Brand Your Business & Get New Customers

Business Branding & Image

A website communicates the style, level of professionalism and theme of a business. It reveals what a company is all about and having one is instrumental in today’s marketplace. When viewers visit a site, the amount of information, level of usability and functionality all go towards creating an impression on a potential customer.

Keep in mind that your website can often be the first point of contact to your business. What is the impression you want to give of your company? Often I visit websites that have poor navigation, or the graphical design is too complex and confusing thereby overpowering the actual message that is trying to be delivered. Often times the site looks as though the web site was created by an amateur.

These all give off bad impressions to the visitor, making them question the rest of your business as well. After all, if so little effort and consideration is given to this, their first contact with a customer, then how are their services and products?

Providing a first-class service or product is reflected through ALL of your contact with the customer. This includes forms that are photocopied to the point of un-readability, brochures that are obviously quickly created, business cards that have perforations around the edges, and websites that are poorly done. Is this the image you want to give to your customers?

Customer Service

Whether or not you are selling a tangible product, you want to be able to provide enhanced customer service that will give you a competitive edge in the market place. In being able to provide 24/7 access to information, forms, products, and marketing to your customers, you place yourself at a higher level of customer service than your competitors who do not have an internet presence.

You can do this by offering the following:

• Detailed information about your company and your services.
• Highlight menus, products, descriptions, etc.
• Sell your product & services online with an online shopping cart.
• Get leads online with easy to use quote forms.
• Post business hours or a change in address/phone number.
• Provide knowledge and industry related articles.
• Reveal achievements, awards, testimonials, reviews and memberships.

Cost Savings

Companies that provide services such as catering to individuals and businesses would benefit greatly by allowing their customers to view their menu online and place orders online. This eliminates the need to send out menus, inform clients of changes in pricing or menu selections, as well as save time on the phone, email and/or fax answering questions and confirming orders.

Reduction of printing costs can be realized in many situations, including brochures, newsletters, patient information sheets, protocols, hand outs, etc. Many of these items are given to a client and end up in a file or in the garbage simply because we run out of room to keep them. Directing a client to a link on your website saves time and money.

Closing

In closing let me simply state that in this day and age, where people have little time, work long hours, have many commitments and little patience to spend a vast amount of effort in attempting communication, a website is the perfect opportunity for you to be available at all times for their convenience.

While I realize that not all of your customers and clients would use your website, it is a simple fact that more and more people are using the internet to conduct various forms of business. Are you willing to give up that market of potential clients?