Image Credit: www.SylviaBrowder.com

Starting a new small business can be tough, but if you are a budding entrepreneur, you will be well aware of the hard work that is required. There are a number of small things that you can focus on to make sure your website is of a high quality, and fulfills the purpose it is meant to.

Too often we have seen new businesses fail because their brand appearance does not match up with their website. So, thinking about what message you want to convey to your target audience is the difference between success and failure. In a recent article found on Freshbooks, “The Science Behind Making a Connection With Your Clients,” author Andy Haynes says, “when you tell a story you light up your client’s mind like Times Square. And that’s how strong connections are made—how effective communication can make listeners empathize with what you are saying and become more receptive to your ideas.”

These 5 factors should help you create a winning website that will speak directly to your ideal customers:

Focus on aesthetics of your website.

Your website appeal is determined in a big way by the aesthetics of the site. While we might not admit it, we all judge things on our first appearance, and a website is no different. In fact, when customers first come onto your site, the appearance of the website can impact on whether they actually make a purchase.

Take a step back, and try to look at your website with fresh eyes. If you were a new customer on the site, would the aesthetics of the site give you confidence to actually make an online purchase?

Focus on blog content matching your product/service.

While this might seem a little obvious, it is vital that the actual content of your site matches the product that you are trying to sell. If, for instance, you are trying to sell home insurance policies, you would probably want to keep a very formal tone, and not have big flashing bright cartoon images all over the site.

Does the content of your site match up with your target audience, in terms of tone, style, voice, and information?

Focus on a professional customer experience.

Competition is fierce, and if you hope to have a successful small business, you must focus on brand appearance. Clients can be fussy, and if you do not offer a highly professional service, from the start of the process right until the end, then chances are your customers will try another company.

Do a test, and try to go through the whole product purchase process on your site. Are you confident that everything works smoothly, and is there anything you feel could be improved?

Focus on your website targeting your audience.

The general look and feel of your website will certainly affect your customer’s decision making process, and whether they end up making a purchase. If a customer does not feel comfortable on the site, or if there is missing information, they might decide to hold off on the purchase.

Does the look of your website ensure that customers feel calm and confident, and so hopefully push them towards making a purchase?

Focus on tone and voice.

The tone used on your website must match the service you are selling. For instance, offering honest reviews and information can actually give customers more confidence in your product, as opposed to shouting out all the positive aspects to them, while ignoring every negative. In addition, are you in tune with your customer’s pain? What issues are they experiencing that you can resolve? By crafting your message to target the pain they are feeling in their business or life, will enable you to connect with them on a personal level.

Has the tone that has been used for the wording on your website been written with the target audience in mind?

These five small factors can make the world of difference in ensuring your small business gets off to the best start possible. Website appeal is crucial in determining whether customers convert into real purchases, so pay attention to the small details on your site.

Sylvia Browder

Sylvia Browder is CEO of Specialty Home Services LLC, a Home Improvement Company; a Small Business Consultant at Browder Consulting Group, a startup consultancy firm to help women with startup assistance, marketing, website and graphic design work and other support services. In addition, she has co-authored several published books; publisher of ‘Sylvia Browder’s Blog for Women Entrepreneurs’ a lifestyle blog; and publisher of ShopSpendBlack.com Business Directory & Blog platform created to help consumers find black owned businesses in a searchable format. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband of 30 years; 5 adult children and 5 grandchildren; church; friends and motorcycle riding.