design

Plan. Create. Evaluate.

My approach to a website design (or REdesign, as the case may be) is threefold.

Plan. Create. Evaluate. Those are three key pieces to a website that sometimes gets overlooked, or set aside. I think one of the reasons this happens is because people assume (or in the past have been conditioned to believe) that website design is about the pretty graphics or colors or fanciness. So they hire a designer who makes something sparkle. Something flash. A fantastic looking header that could be stuck on a wall in a gallery. But when it comes down to actually using that website as a business tool, all the flash and fancy in the world won’t keep profits coming in. Enter Plan. Create. Evaluate.

Plan. Create. Evaluate.

My personal threefold approach to website design takes into consideration first and foremost one of my favorite sayings in the world: “Do everything on purpose”. Take time to plan out your site elements, from the small to the big, and do it ON PURPOSE. After you have a plan, create the beautiful site of your dreams (or the basic, black text on white background. Whatever. Doesn’t matter as long as it fits in with your plan.) Then let that site sit for a while (albeit, with updates and posts and normal activity from you). See what happens. Give it 3-6 months. Once you have let your site stew, then it’s time to evaluate. Is it working? Are you getting the traffic you need? Are you getting sales? What reaction do visitors give you? If it’s working, then keep it up!! If not, it may be time to start a new (or altered) plan.

Thing is, your website (and total web presence for that matter) is kind of a living thing. It needs attention. It needs care. It needs to be checked up on every once in a while. Letting a site sit dormant with no activity and no evaluation will not help your business grow.

Looking back.

Many times entrepreneurs either already have or are getting ready to launch a web presence that just “gets the job done”. I have seen many people invest hundreds and thousands of dollars in coaching programs, products, seminars and networking events all with the goal of creating a profitable business – but when it comes time to implement all they have learned, their web presence gets the least amount of attention and in many cases the least budget. Entrepreneurs tend to develop this idea that their product/service/skill can “sell itself!” and why invest a lot of money in creating a flashy site?!?! But the truth of the matter is this: It does not matter how awesome your product is. If buyers can’t find it. If happy customers can’t share it. If you can’t use a success from the past to promote something new. Then what’s the point of having a business in the first place?

I often compare an online entrepreneur’s website to your average, everyday store. Look at where YOU shop in your normal week, month or year. Why do you shop there?? For me, it’s Target. I love Target. And I love Target because:

I can always find one. The brand is unmistakable. It’s a bull’s eye for goodness sake! But I know bull’s eye = Target b/c I see it so much in everything. And driving in a strange area of the city / country I can spot that logo from a mile away!
I know where everything is in the store. Almost all their stores are laid out the same. I can go into a Target in Hoboken and find paper towels in a heartbeat because they are in the same place as my neighborhood store. Familiarity makes it appealing to me.
New items, sale items and special lines are showcased in obvious places, so I see all kinds of cool things I never would have thought to buy each time I go in there. (Ok, not so good for the checkbook – but you get my gist)
I get what I pay for. The quality of their products is totally in line with the cost.

I then compare it to other stores in my area – maybe a specialty shop or a boutique. Why don’t I shop there? Well, because I have never heard of the name. Maybe the storefront is not very appealing, maybe I feel lost when I enter the store or the prices are WAY out of my league (or maybe I just THINK they are).

Now, I don’t say this because I think all entrepreneurs websites should be big box sites. No!! I don’t want your site to be an amazon.com.

But what I DO want to see is a brand that I recognize (maybe from seeing stuff posted on Facebook, or talked about on a blog or on Twitter) and a site I can actually find, a site that lets me find what I want on it easily, calls to action that tell me what new, cool things I should be looking at, and products/programs/services that have VALUE (i.e. get what I pay for).

When I see a site that screams “gets the job done” I immediately think that entrepreneur either doesn’t have the money to afford a well designed website (read: business not doing well), doesn’t care about their website (read: they don’t care about what they are selling, or me as a client), or has no idea what they are doing online (read: they have no idea what they are doing online). While that may not be the case at all, it’s important to understand that your website is a virtual representation of you and your business, and it’s worth the time, effort and money to make it right.

Warning Signs.

There are a lot of warning signs that can tell you if your current site needs a change (or if your current “plan of attack” for an upcoming site needs work). I’m gonna focus on right now on sites that are currently up, but this can be related to sites that have not been created yet – so keep these in mind, new business folks.

Sales have taken a nose dive since the site first lauched.
You have a high bounce rate.
The time people spend on your site is small.
You have no idea how to find out your bounce rate or time spent on site.
You’re not getting many (or any) incoming links to your site.
You blog traffic is not converting into website traffic.
No one can find your site without a direct URL.
You rarely get sign ups for your newsletter or downloads of your freebies.

If any (or – yikes – all) of these fit you, it’s high time you get some help for your website.

Problem Areas.

It can be an overwhelming task to evaluate your site, especially if you don’t know what you are looking for! Below are a few key areas to look at when doing a self evaluation.

Finding you. Good SEO takes time, but bad SEO can rip the bottom out from under you in no time. Does your site utilize all the basic SEO tools like meta data, keywords and simple URLs? (If you thought “What does that stuff mean?” then your answer is most likely NO) And does your web presence have a fluid brand? (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, sales pages, etc…)

Figuring you out. Navigation is the backbone to business websites. Does your navigation, wherever it may be, make sense to your target market? Are you making it hard to find your products or programs?

Spreading the word. Word of mouth is key. Are you giving people an easy way to spread the word on you?

Keeping it fresh. How fresh is the content on your site? Has it been months (or even years) since you added content to your site? Does your blog get updated daily, but the site you sell your services on never get touched?

While there are many more areas to check on, looking at these four basic things and making adjustments to them will make a difference.

I swear I am wrapping this up!

Did you recognize any of the warning signs for your website? Did you see some of those problem areas on your site? Then take action!! Spend 30 minutes a day doing something to move your site out of the danger zone (sorry for the Top Gun reference there).

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Dizzy? Freaked? Many entrepreneurs do. And I think that is why many don’t take action when they need to. And here is where all my rambling is going… get help!!

I can pitch to you right now that you should hire me to help you (and yes, I am a great option ) but in total truth I am less concerned with WHO you get to help you then I am with the fact that you recognize that there ARE people out there who can help you, who do this for a living, for a reason, and that you can utilize to make the most out of your business.

You would not hire a plumber to remodel your house, would you? (Gosh I hope not!) And while you may physically and intellectually be able to remodel your own house, the best option you can choose is to hire a skilled contractor who can draw up plans, perform all the work, and get the job done right. The same goes for your website. Whether you need to build your first website or your current site needs a boost, find a skilled web designer who will work with you to plan out and create a site FOR YOU and your needs.

On purpose.

My First Rejection.

Well, no, not really. I’ve been rejected before. But this time, it was different. I liked it. This time, it was exactly what I needed to hear.

You see, as a business owner and a site designer, I had a problem. For the longest time I would always, always say “yes”. I was the “yes” girl.

When I launched my new business this past January, I vowed to make changes. I vowed to set up guidelines for working with me – and to stick with them.

Creating a website or graphic for someone else’s company takes work from both sides – I need your feedback and ideas before I can get you what you actually want. I have created worksheets and questionnaires for my clients to fill out so I can get all the answers I need. That was one of the problems I had in the past – clients saying “I don’t care, do what you think is best” which is not conducive to building YOUR brand. If I design everything based on my style and taste, ultimately you will end up not being satisfied with your product. (Not to be confused with me building on an idea – that’s different)

So when I was contacted by a prospective client this week, and the email was a huge red-flag for me. It simply read “Hello. Please send me your skill set. Thank You.”. Right off the bat, I knew they didn’t take even a second to visit my website, since listed right there in plain english are my “skill sets”.

My reply was cordial and friendly – explaining my procedure for phone consolations and requesting for more info on the project over email prior to the call. His response was a flat out “No” – he needed his stuff now and could not wait.

Now, I understand the need for getting something done ASAP. I am sympathetic to that and I will bend my rules in certain situations. But assuming I will stop work on all my clients projects and prioritize yours when we have no prior relationship and when you refuse to send details over email is just, well, insulting to me. The reality is, I run a business, I am busy, I have clients – and treating me as if my schedule is unimportant is just rude.

So I was happy with that rejection. I celebrated (with a cookie, actually). It reinforced the fact that I was making the right decision by establishing my boundaries and standing by them. My clients know that they are important to me and that they will be taken care of. And for those who are not my clients yet, I hope you understand that my rules and restrictions are in place for two reasons – 1) Because I respect myself and 2) Because I respect my clients.

Here’s the real truth — I am not an employee. I used to feel like getting a client project was actually them doing me a favor. Now I recognize that it’s the opposite. Web designers are a dime a dozen… and everyone treats their business differently. I’m not reinvently the wheel here, I know there are other people who can do what I do… but what you get when you work with me is… ta da! Me! And while before I just lumped myself in the category of “just another web designer”, I now know I am different b/c I am personally involved in my clients project. I want them to succeed more then I want them to pay me (the money is just a perk).

So from here on out, my prospects and I interview each other – we decide if we should work together. I do not give the time of day to those people who treat me as if I am their employee, as if they are doing me a favor. Trust me, I don’t need those kind of favors.

Stop Selling Yourself Short… and Start Simply Selling Yourself!

This is a guest post on The Wealth Spa Magazine (www.thewealthspa.com) by me!! (Yay!). Just thought I would share, since I am proud.

I launched my web design business 4 years ago when the list of people who needed my services grew to a point where I could not ignore the need anymore. So I spent just 3 days building my own site – taking design cues from my peers and creating a very “industry standard” website. It was a nice enough site; it brought in business and allowed me to quit my “real job” to invest all my time into design. I had a steady client base but no real niche. I was dealing with clients who did not really mesh well with me personally and I found myself more stressed then satisfied.

Since that time I have had 5 incarnations of my business site. When I got frustrated, to the end of my rope with stress, I would redesign my site hoping it would draw in a different clientele. Each time I took cues from other design sites or utilized the newest fad in design and each time I got a new batch of clients… but walked away with the same stress and dissatisfaction.

So what was I doing wrong?

In the summer of 2008, with my introduction (and slight addiction) to the social networking site Twitter, I figured it out. What was I missing in marketing my business? Me!!

The one thing all those design incarnations was missing was my personality. So once again I went and redesigned my site – and instead of designing something that “fit” with my peers, I created a style that screamed “Victoria!!”

In the weeks after I made the switch to marketing myself rather then my business, I witnessed a complete turnaround, and boom (Yay!), in my business. Instead of trying to figure out what my clients wanted me to be, I was simply myself. In my web presence, my social networking and my communications with clients and prospects I stayed true to my personality and the response was phenomenal! The best part about this newfound business identity: I’ve developed friendships with my clients and a true pride in the work that I provide for them.

This idea of marketing yourself is nothing new. Throughout the ages, women have utilized their appearance as a signature of their style – from clothing, hair, or accessories, woman have found a way to distinguish themselves by their look. When we get dressed in the morning or for a night out, we take care in choosing the right look so that we can show who we are to everyone, ultimately marketing ourselves socially.

As we venture into this new Web 2.0 world, our online style becomes a virtual “look” for our business, distinguishing what the business it all about. As important as first impressions are in the “real world”, the online world works the same. The look and feel of your blog, website or social networking profile will tell your visitors who you are and help them decide if you are the right person to do business with.

wardrobe

Think about the look that you personally display everyday – do your graphics, logo and style for your sites match that look? Do your clients know who they are doing business with?

In my design business, my sites act as my virtual wardrobe. I do not have one particular style all the time in the “real world” just like I do not have one particular style for my designs – but they all have parts that represent me. When I build my sites, I take the piece of my style that fits in with the theme of that site (i.e. my site catering to musicians has a different feel then my site catering to online marketers, but both have their own “Victoria” flair.)

Whether you are selling a product or a service, you are ultimately selling you. Is your website a virtual representation of you?

Capturing you… and your audience.

What does your website say about you? Take some time and review your own site, through the eyes of a prospect. Ignore for a moment the content (while content is the main ingredient of a website, it is the look and feel of a site that will keep your visitor engaged) and look at your color scheme, your fonts, your picture, the flow of the page. What does it tell someone who does not know who you are? If you were the prospect, would you be compelled to hand your money over to this person? Why?

Challenge: poll a group of people who do not know you on a personal level to look at your website and try to describe you.

Now check out your competition. Your competitor’s site can tell you a lot about what you should – and shouldn’t- be doing on yours. Analyze their site the same way – what does their design say about their personality? What would make your target market hire them before you?

Next, take a look at your current client list. Those clients that you love to work with, who give repeat business and referrals, what types of people are they? If you have found your niche already, great! If not, it’s time. One of the biggest teachings in marketing yourself as an entrepreneur is to find your target market. It’s a struggle at first to put limitations on who you market to for fear that you will then limit your income. On the contrary, most often you end up increasing your income… and your sanity. Look a little deeper into who hires you and you will probably find that the majority of those people who love to work with you and who you love to work with have personalities just like you.

What now?

So you reviewed your site… and something about it doesn’t scream ‘you!’ Where do you go from here?

Decide where it’s going wrong. Make a list for the designer of the good and bad of your site – from style all the way down to function.
Figure out the ‘you’ that you want to represent. Here’s a tip: Check out your testimonials! Most testimonials include something that points out a character trait that makes that client love you. Is there a common theme in your testimonials that can help you see why your current clients work with you? If most of your clients stress how “down to earth” you are, then there’s a pretty good chance that’s what sets you apart from your competitors!
Look for a designer that ‘fits’. Ask your clients, friends, family if they know designers – then surf their sites and find one that appeals to you emotionally. There’s a good chance that once you find a site you like, you will probably like working with that designer. Be wary of design firms that offer to customize a pre-built template – while it may be cheaper, tweaking a canned template does nothing for promoting your uniqueness.
Start small when designing a new brand – logos are the easiest to start with. Most designers will send you multiple examples to choose from. Before choosing, ask your peers their opinion on the designs. Sometimes others can see things that you cannot.
Build your entire online empire around the new vision of ‘you!’ Branding is everything to entrepreneurs – and when you overhaul your website, follow up by using that style in your eNewsletters, Blogs, Social Networking Sites, etc. Since the key to sales is trust – when you show your prospects that you remain consistent across the board, their trust in who you are grows. Keep in mind what makes you stand out from your competitors is the “you” factor. Whether selling a product or a service, you are ultimately selling you.

Your business identity should reflect your personality. When you look over your website, when you see your logo, when you review your eNewsletter, how does it make you feel? If it feels impersonal to you, chances are it won’t pull in your prospects either. Showing off how awesome you are in your brand will not only help you develop strong relationships with your clients and bring in the new business that you really want, but it gives you confidence and pride in your business and yourself.

About the Author

;Sign up for my FREE Special Report: Twenty Quick Things You Can Do to Boost Your Online Presence at http://www.lynnraedesigns.com or tweet with me at http://Twitter.com/victoriapk

Photo of me courtesy of Corey Woodruff.

Photo of “wardrobe remix” courtesy of Mai Le via Flickr.