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Are you getting the most out of your Web site? Has it been around for a while without substantial updates? Has its performance been sluggish? Is it difficult to navigate? Have your customers been a bit blah about it? Have you not seen many prospects knocking on your door as a result of visiting it?
Much like your software and computer systems need regular updates and upgrades to benefit from the latest technologies and your marketing brochure can use some refreshing periodically to keep up, your Web site needs a periodic brush-up, too. Your offerings may have expanded or changed. You may have entered new markets, or have new products or projects to brag about. Your Web site’s design may look dated. Whatever your reason, a Web site makeover is a great opportunity to align or realign your Web site with your business and marketing strategy, and get closer to your customers.
But don’t just hand your Web team your new logo and ask them to run with it. Do your homework first. Over 95% of business Web sites can improve – generate more qualified sales leads, convert more visitors into interested prospects and customers, accelerate the sales process – by figuring out the answers to the following questions: What can your business offer your target customers that will make them choose you? Specifically, what’s in your unique selling proposition that your target customers really care about?
A good starting point is to focus on those you most want to attract and convince – your target audiences. They may include your customers, your suppliers, your potential and current employees, your partners, and other key groups. More likely than not, your customers are not a homogenous group, but even a diverse group may include clusters that are similar demographically, have similar lifestyles, function in similar organizational roles, or work for organizations of similar size, similar industries, and other important attributes. Take time to find out what they want, their state of mind, their frame of reference, and what it takes to engage them emotionally and to earn their trust.
How do you organize customer insights so they can guide your Web site’s content and design? One effective strategy is to start identifying clusters of customers based on meaningful attributes. Consider such factors as their roles in recommending, buying or using your products, the level of their knowledge about your company and products, their personal interest in what you have to offer, and so on. Identify three to five such clusters. Since knowledge about customers is often held by multiple individuals in any organization, enlist your team to help. Ask them to jot down key points. You’ll find that getting input from those who are responsible for creating the company’s strategy as well as those at the frontline of providing customer service adds to the depth and richness of the collective insights.
For each customer cluster, describe their needs and wants. Think about their interests, issues that are relevant and important to them, their challenges, what they consider cool and awesome, their concerns in using your products, outcomes that would appeal to their emotions, etc. Then, identify how the benefits of what you offer can address their needs and wants better than your competition can.
The information you gather will help you to evaluate how well your Web site communicates and relates to each of your customer groups. You can determine where your Web site falls short in getting the message across about the benefits and value of your products. You can review gaps in content that prevent customers gaining the knowledge and comfort they need to do business with you. Armed with your new insights, you can begin to put together the blueprint for a great Web site makeover.
Copyright Eva Chiu and InfoAdvantage.
E-Business
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