The "N-B-C's" of Having a
Business Website
A successful website includes these 3 key elements to inspire confidence in their visitors:
- Up-to-date news and information about your company
- Personalization - names and faces - show you are a company operated by real people
- Customer satisfaction references
This article is an excerpt summarized from the web . [The opinions of CeJay Associates are in green.]
"For business-to-business selling where complex products or perhaps custom services are involved, it is rare for the website to actually make the sale.
The website is only one of the company influences that will bring the potential purchaser to the close.
How can the website build up the confident expectation of a happy outcome? We all realize that websites can be deceiving. It is not very expensive to build a most impressive appearance, when the reality may be very different.
Three things can help a website visitor be convinced of the credibility of the company behind the website. ... These are elements that should be easy to find in any effective selling website:
N - News: A company that is making noteworthy news in its market sector is likely to be one that is doing good things for its customers. Conversely, if it never makes any news, does that indicate that it is complacent with the status quo, perhaps not up-to-date with its equipment, etc.
Keeping a short column of news items on your website that are up-to-date is an excellent idea to show that your company is an active business and uses the web-media for serious advertising. Advertising sales that run for a short (ie. month long), specified length of time, shows this, also.
B - Bodies: The website should show that the company is not just a faceless monolith, however impressive. The company is in reality a team of keen, enthusiastic and well-trained human beings. They are eager to understand the customer's needs and to make sure the customer gets outstanding service. Ideally there should be pictures of the actual people the customer will contact, all obviously ready to do their best for the client. In a way, the website can show the commitment of the whole team to deliver what the customer wants.
This is a trend that seems to flip-flop every few years. While 2 or 3 pictures might be advisable, a 'family yearbook' is not. I feel that stating the names of key people, as in that of the Customer Service Personel, General Manager or a Sales Manager, on the Contact page is a good way to encourage personalized interaction with your company. Obviously, this needs to be kept up to date!
C - Customers: Particularly with complex products or services, it is difficult for a potential customer to do product comparisons, however elaborate the information provided by the website. How can a website easily provide believable data on quality or delivery reliability? One way to rapidly confirm that the company satisfies customers is to show reference letters from its satisfied customers. Some companies have a reluctance to show the names of actual customers, in case the competition use this information. This fear is often exaggerated. However, as a second best, quotes from unnamed customers can be used and appropriate references offered on request.
Remember that the person or company must first give you permission to use their identity on the web!
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