Small Business Start-up Website Guidelines – Customer perception

What is my Website?

For nearly all businesses their website is a tool to help them sell their services.  To either find new customers, or/and to help as a tools for new and existing customer.

Customer Perception

When a customer first logs on to a website is much like when someone first meets you.  We all make instant decision about that person/website, so it’s got to be bang on and communicate your business or service in the way you want it to!

Cheap and Cheesy

Cheap and cheesy only works for very few websites, mostly for those selling a product at a very low price where quality is not a major issue.

Homemade Websites don't have the same appeal as homemade cakes.

We often come across businesses who have put their website together themselves, by a friend or by the guy that does their IT support. Some are better than others but in the main it's like anything, you get what you pay for. In the main it communicates cheap, amateur and potential clients come away with the perception that "if you don’t value your company why should I?"

Getting it Bang On!

Don’t get me wrong, an ultra slick professional website doesn’t work for everyone, you have to make sure your website matches your customer base.  Here is a quick example:

Nursery 1

In a professional part of the world where parent specifically want their child nurtured, wholesome food, loving kindness etc.

Nursery 2

At the entrance to a very busy large commercial business, where everything is GO GO GO.  These parents especially want to know there child will be looked after and they won’t be disturbed, everything to be professional and work like clockwork.

Nursery 1 would not benefit from a clean corporate minimalist design (where as this would favour Nursery 2).  Nursery 2 would not benefit from a colourful and bright design, with an emphasis on fun and caring (where as this would favour nursery 1).

Know your customers

Before you do anything with your website, you need to know your customer, you need to know their wants and need, you need to target the “demographic”.

Then you need to be sure you know your web design, and they understand your needs (and can deliver obviously).

Conclusion

If you get your website wrong, it could easily work against you, turning customer away in their droves.  We would always recommend employing a professional expert web designer.  We think it will work to your benefit in the long run.

Written by Stephen Allen, Technical Director, Titan Websites.