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Do’s & Dont’s for Your Business Websiteby Michelle Loretta, Sage Wedding Pros Your business website is often the first impression that a potential client has with your company and the services that it offers. Here are a few of my do’s and don’ts that will help ensure engaged couples are enticed to meet you and do business with you: |
DO invest in your website BEFORE you invest in
advertising
Many small business owners invest thousands of dollars in advertising only to lose the customer the minute they come to the website. Make sure your branding and website are solid before paying for the traffic.
DO highlight your history and experience in the ‘About’
page
Far too many business owners leave out the meat when sharing about themselves on the biography page of their website. Engaged couples are interested in learning about the person behind the business. And, don’t leave out your work history - even if it’s unrelated to what you do now. All of that work experience is valuable!
DO keep it simple
Generally, people click no more than 5 pages when doing research about someone’s business. Keep your website’s format simple and uncluttered. Make it easy for people to get the information they need and don’t overload them with too much text, too much color, too many graphics, or too much of anything.
DON’T mismatch your website with your blog
Branding should be consistent throughout every piece of visual identity you have. Your website should match (or mirror) your blog, your business cards, your promotional materials. Working with a solid graphic designer can be key to making sure all of these ingredients reflect the soul of your business.
DON’T link your Twitter feed to your site if your tweets
are not suitable for all audiences
You may have set up your Twitter account with the intention to promote your business. But, if you’ve strayed the course and tweet about things you wouldn’t feel comfortable having potential clients read, you may not want to link it to your website. Again - think about your brand and how consistent your Twitter messaging is to that brand.
DON’T leave out your contact information
You may be a wedding pro who’s “ready to travel” but it’s important to list where your business is based. Your clients want to know if they can meet you face-to-face. And, they need to know how to contact you. Don’t forget to include your phone number and email address. If your business is out of your home, you may want to consider getting a PO box or at least listing your city and state. And, don’t hide these under layers of sub-directories. Make sure it’s quick for the client to access or they’ll move onto the next wedding pro’s site.
And, one last DON’T... DON’T obsess about
your website!
I see far too many business owners that are paralyzed until their website is “perfect”. Perfection is self-defeating. Strive for excellence, not perfection. You want to get out their and sell and if waiting until you have a perfect website is your goal, you’ll be missing out on the opportunity to build your business.
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About the Author Michelle Loretta is a
consultant for wedding and event professionals and writes daily for the Sage Wedding Pros’ business blog. She has a varied history as an accounting
nerd, sales vixen, and stationery entrepreneur. |
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