Too often in this business I come across the flashiest websites that look GREAT, but are an epic fail! We call them ‘brochure sites’ and I guess every designer has been guilty of making them. They are pages that tell you all about the site owner & how great/educated/qualified/skilled they are – but nothing about what’s in it for me!
If you’re buying a car and the salesman tells you only about the golf game he had at the weekend, you’re hardly going to feel that he has your best interests at heart. No, they paint word pictures of you driving this new car, how much fun you’ll have, how the family will be thrilled … anything that makes you feel like you already own the car before asking the price. Why should it be different in the online world.
Because aren’t all websites sales tools? If not, why not? Is your web presence designed to drive away potential customers? To my mind, a website should either generate a sale or a lead – and self-congratulatory brochures do neither.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m not advocating websites that scream BUY BUY BUY either! Just a little feature – benefit analysis before crafting the copy. Try and look objectively at your current site and ask ‘What’s in it for me?’ If you can’t tell, your potential customer has NO hope!