The Increasingly Important Web Site

I hope you are enjoying the holiday season. A few days ago, Amazon.com surprised a lot of people (including me) with record holiday sales, despite the economic climate. I think this underscores two very important points. First, consumers are increasingly price sensitive and Amazon has done an excellent job of delivering value at reduced prices. Second, it is compelling evidence that consumers are increasingly embracing technology to conduct business and that the Internet is not only facilitating offline business, but in many instances replacing many aspects of it.

This is why, more than ever, organizations can no longer afford to throw up a Web site that simply touts products and services. Web sites are becoming 2 way streets, that allow companies to interface with customers, through the collection and distribution of information.

At a minimum, ask yourself the following questions:
How does your Web site capture information from your visitors?
Do you have a sufficiently compelling proposition on your Web site to capture incoming leads on your Web site? In other words, what are you offering to visitors in exchange for sharing their contact information (other than your services)?
Does your Web site focus only on the features of your services, or do you clearly communicate benefits and/or savings that your prospects are looking for.
Countless studies have found that emotion plays a large part in the purchasing process. Even the most rational and analytical buyers are influenced. How does your Web site leverage this?
What steps have you taken to ensure that the information you posted is consistent with what your prospects are seeking?
What activities do you engage in to nurture the leads generated via your Web site? Do you have a process for this, or do you follow up arbitrarily?

Tip: Your Web site is becoming an increasingly critical lead generation tool, irrespective of the business you are in and appearance is much less important than function.

If you would like some free tips on ways to improve your Web presence, contact me today at jzissu1-litigation@yahoo.com