his products and services.
It seems that when a business owner says: “I want a nice looking web site”, what the business owner really means is “I want a nice looking web site that brings in clients and markets my business”.
Once the business owners realize that their nice looking web site does not deliver clients, many opt to hire another designer for a re-design. I have talked to quite a few business owners, who have had their web sites designed and re-designed many times, all without producing the desired result (services and book/product sales).
The truth is, having a nice looking web site is just not enough to get sales. In addition to having a nice looking web site you need to heavily market it – optimize it for search engines, have a newsletter list, write and publish articles, start a blog and more.
Getting a web site designed is just like getting a brochure made for your business. It is nice to have a brochure, but until your potential customers see it and decide to buy your book, nothing will happen.
Exactly the same is true for a web site. Until you start getting your target customers to come to your web site and stick around long enough to buy your products and services, nothing is going to happen either.
Some web designers may include some marketing into their design package, but many don’t. This means that it is up to you to get your web site marketed. Here is what to do:
– Make sure that you know who your target market is. Your web site should speak to your target market, so your first step is knowing who your web site will be speaking to.
– Design a marketing plan for your web site. Yes, you may not have a web site yet, but knowing how you will market it will help you in the long run.
– Decide what you will need on your web site in order to market it properly. This may include a blog, pages optimized for search engines, articles, etc.
– Now, talk to web site designers and pick the one that will help you not only with design, but with marketing of your web site. It is very important that your designer is aware of your marketing plan, and will be able to implement the web site-related pieces of the plan.
Need help creating a marketing plan for your web site? Join my online business mentoring program to discover how to create a marketing plan for your web site.
Biana Babinsky
About Biana: Biana Babinsky is the online business coach, expert and author who teaches coaches, consultants and other business owners how to get more clients and make more money online. Join her online business mentoring program at https://www.MarketingSalad.com for online business coaching, support and masterminding with other members.