You make your Logo. Then we'll make everything match.
Before You Build Your Website:
8 Common Misconceptions
By John Williams, president of LogoYes.com
Copyright 2007, John Williams
If you're feeling pressure to create an Internet site for your company,
you’re not alone. Even if you don't want to sell your products or services
directly over the Internet, simply maintaining a professional-looking,
well-functioning Internet site can help a new company seem more established.
(Conversely, having an unappealing, poorly functioning site hurts.) Before
you get started on that online component to your business, though, consider
the following common misconceptions:
- "If I build it, they will come".
Marketing your site may not be as easy as it seems. You'll need
economical ways to direct traffic to your site on a national (or
international) level. Perhaps the most obvious way is to advertise on
search engines like Google and Overture, but this can get expensive.
Unfortunately, it can take months or even years for your URL to turn up
near the top of organic searches. Investigate other ways to get eyes to
your site, like affiliate programs, e-mail newsletters, and partnering.
- Online, the more you offer, the more you'll sell (generalization
vs. specialization). Trying to be all things to all people rarely
works. It may seem logical that the more you have to offer, the more
people you'll attract. However, even if you attract them, will they buy?
The "general" aspect of your offering will communicate that the value of
your product/service is equal to that of others – so price becomes the
only issue, and branding becomes difficult. In today's marketplace,
there’s a powerful demand for specialized products and services. The
point is to differentiate your company from your competitors. Determine
your niche and stick to it.
- The best way to generate sales is to copy the
competition – in everything from marketing strategies and
positioning to sales offers and design choices. Remember the adage that
imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? This means that when you
imitate, you're not just reminding your audience about your competition
– you're suggesting they're better! Certainly you can learn things from
what your competition does, but blaze your own trail if you're serious
about branding your company.
- Your Home page should explain everything about your business, or
you'll lose visitors. You've got about 3 seconds to hook
visitors – not bore them with visually overwhelming text. Grab their
attention by being clear, concise and compelling.
- Once I get my site up, sales will skyrocket. Yes, your
potential customer pool has grown exponentially – but so has your
competition. How will you stand out? How will you locate the people most
likely to buy your product/service?
- Websites should be slick, with lots of bells and whistles. On
the Internet, functionality is king. High-tech gimmicks may look great,
but load slow. Of course, it's best to find a good balance between form
and function.
- Building a website is easy – I’ll just buy a how-to book.
Whether or not you can do-it-yourself depends on the type of site you
want and your own experience and skills. For example, will you require
shopping cart functionality or database programming? Building a website
is deceptively complex and requires a variety of skill sets, from HTML
savvy to good artistic taste.
- Everybody else has a site, so I should too. Thinking through
the real purpose of your site is crucial. Is it to sell your product?
Increase awareness? Provide information to drive local sales? Add
credibility? Despite what some critics say, creating an "online
brochure" is a legitimate reason to build a site. However, it is a very
different purpose than selling directly over the Internet.
Clarifying your purpose for wanting a website is a perfect starting
point. Good luck!
John Williams is president and founder of LogoYes.com, the world's first
and largest DIY logo website. In his 25 years in advertising, he has created
brand standards for Fortune 100 companies like Mitsubishi and won numerous
international awards for his design work
