Marketing Matters by Barb Levisay, Owner, Marketing for Partners
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Take a Prospect's View of Your Web Site
When was the last time that you visited your Web site and read the copy? How about your Pinpoint listing? However you want to look at it -- end of the old year, beginning of the new -- now is the right time to sit in your prospect's seat and visit your online presence.
First Impressions Are Hard To Overcome
No matter what kind of marketing you are doing, from networking to e-mail newsletters, your Web site content should be fresh. When you make a connection with an interested prospect, the first thing he is going to do is check your Web site. If you have outdated events, references to old software versions or dated stock photos, it is not going to make a good first impression.
It may not be easy to be objective about your site, but pretend you are a typical client looking for a solution to a problem. Does the homepage include:
- a clear statement of the services you provide in the first paragraph,
- easy-to-understand navigation,
- short paragraphs with bold subheads that lead the reader to pertinent information, and
- easy-to-find contact information, including e-mail and phone number?
Click on page links to ensure they are still valid and send a test e-mail through contact forms. If you have whitepapers, try the downloads to make sure they still work.
Stay Competitive
While you are taking a look at your site, take a look at your competitors' as well. Does your site do well in the comparison? Does your content help to differentiate you from similar firms?
While this may all seem elementary, it's easy to forget to attend to the Web site when you are busy working with customers. As the first introduction to your prospects, your Web site doesn't need to have lots of bells and whistles, but it does need to be informative and up-to-date. Take the time this week to look at your site through your customer's eyes.
How do you keep your Web site fresh? Leave a comment below or tell me about it and let's share the knowledge.
Posted by Barb Levisay on December 21, 2011