These days if you are in business an online presence is essential to your success. Critical to that success is that your keep updating your online presence to keep up with the changes in online platforms and to keep your information current.
By making it easy for customers to do connect with you online, find information about products, services, events and operational information they can make plans to visit or buy products when you are not available to speak with them.
For example, if you change your hours during the winter that should be reflected on your website.
Websites should not be static but should be updated regularly with things added or subtracted regularly. One easy way to do this, without having to change your entire website is through a “What’s New” page where new information can be added at a moments notice. Imagine that your were voted the “Best Business in North America.”
The sooner you can get that up on your website the better. You can send out emails to let customers know, but what about the people who are looking for you that you don’t have access to. They should know to.
Make sure your website loads quickly. The messages are clearly presented and valuable information is visible (contact information and address). If you want people to get in touch with you make it easy. I have a hard time with websites that tell me to complete a lot of my personal information to contact them, but don’t make their phone number easy to find if I just want to give them a call instead.
These days mobile device accounted for 49.74% of website views worldwide in 2017 and this percentage is only going to go up. So optimize your website so it shows well on mobile.
Be accessible, allowing your customers and potential customers to access your information through the platform of their phone, whether that is a phone call, email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or the next big thing that comes along. By being easy to find your can have a 24/7 presence to give you a competitive edge.
Your strong online presence will benefit you, your customers and those that are still trying to find you. Make it a priority.
A tip of the glass from me to you
* Some information from an article in Entrepreneur Daily
E Column
by Elizabeth “E” Slater, In Short Direct Marketing
A recognized expert in the fields of direct marketing and sales in the wine marketplace. Slater has taught more wineries and winery associations how to create and improve the effectiveness of their direct marketing programs and to make the most of each customer’s potential than anyone in the wine industry today.
Follow E on twitter @esavant and facebook.
