Is Your Website Losing Business?
I often discuss all the possibilities you can use a website as a positive:
Whether that be promoting your brand, converting clicks into customers, or simply educating potential buyers.
But what is rarely discussed is the possible downside your website may pose.
Now why would you lose business because of your site?
Let’s take a step in your customer’s shoes:
70% of all consumers will check out your website BEFORE purchasing a product, scheduling a meeting, or even think of buying from you.
Another stat on this is that consumers often times engage with your brand an average of 7–9 times before purchasing. This includes social media which is for another podcast, but this certainly includes your website. In fact, if you talk to milennials they will judge your business based on your website over even referrals or reviews. Why? Because they like to make opinions and decisions for themselves.
So the question is, is your website an accurate representation of your business?
Let’s go over a few questions to assess whether this is the case for you or not.
Does your website look like it was made before 2010?
If you need to ask what qualifies that, then your answer is yes. Far too many businesses fall into the trap of going with a web provider that develops a poor website on a platform with minimal integrations. If this is the case I’d recommend going with a more common web provider such as Wordpress, Wix, Webflow, etc… then getting your website moved onto that platform, or re-designing it as a whole. You will save money, be able to utilize more integrations, and have a website that isn’t prehistoric.
If you have a newer looking website it’s essential that you utilize modern integrations to then make the most of your site. Google analytics and opt-in monster are a good start giving you more data on your site and capturing more emails for your CRM.
Does your website accurately represent your business?
Oftentimes websites aren’t an actual representation of the business. Whether it be stock footage as the images, poor vocabulary that sounds like industry jargon, or an overall feel that doesn’t fit the brand.
It’s important to make the website about the business. If you prefer to use normal english over industry jargon, have that on your site. And follow your own website model. Have you ever seen a website:
Header — we do *something big or cool*
We are X company doing *big picture 1* big goal, maybe a mission statement.
Then: Here’s the cool work we do and/or this is what it looks like we do.
A website is not your personal biography. Your website should be about your visitors the same way your sales are. So personalize it accordingly.
The new Social Apex website is a great example that has been years in the making. The website itself isn’t perfect but is an actual representation of who we are, what we believe, and is oriented towards consumers not ourselves.
How does your website look in comparison to competitors?
Be honest with yourself and make a decision accordingly. If your website is not the distinct winner between the two it is vital you take care of this. The reality is your future business is going to primarily web driven regardless of the industry you are in.
So it’s essential you build for the future by having a solid website that drives business. Far too many business owners rely on word of mouth or referrals. In the digital age referrals are led by links to your site, so prepare accordingly.
Use this assesment & questions to determine where your site is at, and how you can resolve certain issues.
Your website should reinforce your brand & drive revenue, not the opposite. So ensure your website is up to standards and is a positive not a negative.
