It’s all about the relationship

by Barb March 6, 2009 • 01:48 pm • Comments (5)

My dad was a great salesman. His most reliable selling tools were a pocket full of dimes, a well-pressed business suit, and a briefcase stocked with company literature.

Equally important were his memberships in a variety of community and fraternal organizations, where he formed deep and long-lasting relationships with a variety of colleagues and community leaders.

Though we’ve moved away from the pocketful of dimes requirement, the key is — and always has been — building relationships with current and potential customers. 

One of today’s most important relationship-building tools is your company website. It’s no secret that company sites are often neglected for long periods of time and become out of date in terms of content, design and technology. Ask yourself these basic questions about your own company website:

Does it make a good first impression?
Your website often serves as the first contact a customer or potential customer has with your company. Is it fresh, interesting, and up-to-date? Or, does it look ‘tired’ or dated? And how does it look when accessed via Blackberry or iPhone? Does the site load quickly and easily?

Does your home page help site visitors move off the home page quickly?
Every visit to a website begins with a goal. People visit the site looking for information or content, to do a task, or to solve a problem. You want to get them the information they’re looking for, get the job they came to do done, or solve their problem. In most cases, if they believe you can solve their problem, they’ll move deeper into the site. But if you confuse them, they’ll leave. Immediately.

Is the site conversational?
Think of the site as a conversation between your company and your customer or prospect. Use language your customers use. Don’t fill it with dated language, long narrative paragraphs and confusing technical terms. Think short headlines, concise copy and links to other sections of the site. And, while you’re looking at content, take time for a thorough review to find irrelevant, obsolete, or repetitive information, and edit accordingly.

Is your site a resource for your sales team?
Ask your sales force if they refer their prospects to the site for additional information and reference materials. And, if they’re confident the site reflects the image and key selling messages they share with prospects. Do you have the latest company news releases, updated product information and video product demos on your site? Is there a place for product reviews, comments, and customer feedback? 

Sometimes it’s very difficult to assess your own site objectively. Consider asking a valued customer or marketing professional to review a portion of your site and provide their feedback. A simple insight can identify gaps in your message or suggest opportunities for further clarification.