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Business is still about relationships the only thing that has changed is that most of those relationships are now initiated using the internet.
According to a joint
Google/ThomasNet* study, 97% of buyers who researched or compared products
online took a further action either online or offline.
91% said if they can't find the information they need, they seek a
new supplier.
MEET
ENEMY #1
The
Dreaded
Back Button!
In order to gauge the effectiveness of a suppliers
website, it can be helpful to step back and approach a website the way
a potential customer would.
Using a process called VSET
(Verify, Search, Evaluate, Take Action)
it is possible to conduct an objective website
review. Take
a look and judge your own website...
No product or application pictures.
Home page relies on the visitor to read the home page.
(click above to
see live page)
Content buckets
of pictures and titles make it easy for the visitor to
scan products and capabilities to answer
"Am I in the right place?" and where to go next.
Your site has approximately 8 seconds to answer the question... "Am I in the right place?" Buyers scan the home page in a "Z" pattern. If forced to read large blocks of text they will hit the back button. It should be crystal clear where to go for more information. The secret to a great home page is engaging and SIMPLE design. No Flash, No Clip Art. Most often this is your critical first impression to a new potential customer!
Visitors can go no further with static web pages.
(click above
to see live page)
Searchable sites
with links to more images, specs, CAD drawings,
keep your visitors moving forward along the buying process.
>Information
should be provided in layers so that the buyer can "drill down"
to the details.
>DO NOT have your text as a jpg or gif file. Visitors cannot scan it
and search engines can't read it!
>Avoid PDF files unless it will be a large block of text that reader
will need to print out. It's bad for SEO.
>If you use PDF files give the visitor a warning. It is annoying to
have your Adobe software start up unexpectedly.
>Buyers expect details. Suppliers are not providing enough details.
Properly organized content allows you to put
rich content that is easy to search and read.
No details.
Here are the types
of information industrial buyers expect to find on your
website today (Google/ThomasNet 2005 study) :
90% Product Descriptions/Specifications
84% Product Pricing
72% Product Applications/Uses
64% Locations
61% Details on Tech Support
59% Information about Distributors
42% CAD drawings
Your potential customer has done a search, found your site and now is ready to initiate a conversion...make it easy!
Forms for RFQ's help buyers and saves you time by making sure you get the necessary information to provide a quote.
Need a drawing to quote... let the buyer know!
Each buyer has their own communication preference so your contact number, address, fax number and email address should be prominently displays on every single page.
(click above to
see live page)
If your website has passed the VSET test with flying colors Congratulations! However if you think your current site needs improvement, our WebSolutions department will do a free web evaluation of your current site for you to point out your site's strengths and weaknesses. If you would like to have your current site evaluated just contact me and I'll get it done for you (there is no charge for a web evaluation report). If you are interested in a new or updated website and would like to learn more about ThomasNet WebSolutions, just let me know and I'll be happy to schedule a time to come by.
Best Regards,
Mary
*If you
would like a pdf of the Google/ThomasNet study white papers just send
me an email.
This article has been written by Mary Dykas, MVP representing ThomasNet.com