by Rich Marazsky
A lousy or poorly designed website can cost you credibility Question #1: "Do You Even Care About What I Sell?" Have you ever visited a website and couldn't figure out what A lot of web designers force you to cram your sales message They do this because they don't give a rat’s rump about what If your website's purpose isn't immediately crystal clear to Question #2: "What Do You Know About Website Usability?" Have you ever visited a website and then clicked around like When prospects visit your site, they shouldn't feel like Question #3: "I Only Have One Product, So How Many Web Pages I'm sure this has happened to you before. You visit a If a web designer says you need more than 1 page for a The more pages you have, the more links you need. Simply That's why I usually recommend only 1 page for a Instead of additional web pages, I recommend pop-up windows. Simply because after you close out a pop-up window, you're Question #4: "Do You Think I Should Have Flash Animations?" Look, I have customers that ask me all the time about
and sales. Not to mention, a boatload of money. As you
read every word of this article, you'll find 5 important
questions to ask any prospective web designer. The answers
to these questions can make the difference between whether
you make money or lose it.
the heck they were selling? I have – for a second or two.
Then I leave! I'm certain you've had the same experience.
into a limited amount of space, just so they can show off
their fancy graphic designs.
you sell. Your sales message should take center stage. Not
play second fiddle.
your prospects, you're losing sales.
a senseless monkey, trying to find something as simple as a
product or contact address?
they're on an Easter egg hunt. If they do, they'll leave and
cost you a sale.
Should I Get?"
website and see a lot of links. You click on one. Then
another. And another. Before you know it, you're on a
completely different website.
single-product site, most of the time they're out to take
you to the cleaners.
put: links create distractions. And distractions kill sales.
single-product website. You can fit all of the important
information on one page. Sure, I could make more money
selling you an "About Us" page, a "Contact Us" page, a
"Recommended Links" page, etc. but that doesn't help you
sell.
Not the annoying pop-ups that appear without your
permission, but only the ones that appear when you click on
a link.
still on the main sales page. That way, your prospects have
to see your sales message. With too many web pages, you may
lose your prospect's attention. Or worse. You might send
them to another company's website!
whether they should have fancy Flash animations. (In case
you didn't know, Flash animations are short movies that
designers use to impress you with.) Usually, customers get
this "smart" idea from other designers they've contacted.
Fancy animations don't make money. At least not for you! Think about it. Most people don't have high-speed Question #5: "Will You Turn My Website Into A Work Of Art?" A website shouldn't showcase your web designer's talents. If you want to make money, you need to choose a web designer Conclusion A website design shouldn’t overwhelm your prospects with But your website should have a professional look and feel. About the Author
Rich Marazsky is the Lead Designer at LogicalWebsites
They only make money for your web designer.
connections. So when they get to your website and an
irritating animation appears, they just throw their hands in
the air and go elsewhere. That means you just lost out on a
possible sale.
Instead, it should showcase your product and sales message.
who won't drown your product and sales message in a sea of
graphics.
fancy animations, sounds, or images. Or look like a work of
art or an Easter egg hunt.
It should also be easy to navigate and put your sales
message in the center stage. It should be designed to
sell.
(http://www.LogicalWebsites.net). He has over 7 years
experience in Design, Marketing, and Online Advertising and
has designed sites in many diverse industries including
herbal medicine, financial newsletters, web hosting, and
direct-response.