The right website elements = sales & money

If you run a business website, it makes sense to have it help you sell stuff, right?

But have you ever looked at your website to see if does help you sell stuff, or if it makes hard work for your potential customers?

A recent review of websites…

I have been looking for some software for a c lient without any prior knowledge of any relevant suppliers. So I was relying entirely on what I found online.

Not surprisingly, I looked at a few sites.

1. I started with the top site listed in Google AdWords and found… 
   • very small font that was hard to read (lucky I don’t have poor eyesight to start with!)
   • after 5 minutes, I found a small link on one inner page that showed me a demonstration of the program (for a function I didn’t actually want) – otherwise no screenshots or demonstrations are on the site
   • the list of features includes things like “enables businesses to focus on their skills” and “proven reliable since 2000” – it doesn’t answer questions about the capabilities of the software to the point that it really isn’t a list of features at all
   • there was a huge list of testimonials on a distinct page (not near any information) rather than actual information
   • there are no prices listed on the site to give me any guidance as to the quality of their product or if it’s within budget
   • I decided I didn’t trust them with my email address or phone number so they are not a potential supplier
2. So I went to the second site listed in Google AdWords to find it… 
   • looked much better than site 1 – it was clean, easy to read and not text-heavy
   • the prices and features pages were just contact forms so the site was actually information poor
   • I noted the footer mentioned an affiliation with a company I know overcharges like a wounded bull so I closed that window, too

   

3. Thus I moved onto the third site in Google AdWords…
   •  it was professionally laid out, gave clear direction to relevant parts of the site and written with a consumer in mind
   • they provide a 30 day free trial which built my confidence in them
   • includes a clear list of ‘for $x you get these features’ so I could assess if it suited my needs and budget straight away (and no need to waste their time on a non-qualified customer)
   • all packages even include a webinar on how to use the software, available to all my client’s staff – this is a great bonus and probably cost very little to produce
   • I trusted this business but the features my client needs weren’t there unfortunately – at least I knew that quickly, though
4. Next, I looked at the fourth site from Google AdWords and saw 
   • lots of white space on the page and an overall professional look and feel
   • clear answers to key questions, followed by a list of benefits (eg saves time and improves revenue) and some testimonials – all on the home page
   • home page has a button ‘instant demo’ so I can see what is on offer and mentions a 30 day free trial – instantly developing my trust. And 30 days money back guarantee effectively means you get 60 days trial!
   • the home page has a feed from their blog – with 3 items from the last two weeks showing me it is current and they maintain their site
   • the pricing page is a comparison table of their plans, clearly showing the actual price and included features
   • their main menu includes ‘help’ which leads to a knowledge base and a lot more details than I need to know at this stage. Note the excess information was not in my face to overwhelm me, but it easily found which again builds my trust
   • I recommended this supplier to my client and we have since trialled the software and it is working very well in tests.

I actually looked at a couple more potential suppliers, but these four  showed the absolute importance of a good website to help you sell to prospective customers.