Resolution #1 – Web Site Review
How long has it been since the “look” of your Web site has been updated? Most experts recommend that your site’s graphical look should change fairly frequently – between 18 to 24 months at the most. Your Web site is often the “face” of your organization, and if it never changes, it gives the impression that your company is stuck in the past and not progressing. Are we talking about a total redo? The answer is an emphatic “No!” In many cases, a “facelift” can be undertaken, with graphics updated, colors changed, text edited, etc. Be sure to research your competitors’ Web sites during this process to see how they compare to yours. Remember that potential customers will also be comparing them, so you want your’s to present your company in the best competitive manner.
You should also review your site for relevancy – is it providing the information that visitors to it are looking for? Review the site data from your Web site host. (If you don’t have that info, why not?) See what pages are frequently visited – and which aren’t. You may be surprised. Can you determine the reason why some pages aren’t viewed? Is there too much text…or too little? If your site isn’t serving the needs of its visitors, then what is its purpose?
You should carefully review every single page on your Web site at least once a year – more frequently if your products and services change fairly often. Make sure that all the text is accurate. Are your newest products or services listed? Or, does your site list items that you no longer offer? Many initial purchase decisions are based exclusively on this information, so why wouldn’t you have the most current information available? Also, if you have a copyright line, be sure that the date is current. “Copyright 2003” implies you haven’t redone your Web site in four years!
If you have staff names and contact information on the site, is it correct? We’ve all seen examples of sites that list former employees. You should make it a policy that their information is removed from the site the day the employee leaves. Nothing is worse than trying to use outdated information to contact someone who is no longer employed – especially if that person has been gone months, rather than just several days. If your staff changes fairly frequently, consider using more generic contact information (info@yourwebsite.com, sales@yourwebsite.com, etc.) rather than constantly updating the site.
If you have items that have a calendar date on them, make sure that that those items aren’t in fact, dated. Many Web sites include press releases and media clips. We recently went to a Web site where the most current press release was over three years old. Does that mean that: a) they haven’t done anything recently enough to issue a press release, or b) they haven’t updated their site in three years, or c) both? If you can’t provide more current information, remove the page from your Web site.
Resolution #2 – Marketing Collateral Review
When was the last time you revised your company brochure, flyer and other materials? Long gone are the days when you printed tens of thousands of copies of your brochure, then you had so much invested in them that you continued to use them long after they were out of date. Pasting a sticker on your brochure to “correct” the info only makes you seem cheap. Also, customers may get the impression that if you have such disregard for quality of your own materials, you probably don’t provide high quality products and services in general.
A very important part of your marketing materials is your business card. Again, it should be accurate. There is simply no excuse for handing out a business card that is not correct. We use an online printer for our WWC business cards; from them, 500 two-sided, four-color business cards are less than $55 and can be delivered in less than a week – 100 cards is less than $20. Don’t make your first impression a bad one by handing out old business cards.
And, while we’re on the subject, don’t print your own business cards, no matter what business you are in. Again, think of the impression you are giving.
Resolution #3 – Making Things Match
While you’re completing resolutions 1 and 2, be sure to compare them with each other. Your brochure should reflect the same look and feel as your Web site and your Web site should have the same messaging as your flyers.
Frequently, Web sites are designed by one part of an organization, while a totally different department designs other marketing materials – and never the twain shall meet. That’s OK, but only if someone never looks at the two at the same time. If you receive a postcard with a Web site address on it, you’d probably go to that Web site. If the Web site looks totally different from the card, the impression is that the company is unorganized and even unprofessional.
Resolution #4 – Proofread, proofread, proofread!
Whether you’re creating a new piece or simply reviewing existing materials, have more than one person review the materials. People often miss typos, grammatical errors and other mistakes in items they have written themselves, because their mind “sees” it correctly. If possible, have someone who knows nothing about your business proof your materials.
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If you complete all four resolutions every year (and even in between), you’ll be miles ahead of many of your competitors – and hopefully your bottom line will also benefit. If you'd like to discuss WWC performing an audit of your marketing materials, please contact us. We'd be pleased to arrange a no-obligation consultation at your convenience.
