3 Website Pet Peeves To Avoid
Posted December 16th, 2009 by Tem Balanco
When building a website, customers accidentally overlook some of the more important aspects of providing information to a prospective customer visiting your website.
In the flurry of work required to get your website done, focusing on content, photos, your marketing message, sometimes the basics fall through the cracks. It’s understandable and in this blog post, I hope to help you with some of the basic pet peeves you can easily avoid on your website.
Not surprisingly, these issues relate to getting a hold of you! Making it easier and easier for your prospects to contact you and conduct business is a basic, but critical step in the success of your website. In past blog posts, I’ve suggested ways to speed up your sales cycle, this post covers the basics and the easiest pet peeves to avoid on your website.
Pet Peeve #1: Your contact Information is not on your home page
Often times customers just want to get a hold of someone and ask a quick question. The speed at which you can do that will determine your success. We hear from customers every day that they appreciate that we answer our phones live.
Many times a prospect has already decided to purchase something and they are looking to call you and make the transaction. Provide your full contact information on your home page, at a minimum your 800 # or business phone number. Let the prospect decide how they want to contact you, whether it’s phone, mail or email.
Pet Peeve #2: There is no phone number on your website
This is probably one of the most important things you can have on your website. Many people are comfortable with email, but most still prefer to conduct business over the phone. Don’t give them an excuse to go elsewhere, put your phone number on ever page on your website. Either at the top or at a minimum in a footer of your website.
Pet Peeve #3: The only way to get information is via email link or contact form
Many website owners only provide an email link as a way for the prospect for you contact them. Maybe it’s the lack of resources initially, but I believe this is a big mistake. Again, customers want to speak to someone fast and email as we all know is slow.
Even if you are on top of your emails, the perception to the customer is that you are not as professional as you could be by having a phone number listed on your website. Many services allow you to forward a 800 # to your cell phone. So, you do not need an expensive phone system to appear professional.
Bottom line: It’s best to provide FULL contact information on your website, that is address, phone email, contact page link. Let the customer decide which way they prefer to contact you. This basic change on your website will help you be more successful.
