Here are some tips for creating a “successful” website:

1. TRAFFIC- Just having a website doesn’t mean that people will know it exists. You need to make sure it is “highly visible” to YOUR POTENTIAL CLIENTS. This involves generating traffic to your website.  The most common way of doing this is through Search Engine Optimization or SEO.  This is a key element to long term success. There are a number of methods to generate traffic to your site, such as:  (a) print and online  advertising; (b) using Social Media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Linked In to spread the word;  (c) building an e-mail list;  (d) blogging; (e) podcasting; (f) posting videos; (g) bookmark sharing; (h) article marketing; (i) buzz marketing.

But generating “visits” to your website is meaningless unless those “visits” are from TARGETED visitors who have a potential interest in what you have to sell.

2. CONVERSIONS (CONTENT)- Once at your site, you need to engage the user and have them take an action. Either contact you, remember you or make a purchase. This involves effective, convincing COPY. The words that will be used to sell or motivate your prospect to take action. These words can come in a few forms: a) written words b) words in a video you may have on your site. c) words in an audio on your site d) any combination of a-c.

The critical component of copywriting is something that most site owners forget about or do not budget properly for.  A good copywriter who can create engaging words and stimulate your site’s visitors to take action does not come cheaply. But they are often worth far more than what you pay them in terms of your long term return on investment.

Search Engine spiders love to see a site that has fresh and ever changing content. It shows that the site is alive and has activity.

3. FOLLOW THROUGH – So, you have your customer hooked on the line. They’ve found your site and been convinced to take an action. Just like in fishing, it isn’t over until they’re reeled in and on the boat in the cooler.
Let’s say you’ve come as far as capturing their name, address and phone number. How well do you respond to and treat that lead? This is the same whether you have a website or a brick-and-mortar business.

After the sale has been made, I’ve seen countless businesses lose a critical marketing opportunity by failing to Follow Up with the client and take some basic steps such as asking for referrals or getting a testimonial.  Even more businesses lose the opportunities afforded by developing a long term relationship with their clients. It’s a well known fact in the marketing world that

4. MEASUREMENT - I’ve been in marketing for a number of years and am constantly surprised by the number of business owners who have little clue as to how their customers came to do business with them and what their customers thought of the experience.

You need a system in place to measure your success and failures and analyze them, taking appropriate actions to constantly refine your methods to make them better and increase your rate of success. This will help insure that your website and your business will be there for the long haul.

In Conclusion, let me point out that I offer SOLUTIONS to all the pitfalls pointed out above. I’d love the chance to work with you to help create a long term success for your website and your business.

It all started when I recently checked my e-mail and saw one of the typical “so and so is now following you on Twitter” e-mails.  Except this one said Maggiano’s.  It was different and it was a name that I thought I recognized. So, I opened the  e-mail to find out more about this new follower… Here is the screen I was greeted with:

I then clicked on the link in the e-mail to find out more about my new follower and was taken to their Twitter Profile:

Here is where I GOT VERY INTERESTED.  Just glancing through the feed, I noticed that they:

• Have an e-mail club where you can get discounts
• Give Club Members a free meal on their birthday
• Have daily contests
• Follow up on how people liked their experience
• Let people know in advance about delivery delays

Each of these examples on it’s own stands out as something that most businesses COULD do if they really wanted to. Doing even one or two of these things would let you stand high and above your competition in the minds of your customers and prospects.  But to see ONE PLACE DOING THEM ALL and making PERFECT USE of a social media like Twitter to do so is COMPLETELY UNHEARD OF AND TRULY OUTSTANDING!!

So, without further delay, I quickly went to their website (proving that using Twitter can drive targeted traffic to your website).  Here is what I saw there:

As impressed as I was when I visited their Twitter Page, I was BLOWN AWAY when I got to their website. I’ve highlighted the reasons why on the image.  But let me summarize:

GREAT DESIGN – I love the tasteful colors and the subtle texture effect of the background.

ONLINE ORDERING – There are services that let restaurants do this efficiently. But how many REAL RESTAURANTS actually take the time to offer it?

ONLINE RESERVATIONS – Think about it – this can be accomplished for any business. Whether it is a restaurant, tanning salon, garage, carpet cleaner, hair salon, barber shop, manicurist, etc.  Plus, you could even print out a coupon when your client makes a successful appointment.  Or a receipt – so when they walk in, they hand the receipt to a receptionist and immediately go ahead of any “walk-ins” because they have an appointment.  Then, using some other twists, how about offering them a reminder text message to their cell phone? It is certainly do-able and I can help make it happen for YOUR BUSINESS if you want.

E-MAIL CLUB – Capturing your client’s and prospect’s e-mail addresses is something you should be doing. Give them some kind of reward for joining and something on their birthday and other unadvertised bargains throughout the year. You can use any of the popular foundation services to help you manage your e-mail list. I can help you get started with that if you’d like.

SOCIAL MEDIA CONNECTIONS – On Maggiano’s website you will also find the Social Media connect buttons for Facebook and Twitter making it easy for people to connect to them and get advance notice on deals, etc.

IN CLOSING…

The clincher for me was that Maggiano’s took the time to find me – someone located near one of their locations. Exactly how they did find me on Twitter could be as simple as a search for folks living in a city near one of their locations. But they made a proactive use of Social Media to get themselves a client and CERTAINLY got their name in a prominent place in my mind.  Your business can do this too! I can help make it happen! Start this year off right – just give me a call or an e-mail and we’ll get you ‘hooked up’ and on the road to success!

877-MAZIARZ