Wednesday 8 July 2009

Why Have a Web Site?

After relaunching Dresses at No.9 this year, not having a website would have been a complete disaster. A web site is a key part of any business and customers expect you to have one. It's open to the world 24 hours a day 365 days a year and potential customers visit it at a time convenient to them, which hopefully leads to business.
Unlike brochures, websites can be updated at anytime, something I look at, at least once a week. I can provide as much information as possible thus decreasing time wasting calls for both the client and myself. They also help keep up with the competition, again something I look at regularly.
A short while ago I was helping a lady source a dressmaker local to her. I came across a company and the moment I opened her web page I freaked. The whole concept from colour to font was practically identical to my own. So, I set about changing fonts, colours, layouts etc to make my website stand out from hers.
I had another look at the competition today to find she has dramatically updated hers including testimonials.

So, how do I choose testimonials and stand out from the crowd? There are a few key ingredients to look for that make the difference between an ineffective testimonial and one that sells.
"I love my outfit and I'll definitely be coming back should I need another!"
What could be wrong with that? It sounds like a happy customer. But what does this testimonial really tell my visitors? Does it prove my service works, or explain exactly how my customer benefited? While the feedback is definitely positive, the testimonial doesn't provide enough detail to have any real impact on any prospective client.
A good testimonial substantiates claims. How much money did my customer save by using my services? How much time did they save? How did it solve their problems or improve their lives?

A good testimonial is comparative. Have my customers tried another service that didn't work before they found mine? I want my visitors to know what my service can do that others can't, that set my service apart from my competition.
Now that I know what I'm looking for in a testimonial, I'm off to my in box!

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