Read 5 Easy Steps to Make Your Website Your #1 Employee Online
Authors: Steve Johnsen
Tags: #Business, #Marketing, #Web design
5 Easy Steps to Make Your Website Your #1 Employee (7 page)
Now that we have examined some of the more important categories of consideration when looking at a website’s visual design, it’s time to take some action.
Your brand’s entire look, from logos to business cards to the website, should consistently communicate your brand’s personality. In order to ensure your website is doing its job in this regard, ask and answer the following questions for yourself, in writing.
- Do you know what your brand personality IS that you’re trying to communicate? If so, write it down. If not, consider: what does your company stand for (or, what do you want it to stand for?)
- Were your graphics professionally designed by someone who understands branding? Or were they designed by a production graphic artist? If there was not a branding expert involved, you will want to bring someone to the table who understands both.
A website that has an effective and attractive visual design is truly rare these days.
That is because most businesses do not ask themselves the questions presented in this chapter
…
nor do they understand the delicate balance of elements presented here.
Once you grasp how these subtle yet essential elements work together, you are ready to move forward on developing your vision for your website’s graphic design.
As I mentioned in the previous chapter, the verbal content you create describes your brand and why it is special—and this leads the whole process of building a website. This is because until you know who you are and what makes you excellent—and state it in words—you cannot do a good job of painting a visual picture that enhances it.
In the user’s experience, the visual design is the first impression they have of the website, but the verbal design (the “copy,” or content) is what will actually compel them to take action. However, in building the site, it is hard to create the visual design without first having good copy in hand, because both the visual and verbal design should work together to deliver a consistent message.
The difference between the right word and an almost-right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.
– Mark Twain
The bottom line is that if a website is going to be good, it must be well designed verbally. This is because professionally written copy has immeasurable value.
It demonstrates where you are exceptional; it engages your customers; it clearly communicates your value. And good copy causes the visitors to your website to want to do business with you.
Beyond that, great content ensures that
what
your prospective customers
read start
s the
conversion process
—
it takes them from being curious to being convinced
.
Just as a good visual design is created to convey a message (rather than merely “looking nice”), good copy should also be written around your key marketing messages.
Key messages
are a short list of simple yet unique points that you will make throughout all of your communications.
They are usually written to emphasize your positioning, as well as the special and unique value that you offer to customers. They are the points you
absolutely
want your customers and potential customers to remember.
For example,
one of our key messages is “Make your website your #1 employee.”™ Since it is built into all of our communications, it has become our trademark phrase.
If you have never taken the time to develop key marketing messages for your business, you might want to do that now, or even better, you might want to hire a PR/marketing strategy expert to help you do so.
Your key messages will then become a key part of your larger communication plan.
Writing good copy is one of the most important—and the most difficult—steps in building a website that makes money for your business. It is even more difficult to write copy for yourself. This is even true for many copy writers that I know! There is something about having a set of outside eyes that enables us to take our copy up to another level. We strongly recommend to all our clients that they have an outside expert help them with their copy.
Both your designer (visual) and copy writer (verbal) should spend a significant amount of time understanding your business and your industry, so that they can create a website that communicates your business’s personality and value.
Once again, it’s not just about “sounding good,” but about having copy that communicates your unique message and value that will get people to take action.
There are five critical areas to address when developing website content. All five must be considered as you go about building or updating your website, and before you put pen to paper.
The results you get from your website are often a direct response to the words you use and the messages you convey
…
so, you need to know what your goals are, both short and long
term.
More simply put,
know what you want
.
For example, today you may want to make sales, but three years down the road, maybe you want to sell your business.
Or, today you may be launching a business, but a year from now you aim to add a new product line.
Maybe you are trying to build credibility as an expert in your field, to build a reputation for yourself and your brand.
All of these objectives are essential to define before you write your content.
Think about it: even if you were writing content for a website to sell your personal attributes, you would have to know what you are wanting in the end.
The second rule of thumb in creating great content is,
k
now what you bring
.
A good majority of business owners feel like salespeople at all times.
Certainly, sales are essential for a business to succeed; however, sometimes you need to step away and realize that while you are indeed
asking
customers for business what is more important is that you are
offering
them something of value.
This new focus actually encourages you to think differently.
When you believe in, and are focused on, your unique value, your message changes; it is more convincing.
These considerations will drive your content; when you believe you are an asset, your message becomes extremely influential, because now you are
creating content that’s really true.
Even though I’m addressing ‘audience’ as the third area of critical consideration, I actually believe it is the most important.
The simple fact here is, it is not worth putting anything down on paper if you don’t know or understand who your intended reader is.
Many times in business, we get caught up in the “how” of everything: how to market, how to sell, how to make money, how to manage
…
the list goes on.
How many times do we step back and focus on the “who?”
These “who” are your bread and butter, so you must determine who your “who” are, get to know them, and come to understand their likes and dislikes: the things that drive them and the things that deter them.
Because ultimately, you must
know what your audience wants
.
After all, how can you convince someone you have what they want, if you don’t even know what it is they want, and why they want it?
So
, make sure you spend time studying your audiences.
Define the specific characteristics of these audiences.
For example, if you decide that your audience consists of working moms in Chicago, what are some of the characteristics this demographic group typically shares?
Let’s say that your ideal customer demographic is mid
-
sized law firms: what do you provide for them?
Do they have common burdens that your business relieves?
The bottom line is, regardless of who your audience is, what they care about most is
what’s in it for them
. It may sound somewhat callous, but if you always remember what they care about
—
and communicate to them in a way that convinces them you will give them what they need and want
—
you are much closer to having truly effective content.
As business owners, we have our own agendas.
Because of this, many times a business owner will create marketing or branding content from that angle
…
we are still thinking, “how can I get them to buy?” versus “what’s really in it for my customer?”
This perspective will make a business owner seem pushy and uncaring.
One surefire way to avoid coming across as pushy in messaging is
to
focus on storytelling.
Yes, it might sound strange, but people love stories!
As a customer of any service or product, if I am told a story, I am engaged.
If I am told a story that I can
relate
to, now I’m not just engaged; I’m now also a
much more captive audience
.
And, a captive audience is one that is already partially swayed in the direction you want them to go.
Another benefit to storytelling
—
especially if the story involves you, the storyteller
—
is that it humanizes you.
No longer is your prospect viewing you as a salesperson; now he is viewing you as a person.
So, remember to add situational anecdotes to your content, and don’t be afraid to show off your humanness.
The fifth and final essential area to focus on in your content is
consistency in messaging
.
As a business, what you say about your business is either building and supporting your brand, or it is detracting from your brand.
The most effective way to ensure you are constantly building your brand is to be consistent in your messaging.
As a business owner, you already know you need to determine what makes your business different, special, and unique.
Once those features are defined, you must communicate them
…
often.
As I have mentioned several times throughout this book, your business’s website can be your greatest (and most cost-
effective) marketing tool.
So, view it as you would a brochure: make sure it contains the most influential information about your business, and make sure everything you say about your business is consistent with your brand.
Essentially, you are telling your prospects what they need to hear, and you are doing it repetitively.
Many websites put way too much information on the home page. This can cause your
verbal
message to become confused.
(
T
his mistake is quite common, by the way; many business owners have not narrowed down their key messages, and they feel they need to put every single thought they’ve ever had on the website’s homepage).
When there is too much content on the homepage of a
website (or any page, for that matter),
visitor
s can
easily be
come
confused
, which is the opposite of what you want their experience to be.
If you have a lot of information to present, one strategy is to use an
introduction at the top
to
cl
arify and unify
the message.
In general, h
owever, too much content
makes
the brand message unclear.
The next website is one that was done right.
Right off the bat,
there is one simple, direct question
that
make
s
the product b
enefits
and
target market
very
clear.
The message is succinct, the solution is evident, and the conversion from prospect to customer very likely.
Design © 2011 Cumulus Consulting. All rights reserved.
