As marketers, we spend a lot of time and effort attracting the right customers to buy our products and services. Interestingly, though, 57% of purchasing decisions are already made even before a customer interacts with a sales rep. This means that by the time they get in touch with someone from the company, it’s likely that they have already browsed through whatever they’ve researched online. That said, your website is actually your “ best salesperson.” This 24/7 marketing and sales machine brings in visitors, leads, and potential customers to your business.
A website must be able to showcase your brand, products, and services because it’s the first place that people go to when they want to know more about what you can do for them. These days, people resort to Google for solutions to their problems in the hopes of finding the right one. If your business’s website does not rank somewhere at the top of the search results, most likely they won’t find you.
Think about it, though: how much effort do we really put into making our website the best it can possibly be? You might have a good-looking website for your business, but is it really effective at being a lead generation and sales tool?
Let’s take a look at the way websites are created using the traditional approach and what risks are involved.
1. Large Up-Front Cost
Traditional websites normally require a business owner to invest a huge sum of money before a site can go live, but there is no guarantee what’s launching will be high performing.
2. Time Commitment
Normal SMB websites take about 3-4 months to complete. During that time, your marketing can’t afford to just take a break to focus on website redesign - unfortunately, most of the time, that’s what happens. The top priority becomes making sure that the website is launched on time, since the marketing plan is dependent on the website.
3. Not Based on Extensive Research
The website redesign is not based on the needs and preferences of the user — most likely, these are subjective or based on “trending” designs. Thus, there is no guarantee that it will produce optimal results.
4. Static
Traditionally built websites usually sit stagnant for about 1.5 to 2 years without any major updates. Thus, website performance also remains stagnant — or worse, the website may not be converting at all.
Ultimately, business owners want ROI on their $15000 investment, and with a traditionally built website, you can’t really secure that.
The Solution? Growth-Driven Design
Luke Summerfield, Partner Agency Program Manager at HubSpot, introduced the concept of Growth-Driven Design. It introduces the idea that there is a smarter approach to how we create websites without the risks of a traditionally built website.
Essentially, Growth-Driven Design is all about rethinking the way we do websites so we can ultimately achieve what’s effective for your business. This concept is founded on 3 Pillars:
1. Minimize the Risk
Minimize the risks mentioned with traditional website design by applying a systematic approach where your website becomes future-proof. Launch the website early and improve it over time.
2. Better Results
Growth-Driven Design allows for a website to be tested multiple times and lets you change things as you go. It becomes a learning process focused on customer engagement and conversions. Applying the Inbound Marketing methodology is key in this process.
3. Inform Other Parts of the Business
Insights from user behavior on the site can allow the marketing and sales department to strategize and come up with the best approach to engage with the customer.
As you plan for your business’s website, avoid the mistake of relying on assumptions, outdated information, and past data. Treat your website as both operational and a work in progress. After all, at the end of the day, it’s user conversion that ultimately matters.
Let us help you assess your website and grow your business. Build your website with us - schedule a consultation today!
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