| I've put together a list of 5 must-haves that every | | | | the whole hog of picking up the phone. And since |
| small business website needs to include. Whether | | | | many people surf the web out of office hours, the |
| you're building a website yourself, or have a web | | | | chances are that the time that they're actually on |
| designer to do it for you, work through this check list | | | | your website is a time when you don't have anyone |
| and you won't go far wrong. | | | | to answer the phone. Having a lead capture form |
| 1. Contact details. | | | | allows you to give them more information when it's |
| OK, it might seem a bit obvious this one, but you'd | | | | convenient for you, and lets them express and |
| be surprised how many people forget to add their | | | | interest when there's no-one around to talk to. |
| contact details. Not only must you have your contact | | | | 4. Photos of you and your staff |
| details - at a minimum your address, phone number | | | | This is another great way of reassuring your |
| and email address - but you must make those details | | | | customers about who they're dealing with. In the |
| easy to find. Don't hide them away in the footer. | | | | same way that having a map gives your web visitors |
| Make the 'contact us' page one of the most obvious | | | | the confidence that you exist, having your photos on |
| ones. Because having a website boils down to just | | | | the website creates a personal connection between |
| one thing - making more sales. And if your website | | | | them and you. It's so much harder to turn away |
| visitors have a hard time getting in touch, then | | | | from a face than a computer screen. Having a photo |
| they're not going to be able to start buying from | | | | kick-starts a personal relationship with your website |
| you. | | | | visitors, and makes it much more likely that the |
| 2. Map | | | | visitor will then get in touch. And the added |
| A bit less obvious, but a must-have which can make | | | | advantage is that not many websites include personal |
| a real difference to the number of leads your | | | | photos, so get this right and your site will start to |
| website generates. The nature of the internet is | | | | get head and shoulders over the faceless ones |
| anonymous - we're all dealing with companies and | | | | around it. |
| individuals through a computer screen. And because | | | | 5. Newsletter Sign up |
| of this, the Internet is a scammer's paradise - it only | | | | This option is a good opportunity to warm up future |
| takes a few minutes to build a website and pretend | | | | customers. Many people surfing the web for products |
| to be a company. So having a map of where you are | | | | and services will be in a 'research' phase of the |
| adds a real reassurance to your website visitors. It | | | | buying cycle. They're not ready to get in touch or |
| turns a virtual interaction into something more solid, | | | | start buying just yet, but are still interested in finding |
| and gives your website visitors the peace of mind | | | | out more information. So having a newsletter allows |
| that you're real people living in the real world | | | | you to start to interact with them before they're |
| 3. A Lead capture form | | | | ready to buy. They get the opportunity to 'taste' |
| This is the next step on from adding your contact | | | | your service and personality, without having to |
| details. Many website visitors want to know more | | | | commit to buying from you. You can start having a |
| about your products and services, but are disinclined | | | | conversation with them, so that when they do |
| to give you a call or drop you a line. But they're quite | | | | decide to buy that relationship already exists. And as |
| happy for you to get in touch with them. And in | | | | anyone running a successful weekly or monthly |
| order to make that possible, you need a lead capture | | | | newsletter will tell you, it can be the biggest source |
| form. Think of this as a sales assistant approaching a | | | | of new leads for your website. So add a newsletter |
| shopper, rather than a shopper going out of their | | | | sign up form, and start emailing news about your |
| way to approach a sales assistant. A lead capture | | | | company and industry to those signing up, and the |
| form allows your website visitors to leave their | | | | customers will surely come. |
| details and express an interest in you, without going | | | | |