You’ve invested a lot of money in your website, but you’re dissatisfied with the results. For some reason, you’re not getting the activity and results you anticipated. You’re thinking, where are the hits? Where are the sales? Why do so few people come to my site? Why aren’t we getting repeat users? Are we wasting money on our site? How do we recoup our web investment? If any of these thoughts are running through your mind, you’re in good company. Many websites underperform and cause businesses to miss precious sales opportunities. Consider, for example, these statistics:
• 40% of visitors do not return to a site if their first visit results in a negative experience. (Forrester Research)
• 83% of web users have left sites in frustration due to poor usability. Unintuitive navigation and sluggish performance were reported as the main culprits. (NetSmart Research)
• Almost 70% of online consumers reported some web sites take too long to download. (Boston Consulting Group)
Why take the risk of your Website under performing - or worse, pushing customers away? Here are seven things your Website needs to attract and retain good customers and generate tangible returns on investment.
1) Plan with R.O.I. in mind. A properly implemented website can be a business investment that pays for itself many times over. Tim von Gal, Executive Vice President of Urban Expositions (www.urban-expo.com) says, “In today’s economy it is more important than ever to make sure business tools - including your website - have a tangible ROI, and your investment in technology continues to provide returns far beyond that initial investment.”
2) Grab attention and keep it. Some of the most effective websites use a design methodology that addresses the need for an aesthetically pleasing site, along with an intuitive flow in the navigation and access to content. The online version of AirTran Arrivals, available at www.at-arrivals.com, is a prime example of a clean display & design with easy accessibility to valuable content from current and past issues.
3) Motivate customers to keep coming back by continuously updating your content. One of the impediments that keep business owners from regularly updating website content is that they think they need to have a Webmaster on payroll to maintain the site. However, there is web software available that simplifies this function even for technology novices.
4) Be memorable. Make sure your branding and corporate identity permeate each page and are consistent with your business cards, brochures, and other marketing materials. This is especially important if you’ve built significant brand equity in your offline operations, because it quickly enhances your credibility online as well.
5) Make it easy for customers to do business with you online. On your website, you don’t have the benefit of face-to-face contact with your customers, so you can’t adjust your sales approach based on customer feedback and respond accordingly. You need to ensure that the e-commerce section of your site flows smoothly, minimizes frustration, and causes customers to feel comfortable spending money with you.
6) Add value for customers through permission marketing. Create a web-based automated email newsletter through which customers give you permission to market to them. Announce new products, provide helpful how-to tips, position yourself as an expert, and cultivate future sales opportunities.
7) Get noticed on search engines. Your site could be the best at attracting attention and facilitating e-commerce. However, if no one can find your site, you're losing money. In addition to registering with the major search engines, create and manage keywords within your page titles to increase your search engine visibility. For example, Villas Caribe, a Caribbean vacation rental agency, is consistently ranked at the top of major search engines by incorporating keywords strategically throughout the site (www.villascaribe.com).
THE BOTTOM LINE. Your website is a sales agent that represents your company 24/7. Make sure it creates the first impression you intend. When you implement these seven keys, you’ll gain the tools you need to generate substantial returns on your web investment.
Derek Griffin is President and Co-Founder of Speartek (www.speartek.com), an Atlanta-based firm that helps companies make their websites easier to manage and more profitable to operate. Reach him at 770.674.3900 or sales@speartek.com. | 
