Are You Maximizing the Value of Your Website?

I’ve had the experience of prospects calling me while they are viewing my site. In fact one client uses his site, while on the phone, to show prospects and clients exactly what they are buying.Purchasing patterns have changed over the past few years and websites have become a critical element in the sales process. Take the next few minutes and really look at your website. Look at it objectively. Does it look like your company? Is it synergistic with your company’s sales pitch? Does it embody your company’s brand? Are you using the same language that your target market uses when talking about your service/product?

As a first step in the process, most business people ask friends or colleagues they know when trying to find a business service or product. That’s right, referrals. Roughly seven years ago the second action they took was to look at advertising and marketing as a source of information. Now that has changed. Today (after referrals) a businessperson will search the Internet.

Maybe the prospect knows your company, was referred, or heard about you and wants to find out more. Perhaps they have conducted a search (Google, Yahoo, etc.) and found a link to your site. Whatever the method, your prospective client is visiting your website for one basic reason – to see if your company can satisfy his/her perceived needs.

Does your website reflect the needs and/or desires of your target market? Does your site say the same things your salespeople do when selling one on one? If your answer was no, you’d better devote time and resources to updating your website. It has become a critical part of the selling process and can put you on the short list or eliminate your company from consideration even before you have met them face to face!