As small business owners, we need to have a pulse on just how far the infiltrated the lives of our customers. It’s easy to assume that a large percentage of the population would turn to the Internet for research on major purchases; that’s gone on for years. A more startling tidbit of information is that a recent consumer survey says that local customers are looking for more than just major purchase information. A exciting/frightening number (70%) say they have actually turned to the web to research brands before buying them in a grocery store. Hello! Grocery store purchases?
Yowzers! That is a big, big number. (Um, anyone interested in creating/fine-tuning their website now?)
OK, Mr. SmartPants … How do I get those eyes on me?
The story is the same for every local company, no matter the size. There are things that you can do to your website to make sure you are found by potential local customers on the web, that the interaction with you (your site) is positive and they are satisfied with the experience.
- Make it Local : Target Knoxville, Maryville, Alcoa and surrounding areas with the use of geographic keywords in the text on your website (and links!)
- Make it Relevant : Quick! What are the top selling products and/or services you have? Create web content (catalog, product highlights, etc.) that target the most sought after products you have, using keywords that reflect those products. Yes, this requires some serious research. (Hint: You might have products/services that people might actually be looking for, but they don’t know you have it.)
- Make it Convincing : Nothing beats good flowing text on a website that screams, “I’m an expert, listen to me,” or, “I care about my customers enough to provide them the best.” Get some help writing content that will do these things and lend credibility to your brand.
- Make it Easy : Make using your website or buying your products/services online, easy. Make sure your site is built to be intuitive, checkout processes are streamlined and you don’t put stumbling blocks in the way of people trying to find out about you or buy your stuff!
- Make it Pleasant : Focus up-front on ensuring that the colors, layout and navigation of the site is conducive to a calm and pleasant experience. Bright colors, flashing graphics, too much movement, etc. are all turn-offs. Build something your mother would use.
- Make it Rewarding : Offer benefits to your customers for using the site. Not just for buying something, either. Advertise in-store discounts to web visitors, coupons, online only specials or content that is exclusive to those that take the time to visit.
- Make it Open : Solicit for feedback … and answer every one. Let people tell you how you are doing so you can do better. Solicit product or service reviews from your customers and link to your reviews from consumer sites. Whatever you do, squelch the fear inside that says, “I can’t let people say negative things about me!” Everyone knows that no one is perfect. What makes us good is how we recoup.
- Make it Visible : No one will use your site if they don’t know about it. And, make it all visible on your site … your commitment to your customers, your return policy, your business ethics, your specials, your cat’s picture … everything. (OK, maybe not the cat.) Show them why they need to do business with you.
As an interesting aside, the same article mentioned above said that, “Consumers are looking for more online from these companies …76% would sign up for information on specials and savings offers, and 47% say they’d like to receive on online newsletter.” Excited yet?
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What are your thoughts? Post a comment and let’s talk.
Do you have questions about what how you can leverage the Internet to improve your customer experience and boost your company’s performance? Just ask.
