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Could you imagine what it would be like if you weren’t able to travel on the roads, but everyone around you could? Think about how difficult it would be to get from place to place. The ability to gather and communicate, and heck, do business would be greatly limited, wouldn’t you think? I think that this same concept could apply for a business or organization that is considering a website, but hasn’t put one together yet.
Think of the Internet as your road (it is the information super highway after all) and you’re (potential) website or business as a customer’s destination. If you’re still relying solely on print advertising and word of mouth to expand your company’s marketability, it’s like trying to get from place-to-place in your car without driving on roads—it’s clunky, slow, and in the long run it’s going to be expensive. (Can you imagine the repair costs for driving your sedan off road?!).
This isn’t to say that there isn’t a place for those types mediums of advertising anymore. There absolutely is. But take a moment and consider a few reasons why you should consider adding a website to those mediums you may already use.
Cheaper and more flexible than print advertising
Having a web presence is much different than print advertising in that web space is cheap, and your ‘advertisement’ is more accessible for a longer period of time. Also, content can be changed easily (either through a content management system or your web master) and you can reach a global audience instantly.
All day, every day.
Don’t you hate when you have to turn a potential customer away because they call 5 minutes after your shop closes? Think about how many people you may have missed because the office was closed for a public holiday. With a website, you’re ‘open for business’ all day, every day of the year, and all it takes is a click of the mouse.
Convenience
When was the last time you actually looked up a phone number or information in the phone book? Isn’t it easier to simply search for a company’s information on the internet? By offering this type of convenience, you create a point of reference, and with that touch of individualized customer service, you add value to your offering. As a result, your customers experience a higher level of satisfaction.
These are just a few reasons why having a website is important for companies. Talk with someone at Elexicon for a more in-depth look at how we can put together a web strategy that is sure to add all these things and more to your organization.
Take a moment and think of your home, whatever that may be. What makes that dwelling more than just a living space? Many would say that it’s considered a home because it’s a reflection of the entire image of the individual. (C’mon, we all have our favorite chair or special room). I think the same holds true for your website. (It is called a ‘home’ page after all, right?) Why shouldn’t your home page be the most compelling and attention-getting page of your web site?
Because of this, I think it’s even more vital for individuals, companies and organizations to really look at their current home pages (or take this into consideration while planning their web development strategy) to see how effective their being with portraying their company image. Face it, you only have a matter of seconds when a new viewer comes to your website to capture their attention. If you can’t accomplish this, they’ll be gone quicker than they came.
A Few Things to Consider…
Information layout:
It’s important to look at how the information on your site reads. Where does your eye want to follow when you initially look at the site?
Content Length:
Short paragraphs and tid-bits of text trump long amounts of text any day, especially on a home page. Let the viewer have the option to continue reading if they choose, shown with a link to the full information.
Discernable navigation:
It’s important that the web visitor can figure out how to get to the accommodating pages on the website easily. This is accomplished with clear navigation displayed prominently.
There are of course a large number of other things to keep in mind when developing a good home page, but each client is different, and with their differences come different needs and requirements, but I think that these three areas described are pretty universal, whether you’re a multi-million dollar global enterprise, or a local coffee shop looking to expand brand visualization.
Talk with someone at Elexicon to see what can be done with your site to really make a great first impression, and how we can help turn the first page of your website into a really dynamic ‘home’ page. (And maybe we’ll even throw in that favorite chair in the process.)
Elexicon has completed and helped launch a new web site design and identity system for Systems Maintenance Services, Inc. Based in Hudson, MA with locations nation-wide, SMS is a leading provider of expert professional maintenance services for corporate IT systems. Elexicon completely overhauled the company’s logo and product identity system and wrapped the new look and feel around the re-launch of their web presence.
Elexicon is an interactive design and development agency based in Grand Rapids, Michigan...More>
