Your website was built and intended to get you more clients. However, there is another factor to consider, and it’s a biggie. And that is… branding. Which to be fair may only send you clients later on, but it has to be attended to.
Consider this:
Of all the visitors that come to your website, only a small number actually do business with you straight away. In fact, only a small number do business with you at all. So most of them leave – but what are they thinking when they do? What is that first, lasting impression you made on them? Will they be willing to recommend you to someone else if the situation arises?
Branding is usually a matter of quality, consistency, trust, and uniqueness. So what can you do to bring these points across?
Develop a USP
Otherwise known as a unique selling proposition. In other words, offer your website visitors something that is perceived to be unique, or different from the competition. Note – it does not have to be unique – it just has to be perceived as unique.
It could be something that everyone else in your trade offers – but no one else talks about it. If you are the first to mention it, you take the cake. It will have no value for anyone else to do so afterwards. (No one pays attention to someone shouting “me, too!”)
If you do not find it possible to develop a USP, at least develop a VP – a value proposition – that sets you apart from the competition. Offer your clients something more – even if it is something simple that will not cost you much to implement.
Showcase Your Expertise
Since branding is about earning trust, showing your potential clients how much you know is bound to make an impact. For instance – you run a hardware store. You offer advice freely to your clients – so why not offer that same advice freely on your website? By doing so, you are letting your prospect know that you will be able to help him or her make the right choices – which will brand you as an expert.
Showcase Your Track Record
Every business that has been around for a while has (at least some) happy clients. By showing them (and their testimonials) off on your website, you can put the visitor’s mind at ease – and prove that you are the right choice for the task at hand.
Get Social
And finally, remember to link to your social profiles from your website. Having people link up with you on social networks will allow you the opportunity to expose them to more information and even “different” information than what you might share on your website. This is good because it allows people to see a different side of you and get to know you better. And it’s a fact that most people find it easier to do business with (or recommend) “someone they know”.
Which is what branding is really all about.
Knowing.
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Hallo! Your web-site seems to be perfect and I hope the you will go on working in the same manner.