Your Business Website: Will Clients Like What They Find?

The purpose of a business website is to promote a company in some fashion. Whether a company is selling products or providing services, the site needs to incorporate all of the technical aspects that make it both web-visitor and search-engine friendly. The ability to do this is no small feat. That’s why serious businesses utilize professional web builder and SEO services to ensure that they can receive the best possible results.
Customer Friendly Website Design
Everyone has heard, time and again, that the customer is always right. The way that this is applied to web design is that when people arrive at the site, they need to feel welcomed. If not, just like in a brick and mortar store, they will leave. Added to the challenge is that web visitors are impatient – they simply are not going to stick around if there is nothing worth looking at on the site. Because there is so little time to engage them, every second counts when visitors arrive at a website.

What are Customers Expecting?

First, what are they not expecting? There is nothing more annoying to a web visitor than a poorly designed website. An ugly or outdated site is not fun and it wastes time. Therefore, your website simply must be designed properly – and that is best done by an expert web builder. Secondly, the site must be user friendly. The layout should be clean and simple, with links that make sense and work properly.

Who’s Looking Anyway?

There are generally three types of people who could arrive at a website for any given reason:

1) Random strangers – People who know nothing about the business have landed on the page due to a related search. Theoretically, they could still be converted to customers or refer the site to others they believe would find it useful. Therefore, the site should contain something of value to the average person, if possible, such as current and relevant articles that solve a problem.

2) Friends of Yours – They like your cause or business. These are people who probably know your URL and may visit on a regular basis. To keep these people engaged, there should always be fresh content to lure them in. One great way to accomplish this is by encouraging people to visit the site through a newsletter or membership.

3) Fans – These are more avid web visitors who regularly come to the site for — you guessed it – the same thing that friends come there for and more. These are often consumers who make regular purchases, so it is very important to ensure that they stay loyal.

Do You Have Fresh Content?

The one thing that all three of these types of web visitors have in common is that they want great, fresh content to be inspired for repeat visits. One added bonus about fresh content is that it also makes the website more search engine friendly. So it’s a win-win for everyone! Customers get something of value, the site stays at the top of the search engines and you have far more potential to:
-Keep customers engaged
-Engage new prospects
-Attract new customers
-Make more sales

Because websites are on the Internet and available for most everyone to see, it is important for serious business owners to ensure that their sites present the most accurate and relevant picture of their offerings possible. When a site is is visually appealing and constructed well by a professional SEO company, such as www.eversparkinteractive.com, it is more likely to attract, and keep, all kinds of visitors.

Since there is only one chance to make a first impression – a site really must make those clicks count! Professional web design is the only way that businesses can ensure that their sites will include both technical and marketing best practice techniques. This is absolutely critical in order to consistently gain and keep a loyal following and attract target markets.

As a writer in the arts and business fields, Ann Bailey sees the beneficial effects of good web design daily. The professional web and SEO builders at www.eversparkinteractive.com put every client’s web design on the cutting edge of internet business presence.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chasingdaisy/5843303770/

 

 

5 ways banks are attracting more customers

For a bank, getting customers are pretty difficult these days; launching great bank account offers is a plausible way to get new customers, but having great programs alone is not enough; you need to get your hands dirty and be active.

Since what you are offering are pretty much similar with your competitors, your bet way in soaring above the competition is by adding value to your conventional banking products. One of the most effective ways to add value is via rewards.

unique bank ad
Image by IK’s World Trip / Flickr

If you are involved with any banking institutions here are some ways banks can attract more customers to give you an idea or two:

1. Offering unique – even quirky – rewards

Giving new customers rewards are quite common (and still effective, somehow.) However, sometimes banks need to spice up their offers. Offering something unique that has never been offered by other banks will surely make a bank stands out above the rest. For example, Hanmi Bank has given customers a bag of rice (!) for opening a checking account (source: MyBankTracker.com) The sky is the limit!

2. Ask customers for referrals – and reward them

Customers are banks’ best evangelists. If a bank’s service is top-notch, chances are customers will likely to tell their friends and colleagues about it. How about encouraging your customers to get you referrals by giving them rewards – shopping vouchers, etc. ?

3. Partnership

A good partnership is always crucial for any type of businesses – including banks. Partnering with, say, an education institution can allow you tap onto a strong customer base (students, teachers, etc.) How about cross-selling with a, say, department store to give customers special discounts if they have an account with your bank?

4. Use social media

Just like many traditional industry, banks are slow to adopt social media. According to The New York Times, banks are slow to embrace social media. Given the success of others in social media arena, banks should embrace social media more.

5. Go back to the basics

This is probably the best way to attract customers to your bank: Build a relationship in a good, old fashion way. Help customers with their needs – nurture and care them well. No advertising budget to spend; just focus your efforts in serving your customers. Local customers are indispensable, indeed.

So, there you go – some of the most effective ways for banks to attract more customers. Of course, there are many other (creative) ways a bank can do to get new customers; so if you have any please share with us by leaving your comments below.