Business mentor: Stick to basics for business websites

Q.Should my business have a website?

A. Paul England, business facilitator for North Shore City's economic development agency, Enterprise North Shore Trust, replies:

There is a lot of hype around about websites. Some technophobes can't understand why you need one.

I say get a life - a website should be part of your overall marketing strategy. Read this again, part of your strategy.

This means you do not neglect your sales, promotional, PR, marketing and educational strategies - think of it as a modern version of a business card.

The trouble is that businesses get caught up in the hype and forget the basics of marketing, then end up with the Monet of websites, empty wallets, and no benefits. With this in mind, here are some basics so that the web wizards don't bamboozle you.

1. Keep it simple. No fancy pictures, no redirecting to other pages. Potential customers have come to your website to get information or to buy. You do not have to feel obliged to entertain them. Keep distraction to a minimum and focus on your goods or services.

2. Make your website easy to navigate. You are competing with time. The three-click rule says that if it takes more than three clicks for your customer to get the information they want, you may have lost them. A website is like a map and viewers must find it easy to get to where they want to go.

3. Update your website regularly.

Dated information is frustrating and presents you as inefficient. Check your copy, links, and pages to ensure all graphics and links are loading correctly, and that all prices and names are accurate.

4. Make your website search-engine-friendly and regularly submit it to search engines. Some web designers forget that websites need to found. There are billions of pages out there in cyberspace and your website must be found and placed highly in the search engines. This is not rocket science, but I have seen many fancy-looking websites that are totally hostile to search engines. Use one of the many free web page analysers and search engine submission tools available on the net. One I use is www.scrubtheweb.com

5. Write interesting (and dynamic) copy and, of course, be friendly. Remember to sell benefits and features to the customer. Your library will have good books on copywriting.

Write as though you are selling to a friend. This strategy seems to break down the impersonal nature of computers and helps to build relationships.

6. Keep in touch with your customers. Rule one in business is that to be able to communicate with your customers, you need to know who your customers are.

Your email database is your goldmine.

Customers usually appreciate learning about new product releases, specials and product news. There are some excellent email marketing programs that can make life easy for you. One I use is www.gravitymail.com, managed by Netconcepts in Browns Bay.

7. Be sticky. Have a reason for customers to return to your website. It could be a competition, regular news updates, links, product information, or resources.

Beware of the self-appointed web gurus.

If you are going to stick to your core competency then get a skilled web marketer to run your online strategy.

As a business owner you have to get the best value for your dollar. This means you need to get results.

These seven steps will put you on the road to success.

* Contact Enterprise North Shore, North Shore City's agency for Business in the Community, ph 414-1341 * Email team@enterprisens.org.nz


* www.enterprisens.org.nz


* Send Mentor questions to: ellen_read@nzherald.co.nz. Answers will be provided by Business in the Community's Business Mentor Programme.