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When most people think of a website, they often envision a bigger version of their company brochure. Something that looks really nice, and doesn't need to be changed very often. Months later, they wonder why the site doesn't generate any calls or sales. We think a website is kind of like a garden - there's always something that needs to be done, moved around, taken out, or added. These changes keep the site interesting to both the search engines and to the people who visit it. Here are 10 questions you should be able to answer before you create your website - if you want any business from it!
1. Why do I need a website for my business?
2. What are my goals for my website?
3. How do I expect people to find my website?
4. What do I want people to do when they visit my website?
5. What niche does my business serve that sets it apart from my competition and how do I leverage that through my website?
6. What will keep people coming back to the website?
7. What keywords do I expect people to have used to find my website?
8. What colors, images or logos do I have that can be used on the site to brand my business?
9. Does my site need a shopping cart?
10. How can I promote my website so more people will find it? |
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When does an acquaintance become a prospect?
One day, a newsletter shows up in your email. You don't recall signing up for it. But, you recognize the sender - call him Bob - who you met at a networking event a few weeks ago. Bob handed you his card - without you asking for it! - and then pitched you on a "really great mortgage deal" he had available. You weren't interested, as you had no need for a new mortgage. You found an excuse to move on and talk to someone else. Later on, you overheard Bob giving the same pitch to several other people.
So, when the newsletter showed up in your inbox, did you read it or delete it? Chances are you gave it a cursory look to look for the unsubscribe link. There wasn't one. So you hit the delete button.
Bob continues to send you emails each week, each one touting his mortgage services or hot new deal. You continue to delete them. Is there even a remote chance that you'll call Bob if you need a mortgage?
Nope.
Bob's pitches have been reduced to background noise. Bob didn't even try to determine your level of interest at the beginning of your acquaintance. Then, he continued to pitch you, even though you were not a prospect.
He's wasting his and your time and a lot of goodwill.
Traditional advertising assumes that a lot of recipients will not respond to a message. But, since that message is broadcast out to thousands of people, only a small percentage of responses is needed for a successful campaign. Bob would be a lot more successful selling mortgage services if he would take the time to find out if a new acquaintance is even a prospect first. Then, he could offer to send them information to show his expertise in his field. Only then should he ask their permission to send them his newsletter. He would be on his way to building a better mailing list of actual prospects - and you would be spared one more unnecessary ezine in your inbox. |
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- Decide where you want people to go – are you trying to get them into your store? Or just to visit your website?
- What do you want them to do when they get there? Buy something? (Duh!) Download something for free (prelude to buying something ) Sign up for your mailing list? Decide before you tweet.
- Who do you want to follow you on Twitter? People in your area? People who are interested in your topic? Start by following them.
- Think LONG TERM STRATEGY. Write up a bunch of tweets in advance and set them to go off a few every day. Use Hootsuite or another advance Tweet ap to do this.
- Promote your twitter account on your website, your email signature, your ezine, anywhere you can.
- Offer a special coupon reward to anyone who follows you.
- Tweet about your topic, and say something interesting and helpful. Nobody cares what you had for lunch. If you use keywords in your tweets that people are searching on, they’ll find you and follow you.
- Be consistent! Don’t tweet 10 times in one day and then not do anything for a week. Once a day all week would be a lot better. (See #4. Use Hootsuite or a similar ap to set tweets to be sent periodically.)
- Follow the thought leaders in your area. You’ll learn some new things about your topic and hopefully get to know them personally.
- Be selective in who you choose to follow. It’s okay not to follow everyone who follows you.
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It’s amazing how employees will post things like “Boss is out of the office. Time for a two-hour lunch!” on their Facebook page and never consider that their boss may actually see the post. Picture the fury of a potential client who spots the negotiation details on an indiscreet employee’s Twitter account.
Those are two good reasons why companies with employees need to have a social media policy in place. While transparency in business could be a virtue, it could also be a serious liability for a company whose employees have internet access and a need to overshare the details of their work life.
A social media policy does not need to be a long complicated document. A good policy, though, should include:
- The company’s purpose for having profiles on social media sites
- What is appropriate and inappropriate for employee posts – both personal and for the company
- Provisions to protect confidential and proprietary info
- Consequences of violations of the policy – though employers should be cautious to protect employees’ First Amendment rights.
For a variety of examples of social media policy – the good and the bad – including from big companies like IBM, Nordstrom, and General Motors – check out http://laurelpapworth.com/enterprise-list-of-40-social-media-staff-guidelines/ .
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The most daunting aspect of having a blog on your website is the need to post new copy every week. “But, what will I write about?” is the usual cry. Here’s some ways to ensure a continuous flow of ideas for content:
1. Use the magazine approach. Traditional media like newspapers and magazines have regular columns that readers get used to seeing and reading. Plan updates to popular topics featured in your blog.
2. If you’re really organized, plan an editorial calendar for the year. This works especially well for seasonal businesses.
3.Borrow ideas from other experts. Subscribe to several blogs on your topic and read them regularly. Are there ideas presented where you have a different opinion? Add a thoughtful comment to those blogs. Then, do a post presenting your different viewpoint in your blog.
4. Set up several Google alerts using keywords relating to your topic. Scan the results for current news on your topic.
5. Answer customer questions in your blog.
6. Reuse content written for other purposes. Have you written reports, presentations, or a book about your topic. Feature excerpts or updates in your blog.
7. Join a forum about your topic. Expand your comments from the forum to blog posts.
8. Review books about your topic.
9. Invite guest bloggers who are relevant to your topic.
10. Offer resource links on your topic to other blogs, websites, forums, etc. Your readers will love you for it! |
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