e-ditorials - Issue #8: Keeping It Fresh

"Fine Tune Your Web Site and Increase Your Bottom Line"

Outdated links, unavailable products, old information...If your web site isn't current, people will stop coming to it. Do you check your stat reports to see how much business you are losing from an outdated web site? Create a plan for keeping your site fresh and measure the increase of your web site's profitability.

Did you know...

A great way to create fresh content is to create a monthly e-newsletter. An e-newsletter reinforces your brand, reminds a subscriber of your product or service, and creates client loyalty.

1. Your Image and Customer Perception

The look of your web site is a reflection of your corporate image. If you have an antiquated look or outdated technology, this will extend to people's perception of your product or service.

If people return to a web site and see improvements or a change, this gives them the impression that your company as a whole is continually re-evaluating and improving itself. It will also improve the perception that you are regularly improving your products or services.

Add these ideas to your "Keeping it Fresh" checklist:

	Remove any old information or outdated product and service information. Have your web site contacts changed? It is essential that all contact information is up-to-date.
	Create a "What's New" or "This month's special" section on your home page.
	Create a "call to action" by offering a limited time offer with a specific end date on your home page. These can change monthly or quarterly.
	Create an online or email newsletter.
	Have your home page images or text automatically change every time a visitor arrives, or change it to match the holidays or seasons.

2. Stay ahead of the competition

Now is the time to review your competitors' web sites and modify your web site to be even better than the competition. If your competition offers 24-hour customer service, your customers may expect the same kind of service from you.

Add these ideas to your "Keeping it Fresh" checklist:

	Evaluate the web sites of your top 3 competitors. What are they offering that you aren't and would it be a benefit to your clients? How can you make it even better? What are they doing wrong?
	Define your "edge". Is there anything you could be doing that your competition hasn't thought of yet?
	Go through your entire site with the point of view of a new visitor. Make an inquiry or place an order. Or even better, observe how a newcomer navigates your site. Where are the stumbling blocks? Do you have an ecommerce system or other web site system that is now outdated or cumbersome because newer technology has improved the process? If you have an online system that works well, can you make it better by adding a "wish list" that a customer can return to?
	Add or update a search feature on your web site to be as accurate as possible and take guests directly to the information they need most.

3. Rank Higher in the Search Engines

Did you know that search engines rank sites higher if their information changes frequently and is up-to-date?

Add these ideas to your "Keeping it Fresh" checklist:

	Check page title tags, description and keyword tags to make sure they are correct and contain current terminology.
	Check your listing in the top 5 search engines to see how you're doing.
	Hire a company who specializes in getting you listed in the search engines.

Quick Stat...

"An increase of 5% in customer loyalty can increase profitability by 25-80%." (Putting the Service-Profit Chain to Work, 1994 Harvard Business Review)

4. Build Trust

Many business owners believe that they lose customers to their competition because of better prices. Customers will be more likely to stay (or return after a bad experience) if you always maintain a relationship of trust, value and great customer service. Customers will make their decision to buy from a web site not solely for the best price, but for

• security
• ease of ordering
• better customer service
• established reputation

Add these ideas to your "Keeping it Fresh" checklist:

	Create a customer focus group and find out what your customers need and want from you. Then, make it a point to make sure your web site consistently delivers those needs on your web site. Repeat on a regular basis.
	Encourage interactivity on your web site and respond to all client requests within 24 hours, even if it is to tell them you are still working on solving their issue. In a survey, 90% said they expect companies to respond to questions submitted via their web site within 24 hours. 58% wanted that response in less than eight hours. (Enterpulse, May 15, 2002)
	Ask your customer service department to isolate the top 10 issues, and address them prominently on your web site as FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions). If you already have a FAQ section, continually make sure it's current.
	Add a questionnaire on your web site, in your email campaign and in your "snail" mail that asks how you can better serve your web site visitor's needs.
	Have a clear privacy statement that anyone can understand.

5. Create a Site Evaluation Schedule

Evaluate your business and your e-business plan at least once every year. At the very least, use this evaluation to create a list of desirable improvements, and assign a realistic completion date for each task.

6. Measure your web site's profitability.

Your web site should constantly evolve into a better functioning, more organized, intelligent force that consistently brings your company new business and repeat business. Become familiar with your web site's statistic reports, and determine where site visitors are entering and exiting the site. Make changes to your site based on your research and then measure the increase in web traffic and sales. Constantly fine-tune your efforts.

Add these ideas to your "Keeping it Fresh" checklist:

	Create a chart or graphic that tracks the effectiveness of your web site changes over time.
	Encourage a regular exchange of information from all staff members who are involved in the web site's impact on the company, including your customer service, production and fulfillment departments. Every employee that has contact with your customers is a valuable resource of suggestions about how to freshen up your site to make it better.

It will take time, patience and some mistakes to create an up-to-date web site that stays ahead of the competition and offers value to your customers. But the web is a proven, viable resource to grow a business. With careful planning, determination and commitment your return can indeed exceed your investment. After all, isn't that why you decided to have a web site in the first place?

— ©2002, Set Now Solutions, LLC. All rights reserved.