Marketer’s Corner - Six Things EVERY Small Business Web Site Needs Before They Look for a Customer | Helping Small Business help themselves

Marketer’s Corner - Six Things EVERY Small Business Web Site Needs Before They Look for a Customer

July 23, 2008 :: Steve Fisher

Some people figure that you when you start a web site that getting your domain and throwing a template up is all that is needed to start their own online gold rush. Oh, how I wish that were true. Before you even think about looking for a customer there are six things every small business web site needs to have in place. Let’s get started:

Brand Logo

Many people when they are starting a company don’t think they really need a logo, could afford one or think a generic icon will do on their business cards. People coming to your web site most likely don’t know you and if they are ordering products online may never ever meet you. What they do need to feel confident about is that your company is an established entity and is not fly by night. A quality logo is really something that is not that expensive and worth every penny. It sets the image and tone of your company. It establishes typeset and colors you will use throughout your print and web materials.

Web Site Design Concept

This one sounds a bit out there if you are not used to marketing jargon. It is known as the web site design composition and is usually presented in the form of a ‘visual presentation’ and is supported by written draft ‘copy’. It also leverages the color and tone of your logo which is incorporated into your web site.

Core Marketing Message

You know what you do and what your company provides, but have you ever tried to say it in 30 seconds? This is what many know as the “elevator pitch” and it works. This is who and what your company is distilled into 2-3 sentences that are easy to say, easy to repeat and easy for your customers to remember. It is also the core statement(s) that keep your web site content grounded and centered.

Product and/or Service descriptions

Once you have your core marketing message you must carefully work on your product and/or service descriptions. These are the descriptions that are on each web page and in some way should support your core marketing message.

Management Bios

An important part of your web site that many overlook are the management bios on your team. In service companies people are really buying from you and if they are new to your company and are thinking about contacting you this is where they go right after they see the need to find out more or buy your product/service. For consumer e-commerce and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) sites, the management team is usually hidden deeper but for many people it is a part of the web site they check to see if the people running and managing the site have the experience to make this successful for the long haul.

Promotion Strategy

So the brand, message and content is ready to go. The web site is greenlit for launch. So you flip the switch and nothing happens. What did you forget? You forgot that you need to someone, lots of someones. This means promotion using multiple channels. This includes traditional promotion strategies, linking strategies, fresh content strategies and search engine strategies. For a more detailed and extensive look into promotion strategies take a look at our “Marketer’s Corner” article “Web Site Promotion Strategies for a Small Business Web Site”.

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