One of the primary purposes of your website is to convert visitors to leads – or, at the very least, to build your brand among customers and the general public. Therefore, your site’s design must tie closely into your sales and marketing goals. This integration isn’t always simple, but it can be broken down into discrete steps.
- 1. Create distinct calls to action. These should be on your site’s front page in a major way and on every other page in a minor (but consistent and noticeable) way.
- 2. Design wireframes and test them with people. Getting feedback from others – employees, friends, family members, current customers, et al – can help you refine both how your site looks and the language it features. Ask people to comment on whether the calls to action on each page are clear.
- 3. Create specific landing pages. Landing pages can serve multiple purposes. They not only present your company’s value proposition in a concise and compelling way but can serve as splash pages for inbound links – AdWords ads, for example. A landing page is ideal for introducing email marketing recipients to your firm and its products, as well.
- 4. Integrate your lead form with your CRM. Integrating your online and offline lead-management efforts helps streamline your sales process. That means your employees will pay attention to every lead immediately – and it increases your chances of closing sales.
- 5. Follow through with the sales process for web leads. Staying in touch with past customers can be a smart strategy for ensuring repeat business. You don’t have to go overboard – just call customers to thank them for their purchase. Periodic emails can also be effective.
We’re aware that this five-step process is way oversimplified, but it’s meant to be a jumping-off point. To ensure maximum ROI from your website (and your lead-generation efforts), keep sales and marketing in mind when you’re building your internet presence. The payoff can be huge.
